Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Homeland but even worse

It’s no secret I’m not a Marvel fan, but the first Captain America was a rare treat and even the latest Thor film I secretly enjoyed. I went into this hoping for two hours of fun and that Marvel may deviate from their overused formula of set piece – talking –set piece – talking – fight that destroys a city – end. That they did; with a storyline and tone more difficult than previous. Unfortunately they fail to achieve that tone comfortably, leaving Captain America: The Winter Soldier a rather confused and unenjoyable affair.

Still adapting to modern times, Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Chris Evans) is becoming concerned at the level of world policing agency SHIELD are doing. When mutiny starts in the agency, Captain America is left with only one person to trust; Agent Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), and together they must stop a strategic genocide.

The film has a great opening twenty minutes, with a still-adapting to modern times Captain involved in a mission to save hostages on a ship taken by pirates. This set-piece is fantastic, with the athleticism and speed of the Captain conveyed in a covert mission with little effects. Unfortunately this is where the film peaks, and from them on it becomes a mess with no narrative as underwritten bad guys (what were you thinking Robert Redford?) do a lazy job of being evil.

Maybe it was the World War II setting of the first film that made it more appealing, but in modern times this just comes off as a bad episode of Homeland, and that’s pretty bad. Avoid.

1 out of 5

The Grand Budapest Hotel – both Anderson’s most colourful yet bleakest

Opening with a narrative within a narrative within a narrative, then becoming as straight-forward as storytelling can go, The Grand Budapest Hotel merely takes us from A to B, but luckily for us writer and director Wes Anderson takes time to detour to C as much as possible. Story-wise there’s not a lot going on here, with what weak threads there are merely existing to bring us from one elaborate moment to another, occupied by inspired characters and impeccably detailed sets, but as always with Anderson any trip to his world is a pure joy.

1932 in the fictional Eastern European country of Zubrowka, Gustave (Ralph Feinnes) is the concierge of The Grand Budapest Hotel, situated high in the mountains surrounded by snow, and occupied by the wealthy and elite. Gustave provides the best customer service possible to his guests, including an affectionate affair with the elderly Madame D (Tilda Swinton). When Madame D dies suspiciously and bequeaths Gustave a priceless painting, her family are outraged and have him locked up for her murder. With the help of new lobby boy Zero (Tony Revolori) and his young love Agatha (Saoirse Ronan) Guatave plans his escape and seeks justice.

As always with Anderson, every frame is filled with detail, every colour carefully selected, and every actor a massive star. The director never fails to impress with his cast and as always the usual players, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody are all fantastic, but the real star is a fantastic turn from Ralph Feinnes as Gustave, a man bursting with civility and wit belonging to another world. It’s great to see the actor having such fun and hopefully we can expect more projects with him and Anderson.

Although as cartoonish as ever, this is also Anderson’s most violent with several unexpected moments of bloodshed, unusual in his work. It’s also his bleakest, with moments of joy grounded by realities of the time. It’s a testament to the directors skills that he can weave such dark moments into his frantic tapestry of imagination without any erraticness.

If you don’t like Anderson this won’t change you, but for those of us who do this is another fantastic treat. Always a joy to be in your company Wes.