Plot: What’s it about?
Oh Marvel…what happened? Back in the early to mid-2010’s, making a Marvel movie was like printing money and the execs at Disney couldn’t be happier. Granted, it might have been “easier” then as there was a lot to work with. We had big name action heroes that we’d known for decades like Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. As the movies kept coming (and why not?), the heroes got a little more obscure, but nonetheless entertaining. But, more to the point, they were building to something. There was the quest for the Infinity Stones, Thanos and the inevitable battle of good vs. evil that we saw in Avengers: Infinity War and finally in Avengers: Endgame. And then…not much. We had television shows (some think too many) that somewhat related to what was going on in the broader MCU, we had other studios intersect their characters with Spider-Man: No Way Home and even Deadpool and Wolverine. So, what I’m saying is – we’re out of excuses. Every Marvel character is, for all intents and purposes, accounted for. The movies have been one offs that don’t seem to point towards anything big and new happening and now we’ve got the fourth installment of Captain America and the first without Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. Is there hope for the MCU?
As of this writing, it’s been nearly a decade since the last bona fide Captain America movie (Civil War). In this latest entry we find that Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has now donned the moniker of the titular hero. But, as it’s said “he’s not Steve Rogers.” Wilson isn’t the super-soldier that Rogers was and the team that was, isn’t around anymore. Rather Wilson now works hand in hand with President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford taking over for the role the late William Hurt originated). Ross’ goal is to reunite the Avengers, but that’s easier said than done. There’s an assassination attempt and the quest is to recover stolen Adamantium (for true Marvel geeks, this is what Wolverine’s skeleton was laced with and what Captain America’s shield was made with, none of that “vibranium” crap)! There’s also the desire to establish a treaty with other countries and a mind-control plot from someone who we thought the MCU forgot. Make sense? No. Not really. It doesn’t. That’s the problem.
There were five credited writers on this film and it feels that way. It’s like five different movies and when they didn’t know what to do, they just threw in another hand-to-hand fight with Wilson and Falcon (Danny Ramirez). And, as we all know, the worst kept secret in the world was that Ford’s character was, you guessed it, the Red Hulk. This is the first appearance of our red-faced friend in the MCU and we have to ask ourselves “was it worth the wait?” I’m asking myself if it was necessary. All this said, it is still a Marvel movie and there were times when I was entertained. It was nice to see some faces from the past, but I keep asking myself “what is all of this leading to?” And that’s a question I don’t have an answer to. I hope someone does.
Video: How’s it look?
Plot (or lack thereof) aside, we know that when it comes to the MCU, the films look flat out amazing. And this is no exception. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image simply sparkles from beginning to end showcasing a wide gamut of color, strikingly precise detail and stark, bold contrast that’s sure to please even the most savvy home theater enthusiast. We’ve got some dark scenes that generally don’t bode well for some titles. Not the case here. And the red in the Red Hulk is a sight to behold, to be sure. Honestly I could go on and on, but let me say that for what is lacks story and character development, it excels on the technical levels.
Audio: How’s it sound?
I’d be surprised if this film came with anything other than a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, but thankfully that’s a bridge we don’t need to cross. It’s got one. And it’s used – often. The thumps and thuds from the countless fistfights give the LFE some screen time, vocals are pitch perfect and the surrounds (on all heights) are used with great efficacy. There’s a constant aura that surrounds the film and though there isn’t much of a soundtrack, it’s of no consequence. Suffice it to say that this, like the video, delivers on all levels.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Disc One (4K)
- Audio Commentary – Director Julius Onah and Director of Photography Kramer Morgenthau get right into it discussing the film’s overall look and theme, some of the “retro” elements used an so on. To be fair, the duo do admit what they were up against and seem proud of the work. I’m sure there were big shoes to fill and true fans of this film will surely love this track.
Disc Two (Blu-ray)
- Audio Commentary – Director Julius Onah and Director of Photography Kramer Morgenthau get right into it discussing the film’s overall look and theme, some of the “retro” elements used an so on. To be fair, the duo do admit what they were up against and seem proud of the work. I’m sure there were big shoes to fill and true fans of this film will surely love this track.
- Deleted Scenes – Three total, though none really add much to the film or the overall plot: “A Heartfelt Thanks”, “The Mission”, and “Stick Around.”
- Assuming the Mantle – This one is all about Sam Wilson (Mackie) and let’s not forget that he’s been in this role for over a decade. But some of the new issues were addressed with the new film and we find them all here.
- Old Scores, New Scars – True fans will know that the Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) was essentially forgotten. Nay nay. He’s back and we get a look at him as well as some other challenges in this featurette.
- Gag Reel – I guess even an 82 year-old Harrison Ford still has a sense of humor. That’s nice.
The Bottom Line
Disjointed and lacking focus, like it or not we’ve got the fourth installment of the Captain America franchise. I can only hope that Marvel rights its ship and we get some cohesive vision. However, it’s not totally unwatchable and with reference-quality audio and video it’ll likely find a place on many fans’ shelves.
