Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

🎥 Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers, shall we?

So I’ve decided to go back through the MCU again, but this time I’m reviewing the films in timeline order, not the order they released in theaters. That means we’re kicking things off during World War II with Captain America: The First Avenger.

Honestly, this was a pretty great way to start the MCU timeline.

🪖 Plot Rundown

The film takes place during World War II, where a secret organization known as Hydra has broken away from the Nazis. They’re led by Johann Schmidt, better known as Red Skull (played by Hugo Weaving). If y’all recognize Hugo Weaving, it’s probably from The Matrix trilogy or The Lord of the Rings films.

Hydra is searching for an ancient artifact known as the Tesseract. Keep that item in mind because it becomes one of the most important objects in the MCU. At this point it’s just a mysterious blue cube with unlimited energy, but later we discover it’s actually one of the six Infinity Stones.

Meanwhile we meet Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans).

Steve desperately wants to fight for his country, but there’s one problem…

He’s tiny.

Every time he tries to enlist, he gets rejected because of his health, yet he refuses to quit. That’s honestly what makes Steve so likable right from the beginning. Before he ever becomes Captain America, he already has the heart of a hero.

A scientist named Dr. Abraham Erskine (played by Stanley Tucci) notices Steve’s determination and recruits him into the Super Soldier Program.

The experiment works.

Steve goes from being a skinny kid from Brooklyn into the super soldier we all know today.

Unfortunately, Hydra attacks during the experiment, Dr. Erskine is murdered, and the Super Soldier formula is lost forever.

Steve eventually joins forces with Peggy Carter, Howard Stark (Tony Stark’s father), and Colonel Phillips (played by Tommy Lee Jones).

Howard gives Steve his iconic shield, which is made from Vibranium, an incredibly rare metal that’s practically indestructible.

Steve also rescues his best friend Bucky Barnes (played by Sebastian Stan), who had been captured by Hydra.

After capturing Hydra scientist Arnim Zola (played by Toby Jones), the team learns Red Skull plans to use the Tesseract to power weapons capable of destroying entire cities.

Then comes one of the saddest moments in the movie.

While attacking a Hydra train, Bucky falls from the side of it into the snowy mountains below.

Steve believes his best friend is dead.

Now Steve has to stop Red Skull before Hydra launches its ultimate attack.

Will Captain America save the day?

Will Red Skull succeed?

All will be revealed in the spoilers.

⭐ Rating

Overall, I’ll give Captain America: The First Avenger a solid 9/10.

This is still one of my favorite MCU origin stories.

Chris Evans was absolutely perfect casting as Steve Rogers. He captures everything that makes Captain America who he is. He’s brave, selfless, determined, and willing to sacrifice everything for people he’s never even met.

Hugo Weaving is also a fantastic Red Skull. He’s over-the-top in all the right ways and has a commanding screen presence every time he’s appears.

The film also does an excellent job setting up future MCU storylines without making it feel forced. The Tesseract, Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, Bucky, Hydra… so many important pieces begin here.

Overall, I highly recommend giving this film a watch.

⚠️ Warning, spoilers ahead y’all been warned. ⚠️

🚨 Spoilers

So let’s talk about that third act.

Captain America boards Red Skull’s giant bomber before it can launch its attack across the world.

The two finally fight one another.

During the battle, the Tesseract falls onto the floor. Red Skull picks it up with his bare hands, but instead of simply killing him, the Tesseract activates and seemingly teleports him somewhere else.

When I first watched this movie years ago, I honestly thought Red Skull died.

Nope.

Turns out we eventually find out years later in Avengers: Infinity War that he was transported to Vormir, where he became the guardian of the Soul Stone.

Talk about one heck of a punishment.

Steve quickly realizes there’s no safe way to stop the bomber.

If he lets it continue, millions of innocent people could die.

So he makes the ultimate sacrifice and crashes the plane into the Arctic Ocean.

Steve is frozen alive.

Decades later…

He wakes up in what looks like a hospital room from the 1940s.

Everything seems normal until Steve hears a baseball game on the radio that he remembers listening to years ago.

He realizes something isn’t right.

Steve bursts through the wall and suddenly finds himself standing in modern-day New York.

Nick Fury walks over and tells him he’s been asleep for nearly seventy years.

Steve’s response?