Captain America: The First Avenger
Directed by Joe Johnston
Starring Chris Evan, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones
Release Date: July 22, 2011

In 1992, 9-year-old me entered a video store and struck gold. Among the shelves and shelves of VHS tapes was a single copy of Captain America: The Movie. Already a comic (not to mention Captain America) fan, you can only imagine how excited I was to view what I assumed would be a masterpiece. The movie was anything but and left much to be desired, but 9-year-old me loved the hell out of it. Despite its shortcomings and flaws, watching Captain America throw his shield for the first time just blew my mind. Fast forward to nearly 20 years later, I wondered if the latest Marvel Studios movie, Captain America: The First Avenger would do the very same thing.

With America just stepping into World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wanted nothing more than to serve his country. Despite being constantly rejected by recruitment agencies due to his meek size, Rogers’ unflagging persistence pays off and catches the attention of a scientist by the name of Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci). Erskine enlists him in a top secret super solider program. Injected with a Super-Soldier serum and bathed in “Vita Rays,” Rogers is transformed into a perfect human specimen. He becomes more than just a super soldier, but a symbol for America. He becomes Captain America.