This week at the movies, we’ve got a shield-wielding superhero (Captain America: The First Avenger, starring Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell) and a commitment-free couple (Friends With Benefits, starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis). What do the critics have to say?
Good ol’ Captain America. He’s one of Marvel’s oldest heroes. But how does he fare in the 21st Century? Not badly at all, say critics; if Captain America: The First Avenger is a cut below Marvel’s other 2011 blockbusters (Thor and X-Men: First Class, both Certified Fresh), it’s still a rousing, proudly old-fashioned superhero flick with tons of visual flash and an exceptional lead performance from Chris Evans. Steve Rogers (Evans) is a super patriotic lad who’s rejected by the draft board as physically unable to serve. However, he’s enlisted by an expat scientist who’s working on an experiment to create super soldiers, and soon, he’s battling HYDRA, a terrorist organization led by a former Nazi called Red Skull. The pundits say Captain America is a scrappy crowd pleaser that compensates for its lack of originality with strong acting and sense of innocent nostalgia that’s refreshing in our irony-soaked era. (Check out Marvel Movie Madness, in which the RT staff memebers share our thoughts on all of the Marvel movie.)
Will Gluck scored big with Easy A, a teen comedy that brought smarts and freshness to a shopworn subgenre. Can he do the same with a grown up romantic comedy? It appears the answer is “for the most part;” critics say Friends With Benefits has moments of sharp humor and a pair of attractive, lively leads, but too often it veers into predictable territory. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis star as, yes, friends with benefits: two busy, career-driven pals who agree to share physical intimacy while avoiding the potentially painful trappings of a committed relationship. But what if one starts to actually fall for the other? The pundits say Friends With Benefits gets a major boost from the stars’ easy chemistry and often witty banter, but the movie never fully avoids the clichés it’s attempting to skewer. (Check out this week’s Total Recall, in which we count down co-star Woody Harrelson’s best-reviewed films.)