Captain America: First Avenger
So I've seen the movie and I have SPOILERY thoughts.
I am not a Cap reader. I was into the X books and Spider books (up until the Clone), so I know of Cap. I've read some of his books and he is a hard character for Marvel to get right on a consistent basis.
Corny vs Sincere: Getting 40s America right: The second I saw "dances up to corny line, but not over it" in the good reviews and "not self aware enough" in the bad reviews, I became 100 different shades of excited to see this film. Because it implied that they GOT CAP RIGHT. OMG THEY GOT CAP RIGHT.
By today's standards, Cap is a cornball. Hell, even by his OWN era's standards, he was a boy scout. But he was not as uncommon in the 40s and they were never ironic then. He is genuine and sincere. The Nazis weren't THE NAZIS yet. They were bullies and the idea just irked America at the time. (Which is why, now that we ARE the bullies, it's seen as ironic.) There were very political reasons for America to join the Allies in WWII, but the support of the American people for the War Effort was not. It is why we tend to idealize that moment in time to the point that other nations eyeroll at us.
I'm curious how this plays in other countries. Cap is SO very gung-ho American Brooklyn Boy.
TL;DR - OMG CAP IS SINCERE NOT CORNY, EXCEPT WHEN HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
HOWARD FUCKIN' STARK. Thank you, whoever's responsible, for not making him Tony Stark in the 40s. OMG. I love how they did Tony's dad. First off, there's no real Steve/Howard to interfere with Steve/Tony - aka the only reason I've read Cpt America books. (And if you WANTED it - you can always fill in the beginning/after of the "Fondue is cheese dip" conversation.)
But OMG. HOWARD IS A GEAR HEAD TOO. This makes sense, he's in the business. But then they show him Hydra tech - that's actually Asgardian tech - and he is so overwhelmed and scared. Of them all, Howard Stark knows just how royally screwed they are. He's not good enough. And the drive to catch up and how it will affect how he raises Tony? *FLAILS*
OMG - He pushes Tony to always be the best, because he knows that Hydra is out there with ray guns. He knows they cannot afford not to be the world leader. And he dies before getting to explain it to his self-proclaimed "greatest achievement" - his son, Tony. FLAILING OMG DADDY ISSUE FLAILING.
Also - it's comic book canon that I really hope makes it to film - TONY STARK'S CHILDHOOD HERO WAS CAPTAIN AMERICA. HOWARD TAUGHT HIS SON TO PLAY STEVE ROGERS. OMG. "Keep. Looking."
HOWARD FUCKIN' STARK PART 2: "KEEP. LOOKING."
Howard's last line in the film is his own epitaph. In filmverse, Stark is a co-founder of SHIELD. Coulson recognizes Cap's shield from a half a glimpse across a room in Iron Man 2. The SHIELD agent at the beginning of the movie knows instantly that it's Cap and to wake Fury up RIGHT THE FUCK NOW. This strongly implies that Howard Stark helped form SHIELD to KEEP LOOKING for Cap. Every agent is fully read in and trained to KEEP LOOKING. Oh. My. God. *FLAILS MORE*
SHIELD is also very much on a rescue mission when it comes to Cap. Another Stark legacy. Col Phillips correctly points out that with Erskine dead, the safest and most productive course of action is to run tests on Steve. At the very least, preserve the only specimen they have. At the end of the film, SHIELD has no such interest (based on both on the wake up and after credit sequence). It was a RESCUE MISSION.
This would appear to be a direct legacy of Howard Stark. Tony also shows signs of this trait: when in doubt - take over and control what you cannot stop. By helping found SHIELD, Stark helps mold it into what he needs it to be.
THE USO TOUR - there was apparently a risk of embarrasment squick? I totally did NOT see that. Steve looks nervous at first and then grows confident in the routine. I AM, HOWEVER, VERY DISAPPOINT OVER THE LACK OF CAPTAIN AMERICA THEME SONG. BECAUSE IT SOOOO WOULD HAVE FIT IN THAT USO SHOW. But I love this sequence.
