With a much needed change in direction, endlessly fun action sequences, and the best acting Marvel has had to offer up until Infinity War- Captain America The Winter Soldier is a giant improvement upon its predecessor. Although I did enjoy this film very much, I still have a few complaints. The plot of this film is a bit bloated at times- throwing information at you at rapid pace that it can be hard to keep up with everything as it goes on. The look of the film can also be a bit dull, mostly subtle grays and slightly grittier shots- but thankfully the film itself is able to pull it out of feeling the same way throughout. I loved the acting in this movie, all the stars really stepped it up a notch, including Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury- giving his best performance throughout the MCU so far. I'm glad they gave more depth into Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow- not forcibly sexualized like some films before it, and I truly enjoyed Chris Evans and Anthony Mackie's chemistry on screen- something that for two action stars is not always very easy to do. The action scenes are incredibly well done throughout, the Russo brothers truly live in the excitement of each shot, as if they are making it to enjoy themselves- and really it works so well. The film is decently entertaining, a bit bloated as I stated before, but it definitely keeps your interest for its nearly 2.5 hour long run. In the end, Captain America The Winter Soldier may not be Marvel's best film, but it is a great step forward for the franchise and for the infamous titular character himself.

My Rating: 8.8/10.