We have landed back on Earth with our next step in the MCU. Many have compared Captain America: The Winter Soldier to a ’70s conspiracy thriller, and there are definitely elements of those films here. The obvious connector is Robert Redford, whose role as Alexander Pierce reminds us of All the Presidents Men. This time he’s one of the forces operating the nefarious plans, however. A better connector might be another Redford movie, Three Days of the Condor, which sends an innocent man on the run. That genre fits well here with Steve Rogers fleeing from everyone to stop HYDRA.
I love the idea of Rogers as a man lost in time in our modern world. A quick glimpse of his notebook reveals a to-do list of Nirvana, the moon landing, disco, and Rocky. He’s a young guy with powers but isn’t sure where he fits. Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. call on him for missions, but even those raise questions about true intentions. The Battle of New York revealed the dangers from beyond our Earth, but bigger villains are operating right now. This isn’t a shock to a guy who experienced bureaucracy and callous leaders during World War II.
It’s interesting to look at this film as the origin story for Falcon and the Winter Soldier, currently in the middle of its Disney Plus run. Steve initially meets Sam (Anthony Mackie) by chance and connects with him over similarities in their pasts. Sam becomes a key figure in helping Captain America stop HYDRA. Bucky Barnes (aka The Winter Soldier) is more of an unseen force than a developed character. He’s the hammer that’s helping the villains’ plans. We’re a long way from the redeemed Bucky we meet later, though we see hints with the way he saves Steve.
A True Sense of Urgency
Winter Soldier is the first MCU outing for the Russo brothers, who would ultimately direct Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame. Their workmanlike style allows us to focus on characters instead of flourishes. We’re a long way from Zack Snyder. This approach works because it aligns us directly with Steve. When Steve and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) go on the road to find the truth, we’re right with them. An early shootout with HYDRA attacking Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) has a similar urgency. The tone feels more like a Bourne film with physical stunts in place of CGI.
A highlight is the discovery of the S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker in New Jersey with its mix of old and new technology. The consciousness of Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) provides a massive plot dump about HYDRA’s work in the past 70 years. It’s a lot to digest, but it works because it only hints at the ways that HYDRA has infiltrated the governments around the world. I’d love to go back and chronicle everything that appears in this montage. Zola is also a more sinister figure here than in The First Avenger, and the attack following his speech confirms it.
The final act is the weakest part of the movie for me because it loses that human scale. It’s easier to care about the fates of a few people than millions. The fights aboard the Helicarriers also reminded me of similar battles during The Avengers. MCU films usually conclude with an epic conflict, so it’s not a surprise to go this route. There are still good moments between Pierce, Romanoff, and Fury while Steve and Sam take on HYDRA’s forces. The hand-to-hand fight between Steve and Bucky also works because of the personal connection beyond the all the punching.
Carving a Different Genre
Arriving directly after the mess of Thor: The Dark World, the Winter Soldier is a refreshing return to form. Despite being part of the larger MCU, each superhero lives in a separate genre for their individual films. Thor veers more towards fantasy than the human stakes of Captain America. This helps the entries to avoid being too similar, and it really depends on what type of movie you prefer. This sequel is quite different than The First Avenger, which had more in common with World War II movies. It transfers Steve’s genuine character to the modern world for different challenges.
The mid-credits scene introduces two new characters to prepare for Avengers: Age of Ultron. It’s our first view of Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro as test subjects for HYDRA. It’s also interesting to see this moment given the recent popularity of WandaVision. The other scene provides a quick glimpse of Bucky learning about his history. It connects to Steve’s visit at the exhibit and shows he’s looking for a change. It won’t be easy, but it’s a positive sign for the character as he moves forward.
Favorites – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
There’s so much to like within this film, so choosing my favorite moments wasn’t easy. I could have easily picked five different characters for that choice, and the top scenes all blended into each other so well. The action scene was a no brainer; that’s one of the top fights in the MCU thus far. To put it mildly, I really like this movie!
- Scene(s): Steve Rogers visits an exhibit showcasing his own past life, which didn’t happen that long ago.
- Character: Setting aside Steve Rogers this time, I think Scarlett Johansson finds just the right tone for Natasha Romanoff in her third appearance.
- Shot: I love the look of the old bunker with Dr. Arnim Zola’s consciousness living in the basement.
- Action Scene: The hand-to-hand fight inside the elevator is a classic.
- Surprise: The weight of the conspiracy is stronger than you might expect in an MCU film.