1. Captain America needs to be an ideal that will not be forgotten. Not just by SHIELD. At the end, children are playing Captain America in the streets. It gives me goosebumps. In a universe that fears and hates the X Mutants - this same universe will love Captain America. It is an actual bona fide plot point that children are raised to believe he is a hero. You do not get that with him being a secret soldier. You do not get that with other people playing him in films and USO shows. You get that by STEVE ROGERS being thrust in front of people and having that "one good man" interact with them. For all the cornball trappings, it is STEVE ROGERS that the children meet and remember when they play. These children will have children and tell them stories. Those children will KEEP LOOKING and eventually FIND AND SAVE CAPTAIN AMERICA. OMG I LOVE THIS POINT.
2. The USO's PR campaign and the films are canon and just so much love. I don't get the embarrassment squick, because that IS WHAT A USO SHOW IS. Unapologetic patriotism and "gung ho" attitude. As I said earlier, the real reasons America joined the Allies are not how we define our involvement.
3. The problem with Steve Rogers as a character is that there is ZERO character growth. Hell, he doesn't even lose his virginity as a rite of passage arc. I do not count the super soldier serum because the WHOLE POINT is that Steve remains essentially unchanged. He was already Captain America. His body just caught up with him. By placing him in the USO, you give him somewhere to go. He is very, very good at the USO gig. His appearance helps the war effort. But it is not what he was intended for, and getting out of a situation like that - with no clear enemy - gives a character like Steve something to process, learn and deal with - it give him someplace to go.
THE HOWLING COMMANDOS
For those that do not know, The Howling Commandos were originally with Nick Fury. Filmverse timeline and other considerations make it impossible for Nick Fury to be in 1941. So they gave them to Cap. They are not named as such, but they are instantly recognizable to the fanboys - hence all the laughter when they appear.
I LOVE DUM DUM'S REACTION UPON FIRST MEETING CAP. "WTF? NO. REALLY. WHAT. THE. FUCK? DON'T GET ME WRONG, I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY TO NOT BE DEAD, BUT IS THAT A ... FLAG YOU ARE WEARING? DID THEY DRUG US? IS THIS REAL?"
AND THEN -
"HOLY SHIT! IS THAT A RAY GUN? IS THAT A THREE STORY RAY GUN TANK!!!! CAN I KEEP IT? I CAN? SCREW YOUR QUESTIONABLE FASHION SENSE. I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO HELL AND BACK. MARRY. ME."
ahem.
Knowing that YOU ARE NOT MAKING A DOCUMENTARY STYLE FILM. SCREW HISTORICAL ACCURACY. There are several "oh come on, now. Really?" moments in any superhero movie. And if you are going to go there, then it is actually "wrong" that the film is as diverse as it manages to be. Although they possibly could have done more - they do not cop out and say that their all white cast is historically accurate. The Howling Commandos are not only diverse - if sublimated as extensions of Steve and Bucky - I was pleasantly surprised that there are several PoC in the background that Steve rescues, and they are greeted and treated as an integrated whole when they return to base.
This is not what would or did happen, but I'm glad to see it nonetheless. When I talked about Steve having no flaws to overcome - I'm GLAD he isn't shown with the unconscious racism that he would have had. So - YAY for the film knowing what it was and choosing to be diverse in the background. Now if we could just get to work on that darned FOREGROUND.
ahem. Back to squeeing.
TOMMY LEE JONES. FULL STOP.
I am overly amused at how annoyed Col Phillips is. World wars are just so damned inconvenient! And then! "Goddamn it all! I was promised an army of gung-ho super soldiers. And all I got was ONE IMMORTAL BOY SCOUT.
AND THEN MY BRAINY GERMAN GOT KILLED BY SOME RANDOM DUDE YOU BROUGHT IN.
