CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990) (a review)

CAPTAIN AMERICA, the movie (1990) (a review)

Yes, before this summer's blockbuster film there was an earlier version of Captain America back in the 90's. It starred Matt Salinger (the son of JD Salinger). And yes, it was bad. But was it cheesy fun bad or just bad????

The story: In 1936, the Fascist Italians are trying to create a super soldier. A female scientist objects and runs to the US. The fascist super soldier becomes the Red Skull. The American becomes Captain America. Captain America is sent to defeat the Red Skull and deactivate a missile, which he does but then he falls into the water and is frozen for fifty years. The Red Skull gets cosmtic surgery and becomes the leader of a crime family. Captain America is then revived in the present (1990's) and has to adjust before going to defeat his arch nemesis...the Red Skull.

Was it good?

No. It follows a lot of the comic book beats, which is nice. Maybe if they had made it a little lighter, a little more fun, it would have come off as campy, but it is just so serious about everything. Yikes! Some of the other decisions are strange. Giving the Red Skull cosmetic surgery doesn't make sense...he isn't the Red Skull anymore! And they have Cap doing stuff like stealing a car and abandoning a woman that are very un-Cap like. There are things that are good about the movie...dealing with Cap awakening fifty years later, including Cap's shield (although not much and not well, but at least they tried.)

At best this is a cheesy film to watch and enjoy for it's bad-ness. Or maybe the best thing about it is that it makes us hope that the Cap movie coming out this summer will be better.

*** AVOID ***

(unless you are a total geek like me :) )

THOR: TALES OF ASGARD (2011, animated) (a review)

THOR: TALES OF ASGARD (2011, animated) (a review)

This is a direct to dvd animated film released to time with the feature film THOR. It focuses on THOR and LOKI as teens (or the Norse god equivalent of teens) and their adventure into the territory of the frost giants).

The story: a young Thor, wanting to prove himself, goes on a quest with Loki and a few others into the territory of the frost giants to retrieve a legendary sword. They find it, but in doing so kill a couple frost giants, thus almost creating a war.

Was it good?

Yeah. It was good, but not great.

First the good: in the feature film, I didn't like the parts that take place on Earth. In this movie, it is all fastastic environments -- Asgard, the land of the frost giants and a few others. There's lots of action and fantasy.

The bad: the story feels way too similar to the movie. Basically it has a lot of the same elements -- Thor brashly going into the frost giants' territory, almost starting a war, lots of adventures, and then he has to learn the value of peace/self-sacrifice. All it is missing is Loki's scheming, really.

Also bad is the animation. It's not horrible bad, but it's not great. The biggest complaint to me is that it doesn't feel like Marvel at all. It's the same animation style as the animated Hellboy movies. Marvel animation should feel like Marvel. Also, with this animation style, you lose a lot of the cool feel of the otherworld locations -- it just makes everything feel equally cartoony and bland.

Of course, kids won't mind. But with the push of the feature film and all, I wish Marvel would spend a little more to make the animated movies feel special. Marvel spends money to make the art in their comics pop. It's a shame they don't try to take that level of pride in their animated movies.

Still, for fans of Marvel comics or for kids or for adult who are kids at heart, it's worth seeing.

**** RENTAL ****