Captain America 2: Winter Soldier Review

Grade: A-
One-Liner: It does its duty well.

I'm one of the only people in the world who can honestly say that Captain America is my favorite Avenger. Sure, I appreciate the snarky sass of Tony Stark and the mythic force of Thor, but Captain America's underdog-turned-superhero story can't be beat. And with Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) proved just as infectious in the present day as he was back in World War II.

With good ole fashioned values and the rare qualities of a gentleman, Captain America proved that he can kickass while remaining honorable. Even with Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff clad in a skin-tight body suit by his side, Rogers remained professional throughout.

Not all of the credit can be awarded to the character himself. He had a great story to work with, which expertly tied in the first film's plot, villains, and allies. Anthony Mackie made for a great new sidekick as Sam Wilson (aka The Falcon), and the story ended in a way that left you ready for another tale about the First Avenger. (Be sure to watch the freaky clip after the credits featuring Elizabeth Olsen!)

My main complaint with both of the Captain America films is the hero's flat, pointless love interests. He never even managed to take Peggy Carter on a date in the first film, and after all the hype surrounding Revenge's Emily VanCamp joining the cast as his love interest in the sequel, she barely logged a total of 10 minutes of screentime.

Obviously the chemistry is much more palpable between Evans and Johansson, but why throw in unnecessary potential beaus when Captain America barely even bats his eyelashes toward them?

On the other hand, who needs a love interest when you're fighting for justice in the name of 'Murica?!