Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) analysis

Rating:PG

Synopsis - Meek U.S. Army soldier Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) takes part in an experimental military program that infuses him with super-human powers, and uses his newfound strength to battle the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) in this comic-book adventure from director Joe Johnston (The Wolfman, The Rocketeer). Tommy Lee Jones, Neal McDonough, and Stanley Tucci co-star in a film written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley (who previously collaborated on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Major actors: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan

Director: Joe Johnston

An American film director and former effects artist best known for such effects-driven movies as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Jumanji and Jurassic Park III, also known for period films such as The Rocketeer, October Sky, The Wolfman, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Producer : Kevin Feige who is a film producer. He joined Marvel Studios in 2000. He has been involved in all of their theatrical productions, and was named President of Production in 2007. His films have a worldwide box office gross of $4.8 billion

Date of Release: 07/22/2011

Production Company and Film Distributor:

The production company was Marvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate. Since 2008, the studio has released six independently produced films with shared timeline, cast and characters, making up the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And it was then distributed by Paramount Pictures Corporation which is an American film and television production/distribution company, located in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is the third oldest existing film studio in the world behind Universal Studios & Gaumont Pictures; it is also the last major film studio still headquartered in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. Paramount is consistently ranked as one of the largest (top-grossing) movie studios.

Film Genre:  Action

Setting of the film: the film is set in World War II which was a global war that was under way by 1939 and ended in 1945. It involved a vast majority of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million people serving in military units. In a state of "total war", the major participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources.

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America:A frail, sickly young man who is enhanced to the peak of human ability by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort.

Cinematography: Cinematography by Shelly Johnson

The audience is shown that the film is set in the 1930s,by use of such props as the  appearance of the cars and shops in the in opening scene.

This also lets the audience that it was set around the Second World War two. Thus giving them a suggestion that it might be based on the war as that was one of the major events that took place during that time period.

Characters

Because it’s action movie there are very few female characters shown, it also reflects the ideology of that time period to audience, were a minority of women had jobs let alone in the military, which was and still a male dominated job sector.

Women in that time period, if they did have a job in the military it would be a nurturing job such as nursing, and in this trailer the main female character is made to appear to be nurturing towards the protagonist, thus making the trailer conform to  the stereotype of women been more nurturing than men.

Props

Costumes

As the audience knows that the film is based in America, because of the title, the costumes also show them what time period its based in as the military uniforms look outdated, also the uniforms also show the 

audience that it’s a action movie.

This is how a modern american soldier uniform may look 

The technology

Although the technology is supposed to be futuristic, it still looks pre dated.

There are a lot of explosions throughout the to show the audience that its action movie

Editing:

Smooth transitions are used to cut into scenes that will help  the audience understand the storyline better. Each scene length is the right length for a trailer as it show the audience enough for them to comprehend whilst not revealing to much of the film.

The trailer is quite fasted as it’s a action movie, this helps to grab the attention of the audience.

Sound

Non-diegetic sound - Rock and roll music is used in order to intensify the trailer as it is a action movie, this music also makes the audience anticipate the movie.

This type of sound reflects the mood and atmosphere of the movie to the audience.

Diegetic sound  - there are a lot of loud sound effects within the movie, for examples loud explosion and gunfire  this grabs the attention of the audience and informs that the movie has a bit of violence in it.

Camera shots/angles 

Close up’s and medium shots are used a lot to show, these shots help to familiarize the audience with the characters before they watch the movie, also  the mid-shots help deliver information to the audience, for example its used to the gestures made by the characters.

The target audience for this film would be males ranging from 18-44, and in order to target this audience the film used action clips in the trailer, such as clips with explosions and fighting seen. This film also attracts the audience by using the concept of the underdog becoming a super hero. As this allows the audience to feel sympathy towards the protagonists, thus enabling them to relate and understand him too.