I AM DISAPPOINT, SENATOR. BEHOLD MY SCOWL!!!"
Also - "I can't be mad at Stark - he's rich."
Although - WTFMarvel? An alarming number of your origin stories involve the wise foreign PoC sublimating everything for the white guy to live. AND THEN DYING. HORRIBLY. ON SCREEN/PANEL. (Slightly negated here as there is a genuine story arc with Erskine and it's actually BETTER than the one with Bucky.)
Steve and Sex
I would just like to point out that it is filmverse canon that if you grab Steve by the shirt and drag him into a dark corner, he will make out with you - even if he barely knows your name. I expect good things to come from this, fandom. You are on notice!
Bookworm!
There are quiet notes during the selection process that Steve is a bookworm. I want him to be a Jules Verne fan. Still, OMG READING IS SEXY. ALLOW CHRIS EVANS TO DEMONSTRATE.
CHRIS EVANS DOES *THE* STANCE ON THE CATWALK FACING OFF WITH RED SKULL!!!!!!!
THIS ONE:
and then, Elrond shows up. Okay, this one you will never get to experience. In the opener, when Red Skull kills the Vikings and steals the cube - the screen fades to back and Mom next to me let out a horrified and very disapproving - "ELROND!"
The "BAD ELF! NO GRAY HAVENS FOR YOU!" was so strongly implied that I and the gentleman on her left cracked up.
and then, Captain America breaks your heart.
Even knowing exactly where it was all going - OMG THE WAY HE LEAVES.
♥ Col Phillips realizing what was about to happen and making no petty speeches. Just getting everyone out of the room so Peggy could talk openly.
♥ Peggy staying on the line until the bitter end
♥ STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE - he has no idea what he means to people. The impact he had on every kid he signed a comic book for. On Col Phillips, on Howard Stark, on Bucky or any of the Howling Commandos. But he does finally get a sense that he MIGHT have a possibility with Peggy. Right before it all ends. *ANGST AND EMO FLAILING ENSUES THROUGH THE FADE OUT*
♥ ♥ ♥
THE ENDING
IT TAKES STEVE ROGERS APPROXIMATELY 1.4 SECONDS TO REALIZE IT IS A FAKEOUT. It is a thing in the book. Of all the Avengers - Cpt America is a bona fide military personal and the rank - albeit a wartime promotion - is earned. Cap knows how to lead men into combat and, most importantly, how to lead them home. One of the side effects is a finely tuned BULLSHIT meter - and it goes off the moment he opens his eyes.
NICK FURY IS SUCH A RECONIZABLE BAMF THAT STEVE INSTANTLY KNOWS HE'S IN CHARGE AND DOES NOT QUESTION HIM. Bonus flailing for Fury simply apologizing and explaining WHY and what is going on.
TIMES SQUARE. OMG CAP CAME HOME THROUGH TIMES SQUARE. It's just when I think of the WWII vets coming home from Europe, I think of the pic of the sailor leaning a nurse back and kissing her. That pic was taken pretty much where Cap stops running. He never got the chance to come home with "the boys" but he still does. SYMMETRY - I ♥ YOU.
THE POST CREDIT SEQUENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ADKSLJ;DSF WE ARE GOING TO GET TO SEE TONY MEET CAP AND THOR. OMG. IN MY HEAD IT GOES LIKE THIS:
FIRST OFF - THE REACTION WE *DO* GET TO SEE - TONY'S REACTION TO THOR IS TO PET HIM.
HE. PETS. HIM.
FROM THERE, I IMAGINE HIM FINDING HIMSELF FACE TO FACE WITH STEVE.
TONY: WHO THE HELL ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO BE? CAPTAIN AMERICA?
STEVE: ... yeah, actually...
