(Some small character spoilers follow.)
Taking place six months after the events of Avengers Endgame, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier follows Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) as they team up together to take on new threats that could plunge an already fragile world into chaos. Their mission takes them across the globe, testing their skills and patience, as they try to honor the legacy of Captain America at any price.
Following the massive success of Wandavision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, helmed by showrunner Malcolm Spellman and director Kari Skogland, is the second MCU show to be released continuing the new phase 4, focusing now on two of the most memorable characters from the Captain America films. Many people including myself were very interested to see what a show with these two characters would be like given their history together, as well as the fact that when we last left them Sam Wilson was given the shield and the mantle of Captain America by Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes was now free from the control of Hydra. So it was very interesting to see where this setup could potentially go and how it was going to be handled.
And after six weeks and six lengthy episodes, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier turned out to be absolutely amazing and exciting from start to finish and I feel it really exceeded a lot of my initial expectations as well as some of the expectations of others.
What many thought was going to be a sort of buddy cop adventure show turned out to be a very character-driven, phenomenally acted, and impactful series that takes the MCU into new territories. Similar to Wandavision, this show fleshes out characters we have followed in the films in new ways and delivers a very interesting story that has lots of things to offer. This series is certainly a lot more action-packed and has a tighter narrative, due to only being six episodes, but it manages to do so much within that window that really surprised me.
Definitely one of the strongest elements of the show that I think everyone was expecting is the two leads. Obviously the chemistry between Sam and Bucky when they are together is perfect and the way both actors can bounce off each other is hilarious and flawless thanks to their great charisma. They are a strong fighting team, but even when they are not together both of them are still compelling characters who have their own individual and emotional arcs.
Sam Wilson, played excellently by Anthony Mackie, is dealing with having to live in a post-Endgame world where everything has turned upside down as well as having to carry the legacy of his former friend, Steve Rogers. We get to see his personal life much more than ever before, getting the chance to see his family and his struggle with so much outside of fighting terrorists and taking on daring missions. You can see that he has so much to lose and so much that weighs on his mind. Because of this, I felt very connected to this character more than I have in the past and really understood why he fights, why he is willing to take such great risks, why he is stubborn about giving up as well as how he is willing to help others in any way he can.
He embodies many of the things that Steve Rogers was, but at the same time he feels so hesitant about taking up the mantle for his own reasons that become very clear throughout this series. Seeing him grow into the mantle of Captain America throughout the series was so much better than just having him just accept it right off the bat and I love how it takes its time in doing so, allowing various events to occur that end making it all the more rewarding when he takes it. Sam Wilson was definitely the heart of this story and has moved up as one of my favorite Avengers.
The portrayal of Bucky in this show probably has to be my favorite in the entire MCU. Sebastian Stan gives a strong performance as a man who is making amends, haunted by a long dark past with Hydra, and has so much bottled-up guilt inside him. Even after having been helped by the people of Wakanda with all the things Hydra put in his head he still retains the memories of all the things he did when under Hydra’s control, which we actually get to visually see in this series.
He suffers from such a severe form of PTSD and carries so much guilt with him that no matter how many bad guys he stops he will always feel like a monster inside, and feels unworthy of being free to live a normal life or carrying the legacy of the shield despite it not being his fault. Even when you see him fight you can see that he absolutely hates doing it even though he has to. We really got to see him more explored here and try to grow beyond the Winter Soldier persona he had forced upon him for so many years and I absolutely loved everything about it.
Sebastian Stan as well as the writers that wrote his character deserve serious recognition. The two characters have to learn to work together as they both deal with their personal conflicts and also deal with new enemies that threaten everything they fight for and I love the fact that it was able to become more than a buddy cop partnership.
This series also features the return of familiar faces from the MCU as well as all-new characters that really had an impact on the story in their own ways.
One of the most interesting new additions is John Walker (Wyatt Russell), also known as US Agent in comics. He is a soldier who is chosen by the US government as the new Captain America to replace Steve Rogers. The moment it first happened it was certainly a very big punch to the gut, given the fact the shield was meant for Sam and not this random guy that seemed to only be picked by individuals with agendas. At first, though, Walker seemed to be a regular guy who is a skilled and decorated soldier, has his own personal life, and is dedicated to helping others despite the pressures of his given role. However, as the series progresses you begin to see the real person John Walker is underneath, revealing an unhinged individual that is slowly getting ready to pop off as various things push him over the edge.
