Opening Today: Marvel's Captain America - The Winter Soldier

I LOVE Marvel movies – just love ’em. When I was invited to a pre-screening, I dropped everything to make sure that I could check it out. No popcorn, no drink, no snacks of any kind – I had nothing to distract me from what was happening on the screen – and a LOT was happening.

The action was non-stop. It was like watching mixed martial arts happening all over Washington, DC. I got a little distracted, since I am a Washingtonian, and it was set in DC, looking for inconsistencies in the street signs and buildings. There were some, but not many. With all the explosions, and amazing fight scenes, I quickly regained focus.

The movie delivered what you expect from a Marvel movie – great one liners, special effects that make the impossible look totally possible, and lots of “science-y” jargon to make things sound really official – like… yeah, this could happen!

Synopsis: After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off assailants sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1941, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a., directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp and Hayley Atwell, with Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. ~ Marvel Studios

There were plenty of scenes that made me wish I had worn pearls, just so that I could clutch them. The action was really great, but there was so much that we really didn’t get time to connect with the characters. However the movie was long enough, that something would have to give in order to have more character development. I’m not sure if I’m willing to give up all the special effects and action to get to know the characters though.

Ready to check it out? It opens nationwide today, April 4, 2014 – after you see it, come back and let me know what you thought…

Now what you come to this website for!

Did it earn the PG-13 Rating? Yes. No big sex scenes or anything, just lots of fighting – and not knock you out fighting… the break your neck, shoot you, you’re dead kind.

Bottom line. Should you go see it? Oh yes. If you are going to get to know any of the characters on a deeper level? This may not be the character meet and greet that you are looking for. If you love action, cameos, and fun marvel-style surprises and one liners? This is your movie.

Should I take the kids to see it? Kids today are exposed to more violence at an earlier age, so your child may be perfectly fine with all of the kicking, punching, choking, shooting, and explosions. However, since there isn’t much background, and the plot takes plenty of turns, they probably won’t be able to follow as much as who are the bad guys and who are the good ones, if they are under 12. I say stick with what the MPAA says. Thirteen is early enough.

Kids to young to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier? They can still get in on the fun with these coloring pages! Bookmark this page – more activity pages and coloring sheets coming soon.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier