Broken Frontier

With Joe Johnston's Captain America: The First Avenger now in theatres, the time is right to look back on his first foray into 1940s superheroics with The Rocketeer.

It was with a cynical eye that I noticed the Captain America trailers and images when they first startedproliferating the Internet.  Let’s be honest, Iron Man could be explained with technology; Thor with magic and mysticism; but a guy running around World War 2 in an American flag suit throwing a shield?  I love the comics, but had riots reservations about the movie.

My worries were cast aside though when I found out that Joe Johnston was directing.  Because while he is the same guy who gave us Jurassic Park 3 and The Wolfman, we forgive him those transgressions since he also gave us one of the best comic book movies ever in The Rocketeer.

While we may not immediately connect the stories of Cliff Secord and Steve Rogers, there are a few similarities that give a good excuse to go back and watch Johnston's early 1990s classic.  And not only does the movie hold up, but it gives a very optimistic outlook for Captain America.

Firstly, Johnston flat out nails the time period.  Not just the outfits, cars, set pieces, etc. but he really gets the feel of the early 1940s.  There is a wid- eyed optimism to the era.  Just about everything feels new and exciting. He adds in real people and places to add extra authenticism. The music really sets a great tone too, not just the theme music, which brings it all together, but in the musical selections.  Obviously not all these decisions were his, but there's no way we should doubt his ability to make it happen again.

With the main hero, while Steve Rogers was less a reluctant hero than Secord, both heroes came into their situation out of surprise.  Rogers was given a new body, Secord a rocket to strap to his back.  Interestingly, there aren't as many long action sequences in The Rocketeer as there should be in Cap, but Johnston frames them all well, never getting too close as to mar the action.  And in many scenes, Cliff himself almost serves as a good comparison for the famed Shield, bouncing around rooms, behind and off of objects, until landing where needed.  But even a hero is nothing without his supporting characters and villains.

While Cliff doesn't have a true sidekick or mentor like Steve Rogers does, he has them both in the same person with the inventor Peabody.  Like Bucky Barnes, Peaby has been with Cliff through thick and thin, helping him out whenever he can and teaching him wherever and whenever he'll listen.  Both movies have a strong female character in Jenny Blake and Peggy Carter (Holly Atwell will be lucky to have Jennifer Connelly’s career though).  Both can handle their own, even if they still will cause a mess from time to time.  Not to mention a suave villain who hides his face.  

Comparisons though mean nothing if they weren't effective the first time. Thankfully they were. The Rocketeer proves a fun movie even 20 years (!!!!!) after its release. Watching it, you have no choice but to take on the same optimism as the times and characters. 

But what of my first concern?  That of the odd costume?  Well Johnston definitely proved he knew how to deal with that, even if I doubt that anyone will tell Captain America he looks like a hood ornament.