Captain America: Ranking Every Movie From Worst To Best

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

If The First Avenger had shown Captain America was more than just a flagrant propaganda tool, The Winter Soldier revealed he wasn't just an undying patriot either, rather an intensely moral figure who fights for what is right, rather than simply "good", above all.

The film bears little relation to its predecessor, set in the modern day and dealing primarily with how Steve Rogers fits into our culture. The Russos described it as a political thriller, and it's testament to their excellent direction that that isn't just PR jargon; there's a creeping paranoia and belief in plot that make comparisons to the likes of Three Days Of The Condor about more than just Robert Redford. The action, in addition, is excellent, for the most part using practical stunts and tight shooting techniques to involve you personally in the fights.

My favourite thing about the film, though, is the Russo's unparalleled (within Marvel at least) understanding of the distinction between story and plot; it's remarkable that, in a film named after him, Bucky Barnes isn't the driving force. Instead, a shocking S.H.I.E.L.D. switcheroo form the backdrop to two friends lost in time reuniting (a twist that's obvious to those in the comic know, yet still packs a punch).

The MCU had already become a major filmmaking force, but The Winter Soldier was the film that showed they had some brains behind the fanboy tendancies.