Captain America: The First Avenger Discussion Thread

[Spartan Rex]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

As far as I'm concerned, I like the apparent heightened fantastical reality of the film. I don't know that much about the character and I've never read a Captain America comic, but it wouldn't work as well (for me) to see them play it straight and historically accurate visually while introducing a character who is given a super serum that turns him into a superhero who wears a costume and throws around a bulletproof shield. There are obviously too many fantasy elements at play to work in a strict period setting. When the visuals of the film suggest an alternate/comic book reality, I suspend disbelief and go along with all that super serum stuff a lot easier. It would be harder to take Captain America and the Red Skull seriously if they were doing their thing against a backdrop of Saving Private Ryan art direction. I would imagine that the designs of this film are meant to remind the audience that they are watching a comic book based fantasy adventure, not a film dealing realistically with the horrors of WWII. For whatever reason, that's my take on it. But it's just my opinion and I think I'll love the movie. I totally respect those who want to see something different. Maybe I don't have a right to voice my expectations since I'm not an established fan, but films like this need to play just as well to newcomers as to veteran fans--in fact, if it doesn't work for newcomers, it won't be the huge hit they want it to be.

Disagree.
I think the heightened sense of historical realism would give the movie weight and impart a little more maturity to it .

 

[Darkseed]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

I just wanna see cap bust somebody in the face with the shield

Simple..............I like it

 

[Wake]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

 

[Spartan Rex]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Simple..............I like it

I remember watching Worlds Deadliest Warrior when the Spartans were on and the shield expert demonstrated
how devastating a shield was offensively in close combat, and that was just normal human strength.
Id like to see him use it as effectively in the movie.

 

[Agent0028]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

But like others have said, Iron Man wasn't really any more futuristic than that which related to Tony Stark--the Iron Man armor and the arc reactor. The jets looked just like they do today. How can technology more advanced in the 40's and still only be where it is in modern times?

These things don't really bother me alot, it's just not what I hoped for. Alot of modern comics, at least the stories I've read, seem to have Cap in a very real world 1940's. So that is what I was expecting. No big deal either way.

As for Saving Private Ryan, I was just using that as an example, I didn't mean it literally.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

But like others have said, Iron Man wasn't really any more futuristic than that which related to Tony Stark--the Iron Man armor and the arc reactor. The jets looked just like they do today. How can technology more advanced in the 40's and still only be where it is in modern times?

These things don't really bother me alot, it's just not what I hoped for. Alot of modern comics, at least the stories I've read, seem to have Cap in a very real world 1940's. So that is what I was expecting. No big deal either way.

As for Saving Private Ryan, I was just using that as an example, I didn't mean it literally.

In reality the Germans were developing jet technology and even had some prototypes made- but it still took a while before it came into wide spread use. It looks like most things are close to the 40s in the film, it's not like having a nuclear powered hover jet in the 60s (X-Men First Class) or Hitler dying in a theater fire long before the end of the war.

 

[Darkseed]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

The movie isn't out therefore, I will reserve judgement.

That said, I understand the film's direction. The villain needs an advantage over the hero to be a worthy adversary while giving the hero insurmountable odds (creates drama, conflict etc).

The good guys have the super soldier serum. Plain old Nazi's with 40 style weaponry wouldn't stand a chance against super soldier thus eliminating the insurmountable odds etc. The choice (perhaps not the best) was to make advanced weaponry to up the ante.

After all that, Cap nails someone with the shield, all is good in my world.

 

[Natrix]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

I love how people are all bent out of shape about the "advanced technology" when we have no context of how it fits into the movie other than the Nazi's/Hydra seem to have it. Seeing as the Cosmic Cube in in there, that could be the source of the technology and could also get rid of it by the end, hell maybe even AIM could be a part of it.

 

[Agent0028]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Hells bells, I feel like I'm getting it from both sides of the aisle. True, we really don't know the extent of the advanced technology. I think the movie won't be as good as it could be and alot better than some people are making it out to be.

 

[Khev]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

As far as I'm concerned, I like the apparent heightened fantastical reality of the film. I don't know that much about the character and I've never read a Captain America comic, but it wouldn't work as well (for me) to see them play it straight and historically accurate visually while introducing a character who is given a super serum that turns him into a superhero who wears a costume and throws around a bulletproof shield. There are obviously too many fantasy elements at play to work in a strict period setting.

Yep. And it has nothing to do with you not following the comics. I have issues from the 60's to the 90's and I much prefer the direction they've chosen over real world WWII plus Cap and the Skull. In the early 2000's Cap was rebooted to be more "realistic" through the Ultimates alternate Marvel universe and the Brubaker ongoing story in the main series.