TONY: ... HOLY FUCK. REALLY? REALLY! OMG! *UNREPENTANT NERDGASM AS STEVE LOOKS AWKWARD*
Original post at my dreamwidth
I am not a Cap reader. I was into the X books and Spider books (up until the Clone), so I know of Cap. I've read some of his books and he is a hard character for Marvel to get right on a consistent basis.
Corny vs Sincere: Getting 40s America right: The second I saw "dances up to corny line, but not over it" in the good reviews and "not self aware enough" in the bad reviews, I became 100 different shades of excited to see this film. Because it implied that they GOT CAP RIGHT. OMG THEY GOT CAP RIGHT.
By today's standards, Cap is a cornball. Hell, even by his OWN era's standards, he was a boy scout. But he was not as uncommon in the 40s and they were never ironic then. He is genuine and sincere. The Nazis weren't THE NAZIS yet. They were bullies and the idea just irked America at the time. (Which is why, now that we ARE the bullies, it's seen as ironic.) There were very political reasons for America to join the Allies in WWII, but the support of the American people for the War Effort was not. It is why we tend to idealize that moment in time to the point that other nations eyeroll at us.
I'm curious how this plays in other countries. Cap is SO very gung-ho American Brooklyn Boy.
TL;DR - OMG CAP IS SINCERE NOT CORNY, EXCEPT WHEN HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
HOWARD FUCKIN' STARK. Thank you, whoever's responsible, for not making him Tony Stark in the 40s. OMG. I love how they did Tony's dad. First off, there's no real Steve/Howard to interfere with Steve/Tony - aka the only reason I've read Cpt America books. (And if you WANTED it - you can always fill in the beginning/after of the "Fondue is cheese dip" conversation.)
But OMG. HOWARD IS A GEAR HEAD TOO. This makes sense, he's in the business. But then they show him Hydra tech - that's actually Asgardian tech - and he is so overwhelmed and scared. Of them all, Howard Stark knows just how royally screwed they are. He's not good enough. And the drive to catch up and how it will affect how he raises Tony? *FLAILS*
OMG - He pushes Tony to always be the best, because he knows that Hydra is out there with ray guns. He knows they cannot afford not to be the world leader. And he dies before getting to explain it to his self-proclaimed "greatest achievement" - his son, Tony. FLAILING OMG DADDY ISSUE FLAILING.
Also - it's comic book canon that I really hope makes it to film - TONY STARK'S CHILDHOOD HERO WAS CAPTAIN AMERICA. HOWARD TAUGHT HIS SON TO PLAY STEVE ROGERS. OMG. "Keep. Looking."
HOWARD FUCKIN' STARK PART 2: "KEEP. LOOKING."
Howard's last line in the film is his own epitaph. In filmverse, Stark is a co-founder of SHIELD. Coulson recognizes Cap's shield from a half a glimpse across a room in Iron Man 2. The SHIELD agent at the beginning of the movie knows instantly that it's Cap and to wake Fury up RIGHT THE FUCK NOW. This strongly implies that Howard Stark helped form SHIELD to KEEP LOOKING for Cap. Every agent is fully read in and trained to KEEP LOOKING. Oh. My. God. *FLAILS MORE*
SHIELD is also very much on a rescue mission when it comes to Cap. Another Stark legacy. Col Phillips correctly points out that with Erskine dead, the safest and most productive course of action is to run tests on Steve. At the very least, preserve the only specimen they have. At the end of the film, SHIELD has no such interest (based on both on the wake up and after credit sequence). It was a RESCUE MISSION.
This would appear to be a direct legacy of Howard Stark. Tony also shows signs of this trait: when in doubt - take over and control what you cannot stop. By helping found SHIELD, Stark helps mold it into what he needs it to be.
THE USO TOUR - there was apparently a risk of embarrasment squick? I totally did NOT see that. Steve looks nervous at first and then grows confident in the routine. I AM, HOWEVER, VERY DISAPPOINT OVER THE LACK OF CAPTAIN AMERICA THEME SONG. BECAUSE IT SOOOO WOULD HAVE FIT IN THAT USO SHOW. But I love this sequence.
