Movie Review: Captain America (1990)

Captain America (1990)

21st Century Film Corporation, Marvel Enterprises, Jadran Film, USA, Yugoslavia, 1990.

It is pre-WWII Italy. Nazi scientists test Super Soldier Serum on abducted Italian boy who becomes supervillain Red Skull (Scott Paulin). Red Skull's past was actually tragic as his family was murdered and then he was turned into a monster. USA needs super soldiers too to win the war. Steve Rogers (Matt Salinger) is crippled but wants to serve his country. He volunteers for the secret program. Defected scientist Dr. Maria Vaselli (Carla Cassola) turns him into Captain America but Nazi spy kills her before he can create other Super Soldiers. Captain avenges this immediately, electrocuted Nazi on the menu!

Steve Rogers

Captain America

Captain America goes to destroy Nazi missile base but Red Skull is waiting. Captain America is frozen solid for 50 years. After thawing, he has difficulties in adjusting to the modern society. He goes to meet his girlfriend Bernie (Kim Gillingham) who is now old and has a family. Why does it feel so familiar? Because of "Forever Young" made two years later. Damn you J.J. Abrams for ripping off Albert Pyun!

Red Skull

New President of the U.S.A. Tom Kimball (Ronny Cox) has a strict environmental policy. Evil group of industrialists and Red Skull kidnap him. But wait, didn't Ronny Cox play an evil industrialist in "Robocop"? Seeing him here as a treehugger is funny. During the years Cap'n Murica was missing Reddie has been responsible for everything evil that has happened in the U.S.A. Reddie sends his daughter Valentina de Santis (Francesca Neri) and her female assassins to kill Captain. Steve and Bernie's daughter Sharon (Kim Gillingham), who conveniently looks like young version of her mother, go to save the President before Red Skull brainwashes him. The President may get a chance to finally meet his childhood's idol, Captain America.

The President

Sharon

Valentina de Santis

Fans of B-movies know that Albert Pyun's films are at best cheesy fun ("Sword and the Sorcerer", "Cyborg", "Nemesis") and at worst terrible ("Urban Menace", "Wrecking Crew"). It is futile to compare this to modern superhero epics or even the best superhero adventures of the 1980-90s. As a B-movie it is cheesy but still fairly fun. The beginning has some okay super hero action, then the story gets sillier as it proceeds and before it gets to Italy it really drops the ball. The action scenes in dark warehouses are hard to watch if you can't see anything. At least in Italy (or Eastern Europe that is made to look like Italy) it is sunny and bright and the action gets back on the tracks.

Captain America here has a strange tendency for grand theft auto. Also before being frozen Captain is adorably clumsy and can barely tie his own shoelaces. The film was stuck into production hell and it went direct to video after sitting on the shelf two years unreleased. Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus were the producers so the action is similar to their Cannon productions, being surprisingly violent for a superhero film. Budget limits hit the production but somehow Pyun manages to do some watchable superhero action scenes and Captain's shield is a cool weapon. The story has themes that could have been interesting with better production (such as the "Forever Young" arc). It is not a good movie but despite the numerous flaws it is one of Albert Pyun's better movies.

There a grand piano on top of Red Skull's castle so he can play and admire the scenery. Sentimental guy clearly.

 

Rating: Good (on Pyun scale) orSo bad it is good

Starring: Matt Salinger, Ronny Cox, Ned Beatty, Darren McGavin, Michael Nouri, Scott Paulin, Kim Gillingham, Melinda Dillon, Bill Mumy, Francesca Neri, Carla Cassola, Massimilio Massimi, Wayde Preston, Norbert Weisser, Garette Ratliff Henson, Bernarda Oman, Tonko Lonza, Galiano Pahor, Milan Kristofic, Antun Nalis, Mario Kovac, Zoran Pokupec, Catherine Farrell, Mia Begovic, Matko Raguz, Donald Standen, Dragana Zigic, Judranka Katusa, Raffaele Buranelli, Robert Egon, Igor Serdar, Gary Epper, Sonja Gregus, Rene Medvesek, Demeter Bitenc, Relja Basic, Velimir Chytil, Drago Klobucar, Gordan Piculjan, Frank Papia, Thomas Beatty, Jon Beatty, Ann Bell, Jann Carl, Gerda Shepherd, Beth Ann Bowen, Christopher Whitney, Mustafa Nadarevic, Edita Lipovsek, Ljubica Dujmovic, Aldo Galleazzi, Ljubomir Strgacic, Slavko Sestak, Petar Tomac, Bruno Grdadolnik, Giulio Marini, Fay Finver, Frank Finver, Peter Mulrean, Trek Potter, Sarah Wasson, Scott Del Amo, Robert Reitmeier, John S. Reynolds, Lee Westenhofer, Mike Johnson, Jason Brooks, Robert Hammond, Sven Medvesek
Director: Albert Pyun