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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier continues on from 2019’s Avengers: Endgame – set five months on, and is also in a 2.39:1 widescreen aspect ratio like the non-IMAX version of those last two films, even though the IMAX version of each opened up to 1.90:1. But then, Marvel refuse to put out both films in the IMAX ratio for home viewing because they are devoid of clue.
(Oh, and as I go into this, I will mention some spoilery things from the episode)
This first episode begins with Falcon (Anthony Mackie) ironing a shirt. Remember when we had to wear shirts, back in 2020? That was a thing. But never mind suits, because before long, he has to get into his flight suit, as the LAF (who?) are targeting Captain Vasant (who?).
Anyhoo, they’re high-powered baddies, who want to hijack and take down his plane. The US Military can’t be seen as getting involved, so Falcon is the man to deal with it. How he pays for all this equipment, no-one knows. Naturally, with a bit of technical wizardry, plus punching and kicking, these enemies are easily defeated. Plus, there’s the well-worn cliché of the pilot getting accidentally killed, so he can’t fly the plane.
This all ties in with a base-jumping sequnce which might actually be interesting if it was actually real and not 100% CGI.
Then after a quick and rather disgusting-looking cup of tea in Tunisia with his army buddy, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), who’s keeping an eye on things (apparently), he went off to Washington DC, and rather than use the shield for himself (which would be sensible), he’d rather it be preserved in a museum.
Meanwhile, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is 106 years old, but still manages to pull a waitress, despite gettng a bit of a round face, and the height of tedium comes in a sideplot about how Falcon and his sister try to get a loan from the bank, to continue the family business of owning a run-down fishing boat? Seriously?! You really think that’s what people tuned in for?!
In fact, nothing happens until we get to the last 5 minutes before the credits when, in Switzerland, baddies known as the Flag Smashers cause a kerfuffle by stealing money from the bank; and back in the US, a new (as yet unmasked) Captain America is announced, brandishing the shield which Falcon donated to the museum.
And that was it?! Five minutes of nothing much out of 47:15? What a load of absolute crap.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a one-off mini-series which will serve as the part of Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and between this and Wandavision, it’s likely to be the only new Marvel content you’ll see in 2021, given the ongoing pandemic. After all, just follow the James Bond situation to get an idea when cinemas will actually open again and you can go and see Black Widow, which still claims to have a release date of May 7th this year, but given how nothing will be open by that point, it will be put back.
The six-episode series begins with a single episode, and the remainder will be shown at the rate of one per week, ending on April 23rd.
Episode 1 Score: (finger-snap)
Director: Kari Skogland
Writers: Michael Kastelein, Derek Kolstad, Malcolm Spellman
Stars: Daniel Brühl, Desmond Chiam, John Gettier, Miki Ishikawa, Erin Kellyman, Anthony Mackie, Adepero Oduye, Wyatt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.