In the Ultimates his costume is close to what we're seeing in the trailers and in the 40's he was basically just another soldier but with the Captain America costume. He didn't even throw his shield. In the Brubaker run its supposedly intended to look more gritty and is almost a black and white comic. I believe those two modern reimaginings are very popular and probably what some of the naysayers here would have preferred. I can't appreciate that new Cap however, and ultimately dismissed it. The series ended in the late 90's with issue 454 as far as I'm concerned. I'm thrilled Johnston and Marvel are giving us a Captain America more reminiscent of the hero from the 40's to the 90's.

Art direction from SPR just wouldn't work for that type of portrayal. I love that it appears to be more along the lines of other fantasy period pieces like Peter Jackson's King Kong, KOTCS, and Benjamin Button.

I love how people are all bent out of shape about the "advanced technology" when we have no context of how it fits into the movie other than the Nazi's/Hydra seem to have it. Seeing as the Cosmic Cube in in there, that could be the source of the technology and could also get rid of it by the end, hell maybe even AIM could be a part of it.

Yep, with the inclusion of the Cube all bets are off as to what could appear (and disappear) by movie's end.

 

[Khev]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Hells bells, I feel like I'm getting it from both sides of the aisle.

Don't take it that way (from me anyway.) It might take 10 years but you could easily get a reboot to your tastes when this series has run its course. I know there are many who swear by the Ultimates/Brubaker Captain Americas and I could easily see Marvel wanting to fund a live-action version one day.

 

[Natrix]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Hells bells, I feel like I'm getting it from both sides of the aisle. True, we really don't know the extent of the advanced technology. I think the movie won't be as good as it could be and alot better than some people are making it out to be.

Wasn't directed at you because there are plenty of other complainers in here too.

 

[Agent0028]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Thanks guys, but I didn't mean it seriously like I felt attacked. I meant because I see, and to some extent agree with, both sides, so both sides also disagree with me.

 

[jye4ever]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Realistic or Fantasy, I will have my ass in the seats come the midnight show for both Cap and Thor (wife has given permission).

I remember when these 2 were originally announced as 2010 movies and then being crushed when they were pushed back to 2011 (and Avengers from 2011 to 2012).

It all felt so very far away

Now it's just 39 days away for Thor and 4 months for Cap!

My point is, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

No amount of wishing or _____ing will change the course of these movies, not when they were conceived and most definately not now with release dates being as close as they are.

See you at the midnight show!

When Captain America throws his mighty shield!

Last time I felt this excited was was during the Phantom Menace trailer!

I think my head will just explode when the Avengers trailer hits next Christmas, or SDCC 2011

Hold on, let me hear myself say that again, Avengers movie trailer, as in a movie about the Marvel Avengers

As in a big budget movie about Cap, IM, Thor, BW, HE and Fury vs Hulk then all of them and Hulk vs Loki and SS!

Batman 3 who

 

[The Josh]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Yeah, I'm dragging my Dad. He loves to go see these movies with me and I'm gonna work on him seeing them both at midnight.

 

[Wake]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Have you guys read what Joe Johnston just recently said about Cap?

“We used ‘Raiders’ as a template when we were developing the story, but we sort of moved away from it as time went on,” Johnston said. “This is futurism in the 1940s; if you went to 1942 and thought of what the future would be, that’s what the approach was. The villain has a much more futuristic style and his science and his apparatus — he has a whole design motif that is beyond 1942 but it’s what you might have perceived as futuristic from a 1942 vantage point. So we went away from the ‘Raiders’ template in that sense but where we sort of stuck with it was in the structure and the action and the way the main characters are thrown into these situations and then have to get themselves out of them.”

He goes on to say that the film's are linked more in their rhythm and that it's easier to see from the viewpoint of a moviemaker than the moviegoer.

“When you sit down to watch it, it’s certainly not ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ which is a very different kind of film in the final analysis. But sometimes when we had questions and we were stuck we would say, ‘What would Indiana Jones do? What would be the answer to this in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”?’ I’ve always loved ‘Raiders’ and the great achievement of it was the tone and the fresh feeling of the movie. It was period but didn’t feel like it was made in the period. It felt like a contemporary film about this period in the past, and that is the goal we have with ‘Captain America.’ And I can say this — it definitely has an Indiana Jones pace.”

3


They went for Raiders NOT SPR.... IMHO both are viable.

 

[Agent0028]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Something about that quote seems off. Like the director is trying to convince himself that its Raiders based or something.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

Thats the deal with Johnston he doesnt have strong enough directorial vision. He wanted to start by ripping off Raiders rather than find his own way.
Now in fairness Spielberg was inspired with Lucas by the old 30's serials, but then elevated the genere and ended up pioneering new territory.
Spielberg was also wise enough to use Nazi's rather than Hydra or some other faux bad guys from WW2.
Johnston couldnt even get that right.

 

[MarfMaster]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

I have no problem with the director of a 1940s based action adventure film asking "What would Indiana Jones do?" No problem at all.

 

[Curly]

Re: The First Avenger: Captain America Discussion Thread

I hv to agree... he is Human Torch in the marvel universe...

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