Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Don't miss these
Black Panther, Iron Man, Vision, War Machine, and Black Widow at the Berlin airport in Captain America: Civil War - part of our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order
Superhero Movies How to watch the Marvel movies in order (release and chronological order)
Cyclops firing his optic blasts into the air and screaming, painted by Mark Sasso
Marvel Movies The Avengers: Doomsday X-Men teaser is now in theaters and it finally gives fans exactly what we've been begging for
Loki
Superhero Movies Marvel timeline: The MCU movies and TV shows in chronological order
Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier in Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel Movies The X-Men Avengers: Doomsday trailer is online, with Cyclops unleashing his powers and Magneto and Professor X as allies
Chris Hemsworth as Thor in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Marvel Movies Chris Hemsworth's Thor has an old look and a new motivation as his Avengers: Doomsday trailer hits the internet
Simon Williams screaming as a building crumbles around him in the Wonder Man trailer
Marvel TV Shows Simon Williams is an "extraordinary threat" in new Wonder Man trailer that shows off his powers
Chris Evans as Cap in the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Marvel Movies Avengers: Doomsday release date, cast, plot, trailer, and more news
Amanda Seyfried as Ann Lee in The Testament of Ann Lee
Drama Movies 2026 may be the year of Marvel blockbusters, but I can't wait for these 6 movies that might not be on your watchlist yet
Simon Williams (Yahya-Abdul Mateen II) in red sunglasses in Wonder Man
Marvel TV Shows Could Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man be teeing up a core part of the X-Men’s future?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day suit
Superhero Movies Upcoming Marvel movies and shows for 2026 and beyond
Will Byers and Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
Supernatural Shows Where is the Mind Flayer? What is Vecna really planning with the Abyss, and 6 other questions I need answered in the Stranger Things season 5 finale
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, holding a baby
Marvel Movies The first Avengers: Doomsday trailer is now officially online, as the Russo Brothers explain why they brought Cap back
Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry in The Gray Man.
Action Movies The 25 best Netflix action movies to watch right now
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
Marvel Movies Marvel Phase 6 release dates, news, leaks, rumors, and more
Ryan in The Boys season 5
Superhero Shows The Boys season 5 release date, cast, plot, trailer, and more news
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. Marvel Movies
  5. captain america: the winter soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: 10 Questions Raised

Features
By Sam Ashurst published 24 October 2013

Explosions, bad-asses, bad guys and more

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Who are the enemies?

Who are the enemies?

"Captain, to build a better world sometimes means tearing the old one down, and that makes enemies."

Redford's Alexander Pierce there, explaining the modern socio-political reality of the world Steve Rogers has woken up in.

Things aren't as black and white in modern warfare and, to quote another comic-book movie star, you can't make an omlette without breaking some eggs.

But - just to torture the metaphor for a bit - who's the omlette and who are the eggs in this scenario?

We know The Winter Soldier is Cap's main nemesis in this (we mean, duh), but who's pulling his strings? He doesn't strike us as the make-a-plan type, more of a let's-hurry-up-with-the-smashing-cars-with-my-awesome-metal-arm sort of fellow.

Could Redford be the villain? He's alluded to it in interviews, and he is giving off a majorly sinister vibe in this.

Plus, that tense handshake above? Could he be masterminding the exit of everyone's favourite eye-patch-lovin' super-spy?

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Will Cap go rogue?

Will Cap go rogue?

Captain America started a journey in The Avengers , when he discovered that perhaps S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't as trustworthy as an operation involving a giant floating war machine captained by a man in a pirate costume should be.

Here, he continues his questioning of the status quo. In fact, pretty much every line in this trailer that isn't a gag is dedicated to Captain's doubts.

"This isn't freedom, this is fear." Expect this to be the key theme of the movie. But how far will America go in his pursuit of the American Way?

In the Civil War series of comics, Captain turned against the government. Will he go that far here?

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Will Falcon steal the show?

Will Falcon steal the show?

Falcon is criminally underappreciated amongst comic-fans (let's face it, he's no-one's favourite) but that looks all set to change following The Winter Soldier 's release.

