Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

All Critics (218) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (179) | Rotten (45) | DVD (17)

It doesn't try too hard for irony or style; the comic-book sensibility remains pure, square, and happily stupid.

August 1, 2011 Full Review | Comments (16)

David Denby

New Yorker

Top Critic

Pacy and punchy, but not quite a knockout.

July 27, 2011 Full Review

Tom Huddleston

Time Out

Top Critic

Comic book fans are likely to appreciate Captain America, which does a good job of consolidating the disparate origin aspects of the character into something easily digestible.

July 22, 2011 Full Review | Comments (20)

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Top Critic

The movie looks wonderful.

July 22, 2011 Full Review | Comments (9)

David Edelstein

New York Magazine

Top Critic

Kudos, then, to the creators of Captain America's big-screen blockbuster for keeping the action rooted in the past; except for some brief present-day bookends.

July 22, 2011 Full Review

David Fear

Time Out New York

Top Critic

The only problem is that we've been there -- been nearly everywhere Captain America goes -- in countless previous movies.

July 22, 2011 Full Review | Comments (23)

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

The result is fun and refreshingly retro.

April 12, 2013 Full Review

Chris Knight

National Post

A whizz-bang, retro-futuristic adventure that mercifully eschews the brooding Dark Knight trend to offer an exhilarating thrill ride that perfectly captures the enduring optimism of the 1940s.

April 12, 2013 Full Review

Jason Buchanan

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Captain America: The First Avenger is definitely the best superhero film of the year and it's one hell of a fun ride. This is a must see!

March 2, 2013 Full Review

Billy Tatum

We Got This Covered

The real marvel of it all is how much fun it actually is.

December 28, 2012 Full Review

Roger Moore

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Even next to Thor, a movie about a space god with a magic hammer, Captain America: The First Avenger was always going to be one of Marvel's trickiest properties to do justice to.

September 28, 2012 Full Review

Ali Gray

TheShiznit.co.uk

"With arguably the best supporting cast of the bunch, a cut-and-dried hero's hero who isn't portrayed as some cornball cheesy and a direct lead in to 'The Avengers,' this is my favorite of the Avengers set ups."

May 22, 2012 Full Review

Jeffrey Lyles

Lyles' Movie Files

As good a film version as can be made in this day and age by unapologetically embracing the square do-gooder nature of the character and concept.

April 8, 2012 Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

A slam-bang good time, Captain America: The First Avenger is one of Marvel's better efforts.

January 29, 2012 Full Review

R. L. Shaffer

IGN DVD

What the film can never overcome, though it mightily tries via superior score, costumes, and atmosphere, is the inanity of its premise.

December 23, 2011 Full Review

Jordan Hiller

Bangitout.com

Full of knowing nods for fans and stunningly designed, Captain America might not be perfect but it is an awful lot of fun.

December 6, 2011 Full Review

Rob Power

SFX Magazine

One of the banner comic book films of the year.

November 22, 2011 Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Joe Johnston's rendering of Marvel's Captain America is brisk and thoroughly entertaining, but is indicative of lowered expectations in its specific subgenre, despite looking excellent on Blu-ray.

November 4, 2011 Full Review

Chris Cabin

Slant Magazine

As the delightfully over-the-top Red Skull, Hugo Weaving has the most fun playing a noseless villain since Ralph Fiennes lopped his off as Voldemort.

October 26, 2011 Full Review

Clem Bastow

The Vine

Its flaws... prevent it from entering the upper echelon of superhero movie elites. Thank God there's still an interesting figure at the center of it all.

October 24, 2011 Full Review

Rob Vaux

Sci-Fi Movie Page

Proves to be a riveting roller coaster ride from beginning to end, basically because it relies on a winning recipe featuring all the fixins needed to hold your undivided attention.

October 23, 2011 Full Review

Kam Williams

NewsBlaze

Proves to be a riveting roller coaster ride from beginning to end, basically because it relies on a winning recipe featuring all the fixins needed to hold your undivided attention.

October 23, 2011 Full Review

Kam Williams

NewsBlaze

Combines the right elements of brisk storytelling and light touches of comedy without resorting to gimmicks or bombast.

October 20, 2011 Full Review

Bruce Bennett

Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

...good humored and uncomplicated, it concentrates on a single character, a single villain, a clear path to the present. (Blu-ray 3-D Combo edition)

October 19, 2011 Full Review | Comment (1)

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

Because of its period atmosphere and its successful combination of characterization and action, it tops my list of best superhero films of the year.

October 19, 2011 Full Review

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

• 1. Gabe Jones: Wait. You know what you're doing?
  2. Steve Rogers/Captain America: Yeah. I've knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 times.
  – Submitted by Richard B (6 months ago)
• 1. Bucky Barnes: Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?
  2. Steve Rogers/Captain America: Yeah, and I threw up?
  3. Bucky Barnes: This isn't payback is it?
  4. Steve Rogers/Captain America: Now why would I do that?
  – Submitted by Richard B (6 months ago)
• 1. Captain America/Steve Rogers: Keep it steady!
  2. Peggy Carter: Wait! [kisses Steve] Go get him.
  3. Captain America/Steve Rogers: [looks surprised at Phillips]
  4. Colonel Chester Phillips: I'm not kissing you!
  – Submitted by Gabriel F (6 months ago)
• 1. Peggy Carter: Get back here! We're taking you all the way in!
  2. Captain America/Steve Rogers: As soon as I'm clear, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!
  3. Peggy Carter: You can't give me orders!
  4. Steve Rogers / Captain America: The hell I can't! I'm a captain!
  – Submitted by Gabriel F (6 months ago)
• 1. Dr. Abraham Erskine: Because the strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows... compassion.
  – Submitted by Nishant V (7 months ago)
• 1. Nick Fury: Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but we thought it'd be easier to break it to you slowly.
  2. Captain America/Steve Rogers: Break what?
  3. Nick Fury: You've been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years...You gonna be okay?
  4. Captain America/Steve Rogers: Yeah, it's just...I had a date.
  – Submitted by Cody H (7 months ago)

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