Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Blu-ray Movie Review

"This isn't freedom. This is fear..."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 21, 2014

If you would have told me at any point in the last five years that two of the best comicbook films of all time, two of Marvel's finest offerings, two of the highest grossing movies of 2014 and two of the most entertaining and satisfying surprises of the year would be Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, I would have either laughed in your face or dismissed your optimism with a skeptical "we'll see." And yet here we are. Guardians, a hilarious romp through the weirdest, wildest, most colorful corners of the galaxy, following the... um... weirdest, wildest, most colorful team of superheroes ever brought to life on the big screen, is a massive success, a fan favorite and a critical darling. Winter Soldier, a tense, dramatic conspiracy thriller that somehow makes its strangest comicbook elements work wonders, is a masterfully conceived and executed sequel that takes Captain America -- and, along with Guardians, the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe -- in a bold, exciting direction. Both are outstanding films. Both boast astonishing confidence, production design, action and visual effects. Both are terrific fun. Both represent a brave new world for comicbook movies. And each one for completely different reasons.

Which is Marvel's crowning achievement? How do you even compare the two? Answer: you don't. Other than ranking the films by personal preference, it's a fool's errand to pit Cap, Black Widow and Falcon against Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot. You sit back, think to yourself it's good to be a geek, soak it all in, and wait for the inevitable Avengers crossover. Love 'em both. Watch both of 'em over and over and over again. Enjoy each one on its own terms.

So as much as the conversation of late has been dominated by "which Marvel movie wins?," let's just focus on The Winter Soldier. More than a gripping comicbook film, it's a gripping film. No small feat considering all the superheroes, inhuman action, indestructible shields, sentient computers, secret organizations, future tech, flying fortresses and memory- wiped, cryogenically frozen, cybernetically enhanced assassins. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is, hands down, one of the year's best blockbusters.

After the cataclysmic events in New York with the Avengers, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), is living quietly in Washington, D.C., trying to adjust to the modern world. But when S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose an ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, Sam Wilson. Codename: Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, the heroes and select members of S.H.I.E.L.D., among them Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy... the deadly Winter Soldier.

Despite the Russo brothers' background in absurdist comedy (Arrested Development, Community), Captain America: The Winter Soldier is deathly serious and intentional in every move it makes. From break-neck, jaw- dropping action sequences to thoughtful story construction, poignant man-out-of-time character complexities, sharp sociopolitical commentary, nods to the conspiracy thrillers of the 1970s, sparse but much-appreciated humor and comicbook easter eggs aplenty, the Russos effortlessly juggle competing elements to great effect. Make no mistake, The Winter Soldier shouldn't work. The moment the true villains begin to reveal themselves, the entire house of cards should topple. Rather than apologize for its leftfield comic inspirations, though, the film embraces each one, changing exactly what needs changed (Falcoln's powers and costume for one) and throwing caution to the wind with more outlandish characters and concepts (Toby Jones' Arnim Zola). The sheer skill required for such a balancing act makes it clear the Russos were the right directors for the job, and the manner in which they and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely still manage to focus on the unfolding drama and lend each character, hero and villain alike, substantial depth, in some cases with limited screentime, is a testament to their precision and command of their craft. (Not entirely convinced? Be sure to listen to the Russos' audio commentary, which lays perceived plot holes and questionable decisions to rest once and for all.)

The cast takes the Russos' marching orders to heart too. Evans is such a tortured, soulful idealist that his most principled actions are inspiring rather than campy; his scenes with Sebastian Stan are terrific, and terrifically moving too, to the point that what should be a rock-em, sock-em fist fight is transformed into a far more interesting and meaningful clash of will and purpose. Johansson, meanwhile, is such a welcome addition to the cast that the film's biggest mystery might just be why, oh why, hasn't Black Widow received her own standalone movie? More than an ice-cold government spook, her Natasha Romanoff has a tough exterior that hides something softer, more vulnerable, and far more intriguing behind its walls. Topping off the featured trio is Mackie, a bit of fun and lightness in the midst of so much heaviness and darkness. He comes on a bit strong, yeah, but Falcon is used sparingly and in all the right ways.

Adding heft to the conspiracy is Robert Redford, who's so good as Alexander Pierce that it's difficult to tell if he's a pawn, a king or a king-slayer. (As it should be.) Stan is fantastic as the Winter Soldier, conveying more behind a mask, in the shadows and in near-silence than many Marvel villains do with loaded monologues strapped to their hips. Frank Grillo is deliciously evil as the henchman of henchmen, Emily VanCamp is memorable (albeit underused) as Agent 13, and Smulders and other S.H.I.E.L.D. mainstays are strong, at-times amusing additions to the mix. Even Jackson, usually relegated to barking orders on the sidelines, gets one helluva car chase (along with other choice scenes), finally earning his stripes as Fury. The rest of the cast is pitch-perfect as well, and there isn't an expendable bit player in the bunch. (Except maybe Gary Shandling, who returns for a funny little cameo as Iron Man 2's Senator Stern.)