1. Captain America needs to be an ideal that will not be forgotten. Not just by SHIELD. At the end, children are playing Captain America in the streets. It gives me goosebumps. In a universe that fears and hates the X Mutants - this same universe will love Captain America. It is an actual bona fide plot point that children are raised to believe he is a hero. You do not get that with him being a secret soldier. You do not get that with other people playing him in films and USO shows. You get that by STEVE ROGERS being thrust in front of people and having that "one good man" interact with them. For all the cornball trappings, it is STEVE ROGERS that the children meet and remember when they play. These children will have children and tell them stories. Those children will KEEP LOOKING and eventually FIND AND SAVE CAPTAIN AMERICA. OMG I LOVE THIS POINT.
2. The USO's PR campaign and the films are canon and just so much love. I don't get the embarrassment squick, because that IS WHAT A USO SHOW IS. Unapologetic patriotism and "gung ho" attitude. As I said earlier, the real reasons America joined the Allies are not how we define our involvement.
3. The problem with Steve Rogers as a character is that there is ZERO character growth. Hell, he doesn't even lose his virginity as a rite of passage arc. I do not count the super soldier serum because the WHOLE POINT is that Steve remains essentially unchanged. He was already Captain America. His body just caught up with him. By placing him in the USO, you give him somewhere to go. He is very, very good at the USO gig. His appearance helps the war effort. But it is not what he was intended for, and getting out of a situation like that - with no clear enemy - gives a character like Steve something to process, learn and deal with - it give him someplace to go.
THE HOWLING COMMANDOS
For those that do not know, The Howling Commandos were originally with Nick Fury. Filmverse timeline and other considerations make it impossible for Nick Fury to be in 1941. So they gave them to Cap. They are not named as such, but they are instantly recognizable to the fanboys - hence all the laughter when they appear.
I LOVE DUM DUM'S REACTION UPON FIRST MEETING CAP. "WTF? NO. REALLY. WHAT. THE. FUCK? DON'T GET ME WRONG, I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY TO NOT BE DEAD, BUT IS THAT A ... FLAG YOU ARE WEARING? DID THEY DRUG US? IS THIS REAL?"
AND THEN -
"HOLY SHIT! IS THAT A RAY GUN? IS THAT A THREE STORY RAY GUN TANK!!!! CAN I KEEP IT? I CAN? SCREW YOUR QUESTIONABLE FASHION SENSE. I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO HELL AND BACK. MARRY. ME."
ahem.
Knowing that YOU ARE NOT MAKING A DOCUMENTARY STYLE FILM. SCREW HISTORICAL ACCURACY. There are several "oh come on, now. Really?" moments in any superhero movie. And if you are going to go there, then it is actually "wrong" that the film is as diverse as it manages to be. Although they possibly could have done more - they do not cop out and say that their all white cast is historically accurate. The Howling Commandos are not only diverse - if sublimated as extensions of Steve and Bucky - I was pleasantly surprised that there are several PoC in the background that Steve rescues, and they are greeted and treated as an integrated whole when they return to base.
This is not what would or did happen, but I'm glad to see it nonetheless. When I talked about Steve having no flaws to overcome - I'm GLAD he isn't shown with the unconscious racism that he would have had. So - YAY for the film knowing what it was and choosing to be diverse in the background. Now if we could just get to work on that darned FOREGROUND.
ahem. Back to squeeing.
TOMMY LEE JONES. FULL STOP.
I am overly amused at how annoyed Col Phillips is. World wars are just so damned inconvenient! And then! "Goddamn it all! I was promised an army of gung-ho super soldiers. And all I got was ONE IMMORTAL BOY SCOUT.
AND THEN MY BRAINY GERMAN GOT KILLED BY SOME RANDOM DUDE YOU BROUGHT IN.
