Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.
With a string of gratifying action sequences, and a breakneck pace leavened by a frequently witty script, The Winter Soldier stands alone as a solidly entertaining blockbuster.
The most distinctive parts of this sequel aren’t the stunts but the moments in which they pay attention to character and plot: the Steve Rogers bits rather than the Captain America ones - and that is to be welcomed.
It may climax with an overly formulaic splurge, but The Winter Soldier benefits from an old-school-thriller tone that, for its first half at least, distinguishes it from its more obviously superheroic Marvel cousins.
Slick, systematic and à la mode — are these really qualities we want from a Captain America movie?
The Winter Soldier is consistently engaging, exciting in bursts, but there’s not one point in which the film ever excels.
The second Captain America movie is a terrific, stand-alone thriller that delivers exciting action sequences and engaging characters wrapped up in a satisfying and cleverly resonant plot.
Some of the action scenes are over-extended and the climax suffers from a slight dip in tension but this feels fabulously fresh and gives an invigorating jolt to the whole genre.
The real excitement of the movie is seeing just how far they'll take their political parallels – which is pretty much all the way to a grand conspiracy theory linking current US foreign policy with Nazi totalitarianism.
Thanks to Johansson, Jackson and Redford, this is all good fun. It's a shame the weak link is the Captain himself.
The film benefits from performances that combine camp with conviction.
Verdict: Puts the Marvel in marvellous.
It homes in on one of the less interesting characters, but for those committed to the long haul, it surrounds him with enough intrigue to ensure next year’s Avengers sequel, The Age of Ultron, remains a tantalising prospect.
There's cliff-hanging action galore in the Russo brothers' Captain America, but it could have been more intelligent.
Captain America and Marvel's Great Political Shift
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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