The Winter Soldier is one heck of an entertaining thrill ride and possibly the best film so far in the Marvel movie canon. It is a very focussed, sombre and mature affair, so a lot will depend on what style you prefer your Marvel films, but it clearly sandwiches neatly between the high fantasy of Thor The Dark World and the more comedic-space-opera of the upcoming Guardians Of The Galaxy. The Russos direct with aplomb, creating superb full-on action sequences and generating excellent character work. Acting all round is terrific, with Evans and Johansson especially making the most of every opportunity (and there are many) to spark off each other and develop their characters, and Anthony Mackie is a good addition as The Falcon. The script hardly has any fat, and the first act has more action and narrative beats than most blockbusters contain in their final one. The realisation and steady reveal of The Winter Soldier on-screen is handled brilliantly, and the level of brutal (but mostly bloodless) violence is exciting if quite surprising for a 12A. Whilst the final showdown is somewhat silly - it is a Marvel movie after all - the sci-fi-eye-candy stylings compensate. The credits teaser and indeed the film's ending make the prospect of the second Avengers movie even more intriguing, as The Winter Soldier proves to be a gamechanger for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the franchise as a whole.
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