The Diversity Test: Captain America The Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

If the Marvel films of 2013 were a disappointment, 2014's two entries were anything but.  Captain America: The Winter Soldier had a somewhat bizarre April release date (I blame the Fast & Furious franchise), so its release threw me off a bit.  And then in that first weekend, the "Hail Hydra" meme exploded, spoiling many who hadn't seen it initially, including myself.  Disappointing as that is, the movie is still spectacular, a huge game changer in the MCU (and Agents of SHIELD, which found some footing once this twist occurred).  Needless to say, after some of the capital the MCU squandered in 2013 was pretty much gotten back with this movie.  And then the next, too...



Main Characters

Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans)

It's a new world and Cap is just living in it.  Unsurprisingly, the old soldier is working for SHIELD in his post-New York career, but he doesn't always agree with the way things work in the modern world, where we build bigger weapons and sometimes fight dirty to combat many of the world's threats.

Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)

Widow's back, really giving us our first good look in her role as an elite SHIELD agent rather than undercover or having to take on a task that she was never trained for.  Regular soldiers or super soldiers alike, she won't shy away from taking them on.  Also, her hair keeps changing dramatically, making the movies she's in identifiable simply by her 'do.

Sam Wilson a.k.a. the Falcon (Anthony Mackie)

U.S. Veteran who "flew" in Iraq and Afghanistan, befriends Steve jogging one day and whose military background gives them something in common.

The Winter Soldier a.k.a. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)

What a twist!  Yes, the big reveal that I believe most already knew going in, this mysterious individual with abilities on par with Cap's was his also-frozen, also-revived former comrade-in-arms and best friend, James Barnes.  Also a character whose hairdo immediately lets you know which Cap movie you're watching.

Supporting Characters

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)

Fury is now Cap's boss and helping lead SHIELD into a world of preventative security and safety.  Seems like a good idea when you have aliens attacking New York and superpowered individuals popping up left and right.  But things aren't all as they seem, as the good director quickly discoverers...

Secretary Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford)