THE FIRST AVENGER

It took 70 years and four tries, but Captain America finally made it to the big screen.  So, did the good captain deliver?  I thought so.  Potential spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk.

Agent Peggy Carter escorts Pvt. Steve Rogers to his future.

The Red Skull.

Captain America: The First Avenger shows the transformation of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a kid from Brooklyn, from a 98 pound weakling into America's ultimate super-soldier. The process is developed by Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) under the supervision of General Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).  Steve was meant to be the first of a line dedicated to combating Hydra, Hitler's science research division, led by the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) -- the first recipient of Erskine's formula. However, Erskine is killed leaving Steve the only one of his kind: Captain America.

Evans proved to have deserved the role and the three attempts the producers made to convince him to take it.  He delivered a well-ranged performance and managed to nail the little comedic moments peppered throughout the script.  Weaving proved a true threat as the Red Skull, and the make-up department did spectacular work on his "skinless" face.  Jones redeems himself for his last comic-based outing as Two-Face in Batman Forever with an excellent performance as the hard-as-nails commanding officer, while Atwell was able to achieve the strong independence the producers went for with her character.

The original shield.

The costume was nicely designed, combining practical elements with the design from the Ultimates comics. However, they also found a way to utilize Cap's original spandex suit AND triangle shield within a context so as to provide a treat for comic fans and yet not hurt the overall tone of the movie. A nice touch with Cap's round shield was the "battle damage" to the paint job it received as the movie went on.

Cap suit version 2.0.

With Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) relegated to being a present-time secret agent (the original Fury in the comics served in WWII and was given a formula that slowed his aging), Cap took over leadership of the Howling Commandos after having rescued them from the Skull's clutches. Unfortunately, while the group does get to participate in some humorous and action-packed scenes, their development is left on the back burner. While comic audiences will know and appreciate who they are, general audiences are afforded no such resonance. Marvel's tie-in prequel, Captain America: First Vengeance actually gave the characters a decent introduction that could have been utilized here.

The Howling Commandos.

The character of Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) makes a return to film as the US Army's go-to technology guy, who has several roles instrumental in helping Cap in his battles. His presence also helped tie the movie into both Iron Man films, including the Stark Expo location from Iron Man 2 and the presence of an incomplete version of the shield seen briefly in Iron Man and utilized in a fashion in Iron Man 2. Also featured in the film were Arnim Zola (Toby Jones), a research scientist working with Hydra, and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Cap's best friend and sidekick, and a cameo from Stan Lee, who brought Cap into the Avengers in the 1960s. Not to mention a couple of Easter eggs these movies have become known for (hint: keep on the lookout for the namesake of a prior Chris Evans role).

SHIELD Agent Caulson holds an incomplete replica of the shield in Iron Man 2.

The Avengers.

Overall, the movie was well done and well-paced.  The only place that really suffered was the ending, which felt a bit awkward in order to leave it tied-in and open for next year's The Avengers.  And while the extra ending scene was also underwhelming, The Avengers promo after it did its job and built up some excitement for the upcoming film. Captain America: The First Avenger is definitely worth a look in theaters, and, if you're willing to shell out for it, makes the most effective use of 3-D technology yet.
  

Cap buried in the ice in The Incredible Hulk.

Bonus Fact: Captain America made his first appearance in the combined Marvel Movie Universe in The Incredible Hulk. The original arctic opening cut from the theatrical release has a brief shot of a red, white and blue figure in the ice after an avalanche.  However, it's a good thing this scene was cut as Cap's icy discovery was made a bit more complex in The First Avenger. This scene is can be viewed on the DVD special features of the movie.