Captain America: The First Avenger Blu-ray Review

Captain America is one of Marvel's more difficult franchises to bring to the big screen. It's been attempted before, with very little success (check out our review here). It was also attempted on the small screen, with even more embarrassing results (see our review here). The problem is this – the suit. It's hard to make the Captain America suit look cool. Comic lovers might dig his outfit, but the common viewer just laughs at it and sloughs off the entire story.

So naturally, some concern rose when Marvel and Paramount greenlit another live-action Captain America movie – one that tied the character into the upcoming Avengers series. It was a risky move, one that could sink the entire Marvel film universe if not done right. Thankfully for fans, this latest version works, not only as an adaptation of the beloved character, but as a brilliant thread that ties the entire Avengers mythos together.

Captain America: The First Avenger details the origin of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a young, determined man who's physicality doesn't quite meet the Army's standards. His heart and good-natured spirit catch the eye of a scientist (Stanley Tucci) who's working on a serum that would create a super-soldier. Rogers joins the project and endures the volatile procedure, which transforms his scrawny physique into something near Herculean. But evil lies just around the corner, as a villainous foe named Johann Schmidt, aka Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) plots to destroy America with a new weapon he created with his fellow scientists at HYDRA – the science arm of Hitler's army.

The plot is a bit sporadic, admittedly, almost playing like two films jammed into one. The first film outlines Steve Rogers and Red Skull, exploring their origin. It ends with Schmidt revealing his true, horrific identity as Red Skull. The second film starts nearly at the 85-minute mark, and features Captain America working alongside several of his comic book counterparts. This does leave a somewhat unsatisfying finale that lacks the energy of the first half. The ultimate resolution is a bit disappointing and may leave some wanting.

That said, Captain America is a slam-bang adventure not unlike Indiana Jones or the old 1930s adventure serials that came before it. The film is a blast to watch and doesn't rely on pro-America propaganda as the series once did. Chris Evans sells both Steve Rogers and Captain America – and the costume looks damn great, all things considered. It's still a little hokey when he wears the helmet, but it's effective nonetheless. Visual effects are pretty outstanding as well, though some shots are lacking. The best visual effect is Rogers himself. The scrawny, weak version of Rogers is pulled off seamlessly, so much so, you'd almost think Evans pulled a Christian Bale and just lost the weight for the role (then gained it all back for the Captain America stuff).

The film brilliantly ties the entire Marvel universe together, too, giving gravity to Stark Enterprises, S.H.I.E.L.D, and all that's come after it. Here, we get to meet Tony Stark's father, a young ambitious inventor named Howard (Dominic Cooper). He's a fascinating creation – one that helps give context to who Tony becomes. There's also little winks and nods here and there, many of which help make Iron Man 2 a better movie.

Captain America is certainly a bit rough around the edges, but it's a solid effort and a great classic adventure tale filled with vintage action and romance. The ending feels a bit rushed and tacked on, but fear not – this is not the last time Captain America will be fighting evil in the past. Expect him to return to this world after he faces off against several deadly foes in The Avengers.

The First Avenger touches down on Blu-ray encoded in 1080p/AVC, mixed in thunderous 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. There are two releases of Captain America on Blu – a two-disc BD/DVD/Digital Copy version, and a three-disc BD/3DBD/DVD/Digital Copy version. The 3D version of the film is encoded in 1080p/MVC, also mixed in 7.1 DTS-HD. Extras are identical on both versions.

Admittedly, Captain America isn't going to be the sharpest looking transfer out there. The film was shot with a soft focus haze designed to create a vintage atmosphere and nuance to the narrative. As such, it's not quite as detailed as something like Thor or Iron Man. Still, Captain America shines on Blu-ray, with outstanding depth and clarity, spot-on shadows, and a warm, but effective palette. The encode is free of artifacting, but some noise does sneak into the print from time to time – likely a fault of the HD shooting medium (Genesis HD cameras were largely utilized for this production, and it shows). Ultimately, this isn't the best looking Marvel movie out there, but it's far from the worst, either.

The 3D version of the film is a wash. This was a post-conversion job, and a rushed one at that. The 3D didn't really pop in cinemas, and it doesn't really pop here, either. Save for a few minor moments here and there, as well as the end credits, there are very few truly effective 3D visuals. And the film's soft focus haze forces a dark, often unappealing transfer that's hard to enjoy on any level. Even if you've got the hardware, this might not be the 3D release to test your system.

Audio delivers a hefty sonic punch, one that could easily become demo material in many households. Sound design is elaborate and balanced, with tremendous discrete effects, pounding bass and crisp, clean dialogue. The 7.1 sound field opens the movie up, giving it plenty of atmosphere, even in the film's slower, dialogue-driven sequences. Surrounds are never overpowering or too crowded. Bass is wonderfully rich and meaty without sounding too cooked or cumbersome. Fans will inevitably be pleased with this track.

Extras are certainly good, but perhaps a bit lighter than expected. There's an informative, fun commentary track with director Joe Johnston, DP Shelly Johnson, and editor Jeffrey Ford. It's not a great track, but it does offer plenty of trivia into the genesis of the film. There are also seven behind-the-scenes featurettes. They're explorative, to be sure, but not as in-depth as previous efforts from Marvel. All told, the material only amounts to about 50 minutes. Rounding out the supplements, there's a fun 4-minute short film titled "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer," roughly 5 minutes of deleted scenes (with optional commentary) and trailers. Extras are presented in HD.

Captain America: The First Avenger is a great addition to the Marvel universe. Chris Evans breathes life into the character, and costume designers give credence to Cap's goofy outfit. The Blu-ray looks great and sounds fantastic. Extras are good, but not as hearty as other Marvel films. The 3D version of the movie doesn't add much to the package, however. Still, if you're a Marvel lover, a fan of Cap or just a fan of comic book adventures, Captain America is one Blu-ray that comes highly recommended.