I've thought the last few days about the different political ideas and thoughts bouncing around in my head I wanted to put into a diary. Then I realized, every so often I just have to turn my brain off, relax and go out and see a film and enjoy life a bit. So, I go see Captain America. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. Yeah, it's over the top and ridiculous, but it's also fun. But as the film went on, I was completely baffled by the relationship present.
What I am prepared to say may be offensive to some, so if it is, my apologies. But, the storyline in Captain America was believable.. except for the relationship between him and Billie Piper (the female captain).
Let's cover the bases:
She falls for his intelligence and "Courage and Pluck" in Basic Training. He laments that he has never had good luck with women, but he's just waiting for the right "girl to dance with"
Then, he goes to Nazi Germany, and at her bidding, he first saves her life jumping out of a plane early so they can turn back, liberates some sort of camp, then single handedly defeats the Nazis and frees 400 troops. He marches back into the camp as the victor, smiles and her and ... she roles her eyes.
Later, after he's saved her career and liberated more troops, a woman in the command center plants one on him; and he breaks free of her to chase after a mad Billie Piper who shoots at him several times for all her "fury and rage"
Finally, in the last scenes, she realizes that they have never kissed, she plants one on him as he leaves for a mission that will almost assuredly take his life.
OK, I can suspend my disbelief for the super hero part, but I can't seem to suspend my belief for the fake sexual tension. In no era, even the most puritanical would this happen. It defies almost every biological imperative known to man. What's got me is that here in "Iron Man" we see Tony Stark's character parlay his hero nature into fleets of women, etc. and yet, in order to show Captain America as a just & great hero, they turn him and Billie Piper's character into Ken & Barbie.
I'm sure there are women who would disagree, but I have to say: guy risks life, braves Nazis, liberates concentration camps, frees men.. and you roll your eyes? The biological imperative would tell me that the moment he walked back into the camp, she would be all over him.
Yes, it's a nit-pick; but I hate it when films turn the whole idea that women can be sexually motivated as a sign of "weakness" or that the writer views it as tainting a character's "goodness".
I'm sure women here will start to rail at me and say "NO WAY! I would NEVER". Ok, fine.. maybe I'm wrong.
And let me point this out: I'm not asking for some pornographic over the top scene. I'm not even asking for an "R" rated scene. But it would have been far more practical instead of an eyeroll and walking away for the two of them to just dissappear. The audience could infer the rest, and I don't think any little kids would have their minds turned to mush.
Minor nitpick.
Good flick otherwise, good escape from reality.