While I’ve seen all the Marvel movies released by Disney, I’ve been a bit variable about how much I’ve liked each one.  First Thor and third Iron Man – didn’t like those so much.  Second Thor?  I liked that movie a bunch.  I also thought The Avengers was just fantastic.  The previews didn’t give much away about the newest Marvel installment released on April 4th.  Personally, I tried to stay away from reviews and spoilers before I went to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so I would be a blank slate, so to speak – with no pre-conceived notions about whether the movie would be good or not.  Raymond, who’d read quite a bit about the movie before we saw it Sunday afternoon, was very careful not to give anything away.

Before I get to the mini-review, let me say that I did like Captain America (the original) very much.  It had an Indiana Jones vibe to it and, honestly, since Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of my most favorite movies of all time (released when I was in high school) the connection gave Captain America an advantage to me.

It’s hard for a sequel to be better than the original, but with Marvel movies, it seems almost common.  Such was the case with The Winter Soldier.  I don’t want to give anything away, so no spoilers here, but this was a great movie!  Saw it in 3D (which we don’t usually choose) because that was the time we wanted – the 3D effects were good.

If you’ve been on the fence, here are a few reasons to see the new Captain America:

• Robust plot chock full of surprises, twists and turns.
• Plenty of action without sacrificing the flow of the storyline.
• Excellent villains.
• Beloved characters from previous Marvel movies remain true to themselves (this is important to my enjoyment of any sequel).
• Introduction of new characters that work very well in developing the story and join seamlessly with the existing cast – this was a particular plus for The Winter Soldier with me.

There were thrills, laughs, shocks, and edge-of-your-seat excitement – everything you’d hope for in a Marvel movie plus just a little bit more.  I adored Captain America: The Winter Soldier and I think you will too.  As always, stay ’til the very last credit has rolled.

Have you seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier yet?  What did you think?