We only get a couple of glances at Anthony Mackie's Falcon, but what glimpses - that moment when he falls backwards with two guns only to grow wings and fly into the sky; it's basically the best John Woo scene he never filmed.

We can't wait to see more.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
What made the heli-carrier explode?

What made the heli-carrier explode?

The Heli-Carrier managed to survive an assault from Loki's minions, and now it's being blasted out of the sky by a brainwashed bloke with a bionic arm? What did he do, wave it to death?

It's a shocking moment in the trailer - we dread to think what's caused it.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Is The Winter Soldier going to be Marvel's most bad-ass movie villain yet?

Is The Winter Soldier going to be Marvel's most bad-ass movie villain yet?

We're joking of course, The Winter Soldier - aka Steve Rogers' best mate Bucky Barnes, brainwashed and given a Terminator makeover - is one of Marvel comics coolest villains, and it looks like the movie is making the most of his potential.

From that casual side-step as an oncoming car flips over, to the quick knife flip mid Cap fist-fight, and then ending with the trailer's last second shield snatch, it's clear he's a killing machine.

He might not be as witty as Loki, but if the devastation on display in this trailer is to be believed, he could be way, way nastier.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Will Cap ever get lucky?

Will Cap ever get lucky?

Poor old Cap - he missed his date in The First Avenger, couldn't pick up on a hot waitress' signals in Avengers , and now, he's too busy to go on a date in T he Winter Soldier .

That's around 50 years worth of frustration he's been building up. We're actually starting to feel sorry for the bad-guys in this.

Still, at least he's got new BFF Black Widow doing her best to get him laid.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Will Cap ever wear a parachute?

Will Cap ever wear a parachute?

We mean, COME ON. There are only so many times you can jump out of a plane face-first before you hit a seagull or something.

He did it in Avengers , he's doing it here again.

Note: each time he's stopped to say something quippy before launching himself into the sky. Maybe that's the secret to his power. Gag him, kick him out of a 747 and watch as he plummets to his death like an owl that's just insulted the Hulk.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Who's on the operating table?

Who's on the operating table?

Is it us or - with a hefty amount of squinting - that looks like it could be one Nick Fury on the operating table?

Throw in the brief shot of Fury driving a car, just before The Winter Soldier lobs a sticky grenade under an oncoming vehicle - flipping it upside down in a fiery ball of vehicular destruction - and we're betting that its Bucky himself who's responsible for putting Fury at death's door.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Is this the movie that makes Cap cool?

Is this the movie that makes Cap cool?

Some of us in the office (Okay, just Sam) think Captain America is already cool enough thank-you-very-much, but even he's prepared to admit that the movie version of the character is probably more cornball than hotdog.

But here Captain busts out the sort of fighting moves comic-fans have grown to love. And coolest of all? That shield kick flip after he's taken down an elevator full of foes.

Not that it's deviating from his established character too much; we love the fact that polite bully-hater Rogers gives his victims the option to get out of the elevator before he starts kicking off.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Who's Robert Redford talking to?

Who's Robert Redford talking to?

"Are you ready for the world to see you as you really are? Look out the window, you know how the game works."

When we first watched this trailer, we totes assumed that Redford was talking to the Captain. But then with Mr America, what you see is what you get. And, let's be fair, with the amount of questions he's asking in this trailer, he probably doesn't even know there is a game, let alone how it works.

No, we think Samuel L. Jackon's Nick Fury is the one on the receiving end of this line - and it makes us wonder if there's an implied threat in the comment.

Is something from Fury's past about to come back to haunt him? Did he have a key role in The Winter Soldier program?

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
CATEGORIES
Disney Plus Apple Tv Plus Streaming Services
Sam Ashurst
Social Links Navigation

Sam Ashurst is a London-based film maker, journalist, and podcast host. He's the director of Frankenstein's Creature, A Little More Flesh + A Little More Flesh 2, and co-hosts the Arrow Podcast. His words have appeared on HuffPost, MSN, The Independent, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, and many more, as well as of course for us here at GamesRadar+.