What doesn't gel? I had a small list but, frankly, after listening to the Russos' audio commentary (which I can't praise enough), that list is no more. The filmmakers systematically scratched off or addressed every criticism I had -- even patched up a few plot holes -- and made it so future viewings will be even more enjoyable. I know debate will continue to rage as to whether Captain America: The Winter Soldier or Guardians of the Galaxy is Marvel's finest hour thus far, but both films indicate something very, very exciting. With each Phase, the Marvel Cinematic Universe becomes a richer, more absorbing, more thrilling place to be. Bring on The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America 3, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Doctor Strange... it's safe to say Marvel isn't buying the naysayers' claim that comicbook movies are dying. They're more alive than ever, and have plenty more to bring to the screen.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Disney and Marvel Studios deliver the goods yet again with another MCU stunner. The Blu-ray release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier features a flawless 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation every bit as striking as it should be. Cinematographer Trent Opaloch's palette is muted by design, yet colors are strong, saturation is excellent, skintones are lifelike, primaries pack a pretty punch, and black levels are deep and satisfying. Detail impresses again and again too, without exception. Edge definition is crisp and natural, fine textures are exceptionally well-resolved, close-ups are revealing and delineation is excellent. Better still, I didn't catch sight of any significant macroblocking, banding, aliasing, ringing, errant noise, bothersome crush or, really, any distraction whatsoever. Marvel's top tier AV reputation remains intact.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

No one will be left wanting in the wake of The Winter Soldier's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. The film's explosive action is made that much more explosive thanks to tremendous low-end power and LFE channel support. Airships are bolstered by convincing weight and thrust, cybernetic hits resonate, body blows register, gunshots leave their mark, car crashes shake the ground... on and on, each thoom and boom as devastating as the last. Not to be outdone, the rear speakers make their presence known from start to finish. Listening to Captain America's shield bounce around the soundfield is a joy in its own right; realizing just how immersive the film's buildings, streets, bunkers, and Helicarrier interiors and exteriors are is one of many more delights. Ambience is ever-present and always effective. Directionality is accurate and engaging. Pans are perfectly transparent. Dynamics defy expectation. Dialogue doesn't disappoint either, even in the midst of the most chaotic attack or chase. Voices are clear, intelligible and neatly prioritized, without anything that might disrupt the proceedings. Captain America: The Winter Soldier earns top AV marks all around.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary: Directors Anthony & Joe Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely helm this excellent, extensive audio commentary, beginning with a discussion of '70s conspiracy thrillers and their influence on the Cap sequel. From there they systematically cover every bit of ground fans could hope for, from casting to performances, story development, themes and characters, balancing action, humor and drama, shooting styles, visual and practical effects, stuntwork and fight choreography, editing, music... the full spread. Also dissected is Winter Soldier's place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its connections to other films in the series, the things that set it apart, and brief teases as to where Cap goes from here.
• On the Front Line: An Inside Look at Captain America's Battlegrounds (HD, 10 minutes): Marvel Studios overmind Kevin Feige, the Russo brothers and key members of the cast and crew offer insight into the production, the development of the sequel, the tone and style the filmmakers aimed for from the start, the intensity of the action and handheld camerawork, and the evolution of Cap and his appearances since Joe Johnston's The First Avenger and Joss Whedon's Avengers.
• On Set with Anthony Mackie: Cut the Check! (HD, 2 minutes): A lighter behind-the-scenes quickie that focuses on Falcon's role in the movie, Mackie's casting and performance, the challenges of creating a strong character with limited screentime, and Mackie's habit of ending a scene with "cut the check!"
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (HD, 4 minutes): A short but sweet collection of scenes -- "Hill and Sitwell Talk Loyalty," "In Pursuit of Captain America," "Nick Fury's Circle" and "Widow Reveals Her Past" (which isn't nearly as revealing as it sounds) -- with optional commentary from the Russo brothers.
• Steve Rogers' Notebook (HD, 3 minutes): A closer look at Cap's notebook, specifically the ways in which the items on his list are different in various international versions of the film.
• Gag Reel (HD, 3 minutes): Laughing it up with the cast.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier only accelerates Marvel's upward momentum, while somehow promising even better things are to come. As much a wiry, dramatic conspiracy thriller as it is an action-packed comicbook blockbuster, the Cap sequel places Steve Rogers squarely atop the Avengers' roster and delivers one of Marvel Studios' best, not to mention one of the finest comicbook movies of all time. More than that, The Winter Soldier stands as one of 2014's most memorable and satisfying blockbusters, and as a gripping slice of conspiracy-cinema to boot. Disney's Blu-ray is a must-own release too, thanks to a first-class video presentation and an excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. It's a bit light on supplemental material (additional content is no doubt being held back for the inevitable Phase Two box set), but the filmmakers' terrific audio commentary more than makes up for it as far as I'm concerned. Be sure to add this one to your collection post-haste.