Wyatt Russell perfectly plays a character you’d absolutely love to hate, getting so under your skin as well as perfectly capturing what Dr. Erskine from The First Avenger stated regarding the role of Captain America, “It shouldn’t be in the hands of a perfect soldier but a good man” and John Walker is certainly anything other than a good man. He ends up having one of the most shockingly graphic scenes that I have seen in a comic book show probably since certain moments in Daredevil and The Boys. It’s a scene I didn’t think I would ever see happen in the entire MCU and one that is going to honestly stay with me for my whole damn life. That’s just how impactful of a moment it was and just how well written this character was. I’m really glad this character was layered as he was when he could have easily been a one-dimensional jerk.
The series features the official return of Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) who is back and now sports his comic-accurate look. When we last saw Zemo he had completed his mission to divide the Avengers in order to avenge his lost family, which in turn lead to their defeat at the hands of Thanos and his snap. Even though the Avengers managed to unite and undo the snap there is no denying that the actions of Zemo in Civil War lead to events that have left permanent damage on the world and even the whole universe. So him coming back brings great danger to everyone and everything so I was very curious to see what his exact role in this series was going to be.
Next to Sam and Bucky, he was one of the best characters in this series. While his motives are somewhat the same from the last time we saw him they are expanded more in this series along with his ideologies, which honestly made a lot of sense. He was more fleshed out and taken in a direction I really didn’t expect but I really liked it. Daniel Bruhl gave so much more personality to the character this time around and I really enjoyed that as it really expands upon what he is like, being an incredibly intelligent mastermind as well as a deadly killer. But don’t be fooled by him though, he is definitely someone you would not want to trust in the slightest and this series certainly reminds you of that even with his new path.
Sharon Carter’s return was definitely interesting, showing a much different individual than the one we knew briefly back in Winter Soldier and Civil War. She was much more aggressive, deadly and has a lack of faith (much like what happened to her in comics), which may be due to her time on the run with no help as well as her new surroundings in the newly introduced location of Madripoor, a lawless place of very unique significance in comics and one that I believe will have more appearances soon in other installments. She felt like a more compelling character compared to her appearances in the Captain America films and I ended up liking her in this. There’s also a very interesting twist that occurs with her that really makes me curious about what her role in the MCU will be going forward.
The Flagsmashers lead by Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) were a very interesting antagonist group for this series. They are all individuals who have gained access to the super soldier serum who wish to once again unite the world under one banner as it was after the snap but was undone after everyone came back. It is Karli and the group’s belief that everything was so much better when the snap happened as corporations and governments weren’t abusing their powers, which in a way expands on the logic Thanos had in Infinity War where removing half of all life would make for a better universe with no struggle for resources or the need to be in constant conflict.
You also see how various government factions are taking advantage of the whole situation by hoarding and controlling vital supplies for those in need affected by the snap/blip, which is scarily relevant to the current state of things now. And when you do see what Karli and the Flagsmashers are actually trying to do as well as how some people react to them you can understand their motivations completely even though their methods are wrong.
I like the fact that they weren’t made to be more good than bad nor more bad than good and that every individual in the group, especially Karli, has their own reasonings for being a part of this cause as well as their own way of approaching things. This makes them a more complex group that also reflects some of the anarchist groups we have today. At the beginning of the series, I wasn’t too sure about them but then by the time the third and fourth episodes came along and explored the group more along with Karli I ended up really liking them. I don’t think they are boring in the slightest. There are interesting twists with this group that lead to some revelations as they stir up trouble with the heroes, governments, and a mysterious third party who is introduced to in this series.
The supporting cast members were really great in this series including one particular individual who had two of the most powerful scenes in the series that I feel really made a great impact on viewers and that was Isaiah Bradley played by Carl Lumbly. I won’t get too in-depth about who he is due to spoilers but he really delivered such impactful moments in this series due to how relevant the subject matter is in his scenes and how incredibly acted they are because of Lumbly’s perfect performance. I really hope this character has a strong presence in the MCU going forward along with several others this series introduces.
The narrative is awesome with writing that is efficient and gets stronger with every episode. It’s great not only because of the fun spy thriller stuff and great chemistry from our two leads but mostly because of how all the characters are expanded on that gets us attached to them on an emotional level and how there are a lot of strong themes present throughout the series.
What I love the most about this show is how similar it is to Winter Soldier and Civil War in that it slows down on occasion to study the characters, showing where they are currently both physically and mentally given all that has happened after the events of Endgame and the events that occur in this story. From the very beginning of the series to all the way throughout in between the adrenaline-fueled action, we get a chance to connect with these characters and see them as real people with compelling story arcs.
Sam and Bucky are much more fleshed out and redefined here than they were in the movies along with other characters that either make their return from the movies or are making their debut in the MCU. It’s a very character-driven story and I am majorly happy with that.
