"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" | 2025: Movie Records vol.9

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Nice to meet you, I'm Kyo.
Yesterday, after finishing my note, I watched KOK2024 via PPV. I was shaking from the intense energy of every MC, and the final match was a fierce battle that could be called a fight to the death; when the overtime beat dropped, I was absolutely hyped.

Let's get right into today's day ↓

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

"The Ultimate Masterpiece"

The more I watch it, the more I am amazed by its perfection. As a crime suspense, a spy action film, and as a superhero movie.

First, as a crime suspense film.
This is, after all, about the fracturing of S.H.I.E.L.D.
When I first watched it, I didn't really remember the characters well, so I didn't quite understand the significance, but after watching it many times, I realize how insane it really is. The shocking truth that S.H.I.E.L.D had already been poisoned by HYDRA to the point of no return.

By utilizing characters who have appeared in past works, such as Sitwell, it becomes difficult to distinguish between friend and foe, keeping you constantly drawn into the film. The departure of Fury, who is always one step ahead of everyone, serves as a great accent that further accelerates the story.

And, the main villain.
With ties to the past like HYDRA, and the constant shifting of allies and enemies, he is just too perfect as a villain to symbolize this work. Including his mysterious atmosphere and visuals, he's just too cool.

Furthermore, as a supreme superhero film.
This is thanks to the best heroes. Fury, Maria, and Natasha—the S.H.I.E.L.D team whose true intentions are hard to read. Because it's a story about finding truly reliable allies, we are able to build trust with them little by little, and with Sam joining as a sidekick, the perfect work is completed.

Above all, I really love Cap.
From his initial conversation with Sam and the notes on his list, his way of life—trying to see the good in things without resenting his circumstances—is wonderful and very educational.

Also, until now, I had interpreted the gathering scene at the beginning of Endgame as just a typical action for him, but now I think of it as an action only he could take, having experienced losing the people around him all at once for the second time, and I've come to like Cap even more. (It's hard to see the growth of flat-arc characters, but I wonder if the gathering Sam was hosting also influenced his actions.)

Speaking of flat arcs, the mid-movie speech scene.
Because of that, everyone acts for Cap (justice). That is truly the quintessential scene of a flat arc where his existence influences the (film's) world; it's a straightforward and passionate development.

Finally, the action.
From the stylish ones like the elevator scene and the knife action on the street, to the gritty ones like the final battle where you can feel the emotion in every single hit, I am very satisfied with the variety of action. Furthermore, seeing the high-impact, Hollywood-style VFX-heavy footage like the Helicarrier crash scene... ah, it's just the best!!

A god-tier work where the Russo brothers finally joined the MCU. Thinking that incredible works like Civil War, and then IW and EG, would be born from here, I think they are the directors with the most amazing understanding of the universe and its lore. I'm really looking forward to Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Finally, the second (third?) Cap, Sam, has appeared.
Brave New World is probably aiming for this kind of work, but well, I wonder how it will turn out. I can't help but look forward to it.

Thank you for reading until the end!
Day 65
Yesterday I talked a lot about FAKE, and today I'm starting with REAL. The content is also a story about chasing truth and falsehood.