“The Falcon And The Winter Soldier” is streaming on Disney Plus. It earned positive reviews from critics, fans and streamers alike.
“Loki” is currently streaming. As you may know, Marvel is working on a batch of upcoming shows including “Moon Knight,” “She-Hulk,” “Ms. Marvel,” “What If,” “Hawkeye,” “Secret Invasion,” “Ironheart,” “Armor Wars” & “Wakanda.” I’m looking forward to seeing Loki the most. He’s one of my favorite Marvel villains.
Today’s review doesn’t contain any crucial SPOILERS. Feel free to read my non-spoiler article. I’m giving anybody a chance to see this mini-series. Is The Falcon And The Winter Soldier a very good MCU mini-series? Let’s find out shall we?
The Entire Mini-Series
Positive: Anthony Mackie & Sebastian Stan both did an excellent job for their respective performances as the titular duo.
Newcomers to the MCU including Wyatt Russell (Kurt Russell’s real life son) & Julia Louis-Dreyfus both did a great job for their respective performances.
A few familiar faces from previous installments make a return.
Malcom Spellman (producer of Fox’s Empire) did a decent job mapping out all six episodes. He made sure every single one is interconnected.
Action Sequences are pretty darn good. Gotta love hand-to-hand combat, Sam’s flight tactics, Bucky’s strong arm and last but not least, Captain America’s iconic shield.
Humor is suitable. Doesn’t have a bunch of non-stop jokes.
Visual Effects are Class A movie quality. They don’t seem fake at all.
Chemistry between Sam & Bucky serves as the main highlight. As each episode moves forward, they respect one another.
The Story is set six months after the epic conclusion of “Avengers: Endgame.”
The mini-series is influenced by buddy cop films including “Rush Hour” & “Lethal Weapon.”
Primary Theme is Legacy. In the first episode, Sam has an internal conflict if he wants to fulfill Steve Rogers’ legacy as Captain America.
The Flag Smashers, an organization led by Karli are the main antagonists. Karli has a backstory on what led her into leading The Flag Smashers.
Thanks to Hulk’s snap bringing half of the universe back to life, the effects of the people resurrected suffer permanent results in terms of social and economical issues. They don’t shove any social political commentary down your throat. “ Cough” “The Last Jedi” “Cough!”
Super Soldier Serums play a pivotal role.
If you’re up to date, callbacks to previous installments are mentioned.
A Mid-Credits Scene is shown in both Episodes 5-6. Make sure you don’t miss them.
Negative: Cinematography often suffers from Shaky Cam.
Episode 1 – New World Order
Ascend: An awesome action scene got my blood pumping.
After the events of Endgame, Sam is conflicted as Steve’s successor. He decides to preserve the shield out of respect for his close friend. Sam reunites with his sister and nephews.
No longer a pawn of Hydra, Bucky adjusts to society protecting citizens from evil doers as a sign atoning for his misdeeds.
A familiar face makes a brief appearance.
Episode 1’s ending reveals Steve’s successor. Y’all know who he is thanks to a truckload of memes.
Descend: Camera is shaky.
Episode 2 – The Star Spangled Man
Strong: John Walker (known as U.S. Agent in the comics) assists The Duo.
We learn about John’s background.
The Duo visit a World War II veteran.
The Duo battle The Flag Smashers. Reminds me of the highway fight scene from “The Matrix Reloaded.”
If you recall one of the previews, a staring contest is played for laughs. Reminds me of Larry David staring at anybody from “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Television host Sarah Haines makes a cameo appearance.
Weak: Camera can’t stay still.
Episode 3 – Power Broker
Plus: With no other options, The Duo are forced to work with an old foe.
Zemo has a very short dance scene. Not too long nor cringeworthy like “Spider-Man 3.” It’s already a meme.
One scene with The Duo has a silly argument over a famous singer.
Two familiar characters make a return. I can’t say their names. This review is classified.
Minus: It’s not rocket science to keep a camera still.
Episode 4 – The Whole World Is Watching
Full: A flashback is shown.
A shocking moment happened. I cannot tell you. Trust me, you’re gonna gasp.
A few fight scenes are good.
Empty: How come nobody told the cameraman to stop drinking a lot of Red Bull? I hate it when Shaky Cam is displayed.
Episode 5 – Truth
True: The Duo engage in an intense fight with somebody. I don’t wanna give away the identity.
In the aftermath of a horrific event, The Duo take a break. They’re not slacking off.
A Mid-Credits Scene sets up the last episode.
False: Will somebody lay off energy drinks and keep the gosh darn camera still?
Episode 6 – One World, One People
More: After every episode, all that build up is worth it.
The Climatic Battle is so good you wanna see more.
It’s hard for me to talk about the outcome. You’re gonna have to see for yourself.
An epic speech is delivered.
A Plot Twist is revealed. Now it all makes sense.
A Mid-Credits Scene sets up what’s in store for the MCU.
Less: How many times do I have to bring up the fact the camera suffers from Shaky Cam?
The Final Verdict: A-
From my point of view, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier is a very good mini-series. Most of the stuff I’ve listed on the positive section, indicates why it’s worth a six hour watch. If you’re already up to date, Loki is your next stop. If you haven’t seen The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. Watch it right now.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 