Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) (1 Viewer)

[Todd H]

Estimated 10+ million Thursday! More than Thor The Dark World. So expect a huge opening weekend.

Well deserved as it is an outstanding movie.

 

[Freddie Z]

Deadline predicting 90M to 95M opening. I'm going out on a hunch it will be more.

 

[Sean Bryan]

A few comments on things that were nicely set up for future installments. These aren't just spoilers about the current film, these also discuss things known to comic readers that will likely be revealed in future movies but aren't revealed in this movie. So if you'd prefer to avoid that kind of stuff, move on. Brock Rumlow:Those familiar with the comics may know Brock Rumlow to be

Spoiler

Crossbones.

In The Winter Soldier, Rumlow is just a Hydra sleeper agent and never takes on the persona of "Crossbones". But it is safe to say that with his survival and injuries, we can expect to see the character return as a future foil for Cap who will likely don the skull mask due to his scars.

... and I think that was nicely set up in this film. Agent 13:

Spoiler

Steve's neighbor Sharon who was assigned by Nick Fury to watch over him is known by comic readers to be Sharon CARTER. Sharon is Peggy's niece in the comics, but in the film I'm sure she'll be a granddaughter or great niece due to the greater age difference.

Her role in this film was small, but it was nicely handled and laid a good foundation for building on the character in future films. Also I think think not revealing

Spoiler

her relationship to Peggy in this film

was the right way to go, since this introduction lets the audience get to know her for what she does not "who she is". And sets thing up nicely for the reveal in the next film where her role would likely be more significant. The Winter Soldier:

Spoiler

Cap's best friend has been experimented on, enhanced, mind-wiped, put on ice, and forced to be a ruthless Terminator-like assassin for Hydra throughout the last century. The longer he was out of cryofreeze the more his memory of who he was started coming back to him. In this film, Steve finally reached him enough ("I'm with you 'til the end of the line") for him to break free of his programming, but he's still has a long way to go to remember the man he was and figure out who he should be now that he is out from under Hydra's control.

The post-credit scene was a really nice moment indicating that he is on his way to dealing with that, and again, nicely a sets up more for the character in future films.Captain America: The Winter Soldier just works so well on so many levels. It stands alone nicely, it follows up on concepts and story beats from previous films, and it sets up lots of things for future films without being really obvious about it. Seriously, Marvel has done such a nice job with this character and his stories in their MCU. The price of freedom is high. But it's a price he's willing to pay.

 

[Sean Bryan]

$96.2M estimated domestic opening weekend for The Winter Soldier!That's so awesome that a "Captain America movie" almost cracked 100M, opening the first weekend in April no less. This beats the previous April opening weekend record held by Fast and Furious (I think that was around 86M?). It also beats Thor: The Dark World's opening weekend of $85M.Considering the combined critical and financial success of this movie, that it leaves audiences eager to continue the story in Cap 3, and that audiences will get another exposure to Cap in Avengers 2 next May (which I bet a few people will see), and Marvel is in a pretty strong position to stay put with their May 6th 2016 slot for the sequel against Superman/Batman. Someone IS going to move, but now it is certainly realistic that it might not be Cap.

 

[TravisR]

,,,,and Marvel is in a pretty strong position to stay put with their May 6th 2016 slot for the sequel against Superman/Batman. Someone IS going to move, but now it is certainly realistic that it might not be Cap.

I think the smartest move is to move up a few weeks and get the jump on Superman/Batman. It's not much of a surprise but they've demonstrated that people will see a popular movie franchise in April so why not go with that month again?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Is that Captain America's Age of Ultron uniform photoshopped into that shot, Sean? A big improvement over the uniform from the first Avengers movie. Re-emphasizes the red, white and blue, while still having a somewhat militaristic look to it. I'm also really hoping they keep Cap's helmet from the Winter Soldier, because they finally got it right this time around. Glad to see the Avengers logo replace the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, too.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Also, the fact that Nick Fury's tombstone quoted Ezekiel 25:17 should delight the hearts of Quentin Tarantino fans everywhere.