I AM DISAPPOINT, SENATOR. BEHOLD MY SCOWL!!!"
Also - "I can't be mad at Stark - he's rich."
Although - WTFMarvel? An alarming number of your origin stories involve the wise foreign PoC sublimating everything for the white guy to live. AND THEN DYING. HORRIBLY. ON SCREEN/PANEL. (Slightly negated here as there is a genuine story arc with Erskine and it's actually BETTER than the one with Bucky.)
Steve and Sex
I would just like to point out that it is filmverse canon that if you grab Steve by the shirt and drag him into a dark corner, he will make out with you - even if he barely knows your name. I expect good things to come from this, fandom. You are on notice!
Bookworm!
There are quiet notes during the selection process that Steve is a bookworm. I want him to be a Jules Verne fan. Still, OMG READING IS SEXY. ALLOW CHRIS EVANS TO DEMONSTRATE.
CHRIS EVANS DOES *THE* STANCE ON THE CATWALK FACING OFF WITH RED SKULL!!!!!!!
THIS ONE:
and then, Elrond shows up. Okay, this one you will never get to experience. In the opener, when Red Skull kills the Vikings and steals the cube - the screen fades to back and Mom next to me let out a horrified and very disapproving - "ELROND!"
The "BAD ELF! NO GRAY HAVENS FOR YOU!" was so strongly implied that I and the gentleman on her left cracked up.
and then, Captain America breaks your heart.
Even knowing exactly where it was all going - OMG THE WAY HE LEAVES.
♥ Col Phillips realizing what was about to happen and making no petty speeches. Just getting everyone out of the room so Peggy could talk openly.
♥ Peggy staying on the line until the bitter end
♥ STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE - he has no idea what he means to people. The impact he had on every kid he signed a comic book for. On Col Phillips, on Howard Stark, on Bucky or any of the Howling Commandos. But he does finally get a sense that he MIGHT have a possibility with Peggy. Right before it all ends. *ANGST AND EMO FLAILING ENSUES THROUGH THE FADE OUT*
♥ ♥ ♥
THE ENDING
IT TAKES STEVE ROGERS APPROXIMATELY 1.4 SECONDS TO REALIZE IT IS A FAKEOUT. It is a thing in the book. Of all the Avengers - Cpt America is a bona fide military personal and the rank - albeit a wartime promotion - is earned. Cap knows how to lead men into combat and, most importantly, how to lead them home. One of the side effects is a finely tuned BULLSHIT meter - and it goes off the moment he opens his eyes.
NICK FURY IS SUCH A RECONIZABLE BAMF THAT STEVE INSTANTLY KNOWS HE'S IN CHARGE AND DOES NOT QUESTION HIM. Bonus flailing for Fury simply apologizing and explaining WHY and what is going on.
TIMES SQUARE. OMG CAP CAME HOME THROUGH TIMES SQUARE. It's just when I think of the WWII vets coming home from Europe, I think of the pic of the sailor leaning a nurse back and kissing her. That pic was taken pretty much where Cap stops running. He never got the chance to come home with "the boys" but he still does. SYMMETRY - I ♥ YOU.
THE POST CREDIT SEQUENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ADKSLJ;DSF WE ARE GOING TO GET TO SEE TONY MEET CAP AND THOR. OMG. IN MY HEAD IT GOES LIKE THIS:
FIRST OFF - THE REACTION WE *DO* GET TO SEE - TONY'S REACTION TO THOR IS TO PET HIM.
HE. PETS. HIM.
FROM THERE, I IMAGINE HIM FINDING HIMSELF FACE TO FACE WITH STEVE.
TONY: WHO THE HELL ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO BE? CAPTAIN AMERICA?
STEVE: ... yeah, actually...
TONY: ... HOLY FUCK. REALLY? REALLY! OMG! *UNREPENTANT NERDGASM AS STEVE LOOKS AWKWARD*
Original post at my dreamwidth