A Marvel Cinematic Universe thrill: A review of “Falcon and the Winter Soldier”

BY NINA RAMIREZ

On April 23, the sixth and final episode of “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” aired on Disney+, concluding yet another amazing Marvel series. It received an abundant amount of positive reviews from critics and director Kari Skogland was able to create a creative plot with intriguing villains and most importantly, admirable heroes.

The show is a miniseries with only 6 episodes in total which might disappoint some fans. However, each episode rounds to an hour which is enough time to give viewers more insight on this fabulous show. The writers did a phenomenal job introducing new characters that were meant to provoke a certain emotion from the audience.

An example would be the antagonist Karli, who is fighting for a cause with good intentions, which will make the audience gain empathy for the young woman. Another example would be the supposed new Captain America, John Walker. His character will cause outrage amongst the audience at his poor-decision making and failure to fill in the shoes of Steve Rogers.

However, they made room for the audience to feel excitement and utter joy at the return of some admirable and loved characters. One of these characters is Sharon Carter, who is widely known for aiding Steve Rogers in the previous “Captain America” movies along with being Peggy Carter’s niece. Another returning character that is sure to make viewers cheer is Ayo, a warrior from the Dora Milaje, which is the female warrior troupe from Black Panther.

The acting in this series was nothing short of spectacular with leads Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie

The acting in this series was nothing short of spectacular with leads Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie. Stan’s performance will tug at the audience’s hearts when his character, Bucky Barnes, shows his list of people he’s hurt and would like to make amends with. On the other hand, Mackie also gives an extremely pleasant performance as Sam Wilson and is extremely talented at portraying a range of emotions, from happiness when his character is having a laugh with Barnes to sadness when seeing the shield in the hands of Walker.

The action-packed fight scenes are one of several things the Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for, and the ones in this series do not disappoint. Between the fight scenes with the Flag smashers, the group Karli leads and the ones involving the Dora Milaje, viewers can expect incredibly orchestrated action. 

The cinematography and visual effects in the miniseries shouldn’t be left without praise. The crew did a magnificent job depicting visually pleasing scenes, such as the scenes in the club and the scenes of Wilson training with the shield. It gives a powerful presentation that anyone would be fortunate to view.

Another aspect of the series that was amazingly done was the structure of the overall story and returning plots such as Zemo returning to aid Wilson and Barnes. This story will particularly make the audience gasp and leave them wanting more towards the end.

“Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is phenomenal in several categories and is a must-see, which is sure to please audience members and leave them wishing for a second season.

Photo courtesy of IndieWire