Steve Rogers can't get into the war. Chronic health issues have left him unable to sign up for the services, despite a number of attempts. When he is offered the chance to take part in a secret experiment to create supersoldiers, he jumps at the chance and becomes Captain America, hero of comic and screen and, finally, the battlefield. He and his team must face off against Nazi science division Hydra, whose leader is the original supersoldier and who is using alien technology to change the course of the war.

There is something ironic about CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE FIRST AVENGER being the last of the origin stories before the Avengers team-up film Marvel have been building up to. One of the most popular of Marvel's heroes, his is a story that the studio wanted to get right. In fact, the reverence with which the character is treated is both a strength and a weakness of the final product, pushing the film towards being more po-faced than any of those that have come before it. Chris Evans is also more earnest than is good for him as the beacon of truth and justice and apple pie. His essential goodness and bravery cannot be doubted, but also make the character just a little bit dull, which is in contrast with the outgoing fun characters of Tony Stark and Thor before. Captain America and Steve Rogers suffer by comparison. Thankfully, he is surrounded by a starry cast that bring the fun with them. Tommy Lee Jones is the crustiest of military men, and his initial contempt for Captain America leavens the worship a bit. He's also given some nice comic lines as well. Hayley Atwell is charming as Peggy Carter and even small parts such as the lead scientists for both sides get actors of the calibre Toby Jones and Stanley Tucci. Rounding out the cast is Hugo Weaving's over the top villainy as the Red Skull, finally a villain worthy of Marvel's heroes.

Shaking things up again, this is a war film, or rather several films stitched together. First up, there is the nazi spies in New York story, followed by the training camp story, the prisoner rescue and the final raid on the enemy compound. There is, perhaps, one too many montages of Captain America in action, but the actual action sequences are exciting and explosive.

The period design is nicely observed and just amped up a little in the shape of Hydra's advanced equipment, such as the Red Skull's car and getaway plane. The change of location and timeframe add a little freshness to yet another origin story and the love story between Rogers and Carter is touching and underplayed, except in the final moments when they shamelessly rip-off the opening scene from A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

Though it's a little bit staid at times and lacks the comedy chops of the films before, there is still a lot to like about CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE FIRST AVENGER, and certainly a lot more than there is to dislike. It is committed to taking its subject seriously, but still manages to inject flashes of good humour and exciting set pieces.

This is the last of the standalone hero films before the much-awaited team-up and it does enough to make that prospect an enticing one.