 

[Freddie Z]

Marvel's marketing for sure is going to go into full gear to promote Cap 3. If I were them, I'd point out that Cap 2 is well liked by critics and audiences. Compared to Man of Steel which is evenly split. I'd also point out that Zack Snyder is the director of Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole and Sucker Punch! And that his highest rated is a zombie movie. Oh yeah, Marvel movies have humor and its superheroes won't kill villains when there are other options!

 

[DavidJ]

Also, the fact that Nick Fury's tombstone quoted Ezekiel 25:17 should delight the hearts of Quentin Tarantino fans everywhere.

I had the same thought when I saw it.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Is that Captain America's Age of Ultron uniform photoshopped into that shot, Sean? A big improvement over the uniform from the first Avengers movie. Re-emphasizes the red, white and blue, while still having a somewhat militaristic look to it. I'm also really hoping they keep Cap's helmet from the Winter Soldier, because they finally got it right this time around. Glad to see the Avengers logo replace the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, too.

Yep, that photoshop pic is Cap's new uniform from the set pics of Age of Ultron. Looks like they basically kept the Agent Rogers/Stealth Suit design from The Winter Soldier and added the more classic colors. Note the "Avengers A" on his shoulders.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Also, the fact that Nick Fury's tombstone quoted Ezekiel 25:17 should delight the hearts of Quentin Tarantino fans everywhere.

Yeah, that was a nice touch.

 

[Sean Bryan]

By the way, did anyone notice the Avengers Tower?

 

[Nigel P]

Sean, I hate spoilers (I try to stick to only 1 or at the most 2 trailers) and I am not a comic book reader, but I had somehow assimilated most of that information. That is one of the great things about this shared universe and the success Marvel has had that they can sow these little seeds that can gradually turn into something.

I have heard Avengers Tower was in there, but I didn't see it on my first watch.

It is silly how excited I am by that little symbol on Cap's shoulder.

I should be going with my dad to see it again on Thursday. The last time he went to the cinema with me was a Star Wars, Empire, Jedi triple bill I don't know how many years ago. I don't know if I should get him to watch The First Avenger before we go.

 

[Robert Crawford]

In the comics, are The Black Widow and Captain America partners? Or are the films reinventing their partnership fighting the bad guys?

 

[Sean Bryan]

I'm not overly familiar with all of Cap's comics history, but I believe there are plenty of stories when he and Black Widow work together. I think both working for SHIELD makes it a relatively natural pairing. I missed Avengers Tower myself in my viewing. I just heard about it afterwards. It was shown in the scene where Insight was targeting all the potential threats.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Here is a fun run down of the major easter eggs in The Winter Soldier. Again, avoid if you haven't seen the film yet. Also, if you don't want to know potential future movie plot development based on knowledge from the comics you'd best avoid this stuff as well. http://youtu.be/GD3WQ3H7nzEI'd love to get some screen caps of all those names being targeted by Insight. I bet there's lots of cool easter eggs in there.

 

[Sam Favate]

This is an interesting article on aspects of the film that make it a notch above the rest:

http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/04/06/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-hydra-shield-paranoia/

 

[Chuck Mayer]

While we cannot discuss politics on this forum, I will say that I thought that article reached a bit, taking for granted the allusions the writers wisely balanced with the comic book reality of their film, and going somewhat farther down the path than they did.Nonetheless, I staunchly disagree with their final sentences. Cap 2 is absolutely not a movie that "hates" America. As any good spy thriller should be, it certainly is skeptical and a fundamentally critical (not bad traits by any means), but it always shows great affection for Steve Rogers and his humanistic patriotism. It is a "ends don't justify the means" kind of film.Even as a member of the evil and far-reaching military industrial complex (a whopping 4% or so of the GDP), I could handle some of the analysis from the author. But not the "hate America" comment. I don't mind the politics, just the final assessment.Just my take. And not directed at you, Sam.

 

[Sam Favate]

I agree, Chuck - I also disagree with the article's last line. I thought the movie had a patriotism about that wasn't confined by ideology. Nevertheless, the article does point out that these themes in the film - which are a prominent part of it - separate it from the rest in the series. And make it better, IMO.

 

[ScottJH]

In the comics, are The Black Widow and Captain America partners? Or are the films reinventing their partnership fighting the bad guys?

This is the one I remember. I'm sure there are others.