The Marvel movie machine is an unstoppable force that will earn its money whether or not they produce good films. Thankfully, they have a high standard for their films that makes them critically successful as well as commercially. However, that standard has been slipping as of late, with Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World drawing in some of the poorest reviews of the series. Does the second installment of the Captain's story bring Marvel back to its former heights?

In short, yes. The Winter Soldier succeeds where the recent Marvel films have not: the story. Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely make The Winter Soldier's story suspenseful yet thematically rich at the same time. Like The Dark Knight trilogy, it mixes political undertones and themes prevalent in our world today with incredible action sequences and tense, chaotic moments, propelling the movie through its 150-minute running time quite quickly. It never lets up on its relentless pace, making it quite a thrill ride. In traditional Marvel fashion, plot twists and witty dialogue abound; however, the character development takes more of a front seat this time in a similar fashion to Iron Man or The Amazing Spider-Man. The Winter Soldier answers many of the questions asked in The First Avenger, while also making Steve Rogers more brutish and less innocent.

The cast takes this phenomenal story and runs away with it. Chris Evans adjusts more to playing Steve Rogers, adding the dark, haunted side of the character this time around. He also gets enough quality screen time to show that he can make Cap work in the modern world. Scarlett Johansson, meanwhile, delivers her best work to date, offering up a complicated Black Widow that has a witty side as well. Samuel L. Jackson delivers once again as Nick Fury but adds slight sympathy to the character while reminding the audience that he can be one of the good guys. Robert Redford stands out here, however, as he is cast against type yet gives one of the best performances in recent Marvel movies. The rest of the cast does well as a whole, with very few blemishes in the film.

Visually, The Winter Soldier combines the look of Iron Man 3 with the effects of The Dark Knight trilogy. Its gritty, intimate cinematography allows the performances to be showcased, but the lack of CGI effects helps ground the film in reality rather than fantasy. In stark contrast to the warm, aged look of The First Avenger, The Winter Soldier relies on more close angles and colder colors, allowing it to reflect the cold, harsh reality of Steve Rogers's new world. The use of traditional stunt-work over computer spectacle brings more finesse to the film, allowing the characters to not be obscured by amazing visual effects.

Overall, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a great improvement to Marvel movies, taking the franchise to new heights while reminding us of why we grew attached to the series in the first place. It has everything a great movie needs: riveting action, impressive performances, and a smart script. These great components make it a film for everyone to love, and I mean everyone. No one will be turned off by this installment in the Marvel canon.