Rankings
We have a new leader! It was an extremely close call between this film and The Avengers, but I found the down-to-earth approach here a bit stronger. It’s not a surprise that I also ranked The First Avenger so high. On a rewatch, the personal stakes have a greater impact than just the massive CGI battles. These lists are shaping up well, and I’ll have to make a lot of tougher choices in the future.
The Movies
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2. The Avengers
3. Captain America: The First Avenger
4. Iron Man
5. Thor
6. Iron Man 3
7. The Incredible Hulk
8. Iron Man 2
9. Thor: The Dark World
Lead Characters
1. Steve Rogers/Captain America
2. Tony Stark/Iron Man
3. Thor
4. Bruce Banner/The Hulk
Villains
1. Loki (Thor, The Avengers)
2. Red Skull (Captain America: The First Avenger)
3. Alexander Pierce (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
4. General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (The Incredible Hulk)
5. Ivan Vanko (Iron Man 2)
6. Obediah Stane (Iron Man)
7. Justin Hammer (Iron Man 2)
8. Aldrich Killian (Iron Man 3)
9. Emil Blonsky/The Abomination (The Incredible Hulk)
10. Malekith (Thor: The Dark World)
Key Supporting Characters (Not Villains)
1. Peggy Carter (Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
2. Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
3. Nick Fury (Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
4. Agent Coulson (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, The Avengers)
5. James “Bucky” Barnes (Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
6. Sam Wilson/Falcon (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
7. Jane Foster (Thor, Thor: The Dark World)
8. Pepper Potts (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3)
9. Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Thor, The Avengers)
10. Colonel Chester Phillips (Captain America: The First Avenger)
11. Howard Stark (Iron Man 2, Captain America: The First Avenger)
12. Odin (Thor)
13. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3)
14. Betty Ross (The Incredible Hulk)
Stan Lee Appearances
1. Plays Larry King (Iron Man 2)
2. Wears a bathrobe as “Heff” at a party (Iron Man)
3. Drives a pick-up truck to grab Thor’s hammer (Thor)
4. Asks Erik Selvig for his shoe back in a mental institution (Thor: The Dark World)
5. Realizes he is “so fired” as a museum security guard after Steve Rogers steals his uniform (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
6. A general watching an award ceremony (Captain America: The First Avenger)
7. Dismisses the idea of superheroes in New York (The Avengers)
8. Drinks contaminated soda (The Incredible Hulk)
9. Gives a 10 score as a beauty pageant judge on a TV monitor (Iron Man 3).
Post-Credit Scenes
1. The heroes silently eat shawarma in a nearly destroyed restaurant after the Battle of New York (The Avengers)
2. Sif and Volstagg deposit the Reality Stone with The Collector (Thor: The Dark World)
3. Thanos learns that Earth is formidable and smiles. (The Avengers)
4. Baron Wolfgang von Strucker reveals his test subjects, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
5. Loki survives and controls Dr. Selvig (Thor)
6. Nick Fury introduces himself and The Avengers Initiative (Iron Man)
7. Coulson arrives in New Mexico for the discovery of Thor’s hammer (Iron Man 2)
8. Bucky Barnes visits his own memorial at the Smithsonian (Captain America: The Winter Soldier).
9. Tony Stark retells this story to an exasperated Bruce Banner (Iron Man 3)
10. Tony Stark meets Ross in a bar and tells him about the team (The Incredible Hulk)
11. Thor returns to Earth and reunites with Jane Foster (Thor: The Dark World).
12. Nick Fury calls upon Captain America, and we see a preview of The Avengers (Captain America: The First Avenger)
Next Time on the MCU Rewatch
Our next stop in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is far into outer space with the Guardians of the Galaxy. I didn’t know what to expect on my first viewing because I had no history with these characters from the comics. I remember enjoying the dialogue and lighter touch, but that didn’t work so well for me in the sequel. We’re well into Phase 2 of the MCU, and there’s a lot more to cover from this series.
Related Articles: The Winter Soldier
Iron Man (MCU Rewatch #1)
The Incredible Hulk (MCU Rewatch #2)
Iron Man 2 (MCU Rewatch #3)
Thor (MCU Rewatch #4)
Captain America: The First Avenger (MCU Rewatch #5)
The Avengers (MCU Rewatch #6)
Iron Man 3 (MCU Rewatch #7)
Thor: The Dark World (MCU Rewatch #8)
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Melanie B. says
Thanks for another great article and analysis, Dan. All I wanted to say is that I enjoy cracking myself up by imagining that “Bucky” is short for “Buckingham.”
Buckingham Barnes. Heeeee!
Dan Heaton says
Ha! That’s a good one, Melanie. I’m glad you enjoyed the article!