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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 312475" data-attributes="member: 23">The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) <img src="https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F9f%2F4b%2Fe4%2F9f4be49fa561004127a86a5946c82076.png&f=1&nofb=1" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="width: 385px" /> New World Order After WandaVision, the main aspect of FWS to jump out at me is that it feels very conventional. Whereas WandaVision - certainly for the first half of its run - felt very much as though it occupied its own unique world, the new series feels very much like an MCU film. The opening action sequence, with Sam’s aerial rescue of Vassant, was a strong start. The effects looked impressive enough and it was genuinely exciting. It felt Bondian in the best possible way. Sam using his wings as a shield of steel to stop bullets made me titter as I couldn’t help thinking of Batfink. Perhaps this has one of those “keep the young alphas happy” deals like TNT Dallas where billing alternates between the leads each episode, but if not I must say I’m rather surprised at Sebastian Stan getting top billing: and not just because the series isn’t called The Winter Soldier and the Falcon. After all these appearances, Bucky still hasn’t made much of an impression on me. Bucky is a character with potential but in films to date he’s consistently felt like a plot device rather than a fully-fledged character, and I can’t help feeling it’s down to the actor’s lack of screen presence. Even in this first episode of his own series he almost feels like a secondary character. Perhaps this is deliberate, the better to show his growth as the episodes continue. hough he has been a little more engaging here than in his film appearances (on a shallow note, the better haircut helps). Bucky’s storyline - with his “amends” process and his interactions with Yori Nakajima - is the most compelling aspect of this first episode, but Bucky himself doesn't feel particularly interesting. In a way it’s been the opposite with Sam, who remains engaging despite a couple of less than thrilling scenes. Anthony Mackie made a great first impression on me back in The Winter Soldier film and continues to impress.It was great to see Rhodey. I do hope he’ll be a recurring, if not regular, character in this series. As far as other supporting players go, I’m on the fence with Sarah. She hasn’t wowed me, but has potential. Dr Raynor is suspicious as hell and I’m wondering if Joaquín Torres isn’t all he seems as well. While the series hasn’t yet established a particularly strong identity of its own, it’s not all bad news. The MCU films it brings to mind are probably the Captain America sequels. Some of this is possibly by virtue of the characters involved and their association with Cap, but it also strikes those films’ balance between well-executed action scenes and some deeper character exploration. I’ve found it fascinating to explore the more practical fallout the Blip has had on businesses and credit ratings and - in turn - quality of life. There have been some lengthy, dialogue-heavy, character driven scenes have felt quite soap operatic and almost prosaic, and I’ve noticed the direction has emphasised this with some extreme close-ups which feel almost voyeuristically intrusive. Also in common with the Cap sequels has been a genuine sense of darkness. This feels like a world that at times is genuinely threatening and violent. When there was discussion of gutting Vassant among his captors it felt like anything could happen.I also like the continuation from Endgame, with Sam feeling the weight of responsibility from bearing the shield and the association with the Captain America name too much, only to regret giving them up when both name and shield have been handed to a stranger. Needless to say, I’m curious to know what will happen next. </blockquote>

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