Share by:
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Whatsapp
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Read more
Chris Evans as Cap in the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Avengers: Doomsday release date, cast, plot, trailer, and more news
 
 
Chris Evans in Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Doomsday trailer is now in cinemas, and it confirms Marvel's worst-kept secret
 
 
Steve Rogers and Nick Fury Jr. conferring
Captain America #6 will send Steve Rogers and Nick Fury Jr's new SHIELD into the "powder keg" of a war-torn Latveria where they'll have to "reckon with the ghost of Doom" as well as the rampaging Red Hulk
 
 
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, holding a baby
The first Avengers: Doomsday trailer is now officially online, as the Russo Brothers explain why they brought Cap back
 
 
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier
Bucky Barnes actor Sebastian Stan talks about his Marvel experience in past tense, and fans are getting worried ahead of Avengers: Doomsday
 
 
Sebastian Stan in Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Batman 2 and Avengers: Secret Wars are filming close together, and now MCU fans are worried Bucky will die in Doomsday
 
 
Latest in Marvel Movies
James Marsden as Cyclops in Avengers Doomsday
X-Men fans are hyped Cyclops is getting the spotlight in latest Avengers: Doomsday trailer
 
 
Sebastian Stan in Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Batman 2 and Avengers: Secret Wars are filming close together, and now MCU fans are worried Bucky will die in Doomsday
 
 
Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield in Stranger Things 4
Stranger Things star Sadie Sink says she learned she was in Spider-Man 4 through an internet rumor
 
 
Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier in Avengers: Doomsday
The X-Men Avengers: Doomsday trailer is online, with Cyclops unleashing his powers and Magneto and Professor X as allies
 
 
Guardians of the Galaxy
James Gunn debunks Guardians of the Galaxy rumor about Kraglin "breaking character"
 
 
Cyclops firing his optic blasts into the air and screaming, painted by Mark Sasso
The Avengers: Doomsday X-Men teaser is now in theaters and it finally gives fans exactly what we've been begging for
 
 
Latest in Features
Yahya Abdul Mateen II in Wonder Man (2025)
New on Disney Plus in January 2026: all the latest movies and shows streaming this month
 
 
Switch 2 with Donkey Kong Bananza art on screen on wood pattern table next to accessories.
What to expect from the Switch 2 in 2026: Pokemon and Zelda celebrations, tons of ports, and comfort Nintendo food
 
 
The Blood of Dawnwalker screenshot showing Coen in combat versus some armed guards
The Blood of Dawnwalker devs "were afraid that people wouldn't want to play as human Coen" so it set out to create "a combat system that can set a new standard for RPGs"
 
 
41 hours into Divinity Original Sin 2, I wish I'd broken a golden RPG rule
 
 
A character in Ontos' key art sits in a chair that merges purple, floral, biological design with high-tech cables - their face is blurred with multiple expressions showing inner turmoil while their eyes are closed - with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 frame
Soma successor Ontos is "like Shadow of the Colossus" says its creative director: The moon-set horror is "built around the looming excitement and dread of what the next big Experiment will be like"
 
 
Key art for Cairn showing a character clambering up the side of a cliff loaded with rope and gear, with a sunrise in the sky - framed by the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 frame
"We wanted to explore that longing for absolute freedom": Cairn is a survival climbing game about human will, endurance, and sacrifice
 
 
  1. Aaron Wei battles a bug monster in Trails Beyond the Horizon
    1
    Trails Beyond the Horizon review: "This JRPG's thrilling real-time and turn-based combat evolves Metaphor ReFantazio's hybrid battles, making up for a poorly paced adventure"
  2. 2
    This alt-history board game is still a gold standard for modern strategy
  3. 3
    Skate Story review: "A beautiful and unique skateboarding game with great, stylized visuals set in a grungy underworld"
  4. 4
    Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
  5. 5
    Sleep Awake review: "An all-timer horror premise is let down by tired stealth that I feel like I'm sleepwalking through"
  1. Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
    1
    Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
  2. 2
    Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
  3. 3
    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
  4. 4
    Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
  5. 5
    The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
  1. Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
    1
    Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
  2. 2
    Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”
  3. 3
    Fallout season 2 review: "A hell of a lot of fun despite being overcrowded and convoluted"
  4. 4
    Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 review: “Can the Duffer brothers stick the landing? It’s sure looking like they will”
  5. 5
    Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...