Even new characters that appear in this show are not written as simple one-dimensional characters but actual people who have their own reasons for their actions that you understand even if you don’t agree with them. And the way they interact with each other is also really really good thanks to incredible writing and incredible acting. There are also a lot of exciting and sometimes dark twists as well as incredible tension the show hits you with feeling very much like a thriller that I found myself constantly engaged in and always gets better every episode.
Yes the series does have fun with its setting and some good humor (mostly from our two leads) but it doesn’t shy away from having dark moments and tackling serious subjects especially with its relevant themes. One of them being the importance of legacy and how one chooses to carry it on despite the challenges it may bring as well as what is important to leave behind for future generations.
I also love how social commentary and certain political issues are handled similarly in this series to previous Marvel shows that also handled them excellently, most notably Luke Cage and The Punisher. And they aren’t just added on for the sake of being relevant or trying to force a statement. The commentary and themes actually have a purpose in the story as it expands on certain characters, adds more to the current world of the MCU, and even adds more tension to the story.
Plus it is worth noting certain elements of this series were adapted from various arcs in comics involving some of these specific characters, and I think they did a great job bringing them into a modern setting without being cheesy, disrespectful, or in a way that feels like it shouldn’t have been in the story.
I also really like how the series opens up the morals and philosophies every character has and how some of them can conflict with each other or work hand in hand, with the difference being the execution of said morals. Again this was something that Marvel has covered before in the past with the Captain America films and even previous Marvel shows like Agents of SHIELD, Daredevil and again Luke Cage and The Punisher. But this is the first time we see it hugely fleshed out in the mainstream MCU with specific characters and I really love that we are getting that kind of storytelling because it feels so engaging and thought-provoking. Also, I love how the narrative can go to very dark and serious places as well as feature extremely brutal scenes that really stay with you and I am really hoping to see more of this in the MCU going forward.
The action absolutely kicks serious ass. The way that it is shot and directed feels very much like a high-budget film you would watch in a theater having all the adrenaline-fueled thrills, grounded vicious hits, and different scale environments ranging from large to small. It definitely matches the style of what the Russos have done before making every hit and movement feel brutal and look like it causes some serious damage, which in some cases it does in a much more violent fashion than we have seen before.
Falcon’s flight sequences are spectacularly epic and I feel are so much better compared to the flight sequences in the films. They are all thrilling and have you on the edge of your seat at all times because you know that one wrong move could make everything go wrong. Plus the POV shots really added so much to the adrenaline spiking moments making you feel as if you were in the moment.
The combat is greatly helped by fantastic cinematography and equally fantastic effects that remind me of what The Mandalorian and Wandavision have done. However, there isn’t too much CGI used with most of the hand-to-hand fights and are instead more practical and expertly choreographed to give some realism and add to the impacts of the hits like I mentioned earlier. And when there is CGI it all looks so good and so detailed and it never took me out of any moments whatsoever. Plus it also gave some great flair to some of the fights like with Falcon utilizing his wings in various ways.
I also really liked how we got to see what it’s like when characters other than Steve Rogers use the shield and how it differs from his style of using it due to their unique fighting styles. It’s an awesome detail among many awesome details this show has.
The cinematography was excellent and I’d argue it is even better than Wandavision in certain ways. You get many shots that range from large-scaled epic action sequences to smaller-scaled yet more meaningful and symbolic shots that really stay with you. It really just fleshes out the scenes in so many ways and visually adds great substance to the story, which I wasn’t expecting. It almost felt like every frame had its own story to tell without the need for dialogue to explain it and I think that’s something not a lot of people are going to pick up on.
Henry Jackman returns having done the music for Winter Soldier and Civil War and he did not disappoint here. He has such a way with his scores to really enhance a lot of scenes whether it be the slow moments with the characters or the high-paced action and excitement. No matter what it is Henry Jackman delivers with that music beat for beat.
The series concludes on a seriously satisfying high note with big emotional stakes as well as great messages that are important to listen to and take to heart. It was also cool to see the setting up of interesting paths for the future of certain characters that will definitely make their own mark on the MCU in the future.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier honestly blew me away in every possible way and has honestly become one of my favorite installments in the MCU. It is directed and written in such a way that it not only expands upon the characters and world we already know of in such fantastic ways but can tackle very serious and relevant subjects in a mature way. That’s not to say MCU hasn’t touched upon serious subjects before because it definitely has, but the specific things this series chose to go for and integrate heavily in the story is new for the mainstream MCU and I hope to see them cover more in upcoming films and shows. I’m going to give The Falcon and the Winter Soldier an A+
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