Captain America (1979) This is a made for TV movie designed to entertain that small group of people who just love watching other people drive around. Seriously, this movie spends more time watching people drive than "Manos the Hands of Fate." Also the writers of this film have never read the comic, and going by the costume design had barely even glanced at the cover. Steve Rogers (Reb Brown) has recently been discharged from the Marines and now just wants to spend his days driving around in his cool van, but then an old friend of his deceased dad shows up and wants Steve to test an old formula of his dad's called FLAG. The formula has given lab rats super strength but then they go mad and die, but he's sure it will work on Steve because of Steve's DNA being what his dad based the formula on.
Steve says no.
He just wants to drive around in his sweet ride, sketch young children as they play on the beach, and have every day be the same as the one before it. Yep, this is our hero. He's then told that his dad was also a crusader against corruption, even had a nickname his enemies called him as an insult "Captain America" and Steve should feel obligated to pick up the mantle.
Steve says no.
The villains, lead by Steve Forest (SWAT), kill an old friend Steve's to get the formula to a Neutron bomb, and then they repeatedly try to kill Steve because they think he knows too much or something (not sure, may have nodded off during some of those driving scenes). In one of those attempts Steve is sent crashing down a cliff where his bike explodes as if it was made of C4. Steve is rushed to the hospital where at the brink of death his dad's old friend injects FLAG into him, and thus saves Steve's life. In the morning Steve is told that he has been given the formula and now has super powers, "So how about joining us and becoming a hero, Steve?
Steve says no.
The government then give Steve a new van and a red, white and blue super bike (It has a plexiglass wind screen the detaches to be used as a shield, but it's not red, white and blue, it red, blue and clear). While giving the bike a test drive the villains attack again so Steve finally decides to fight back. (Note: by fight back I don't mean hand to hand combat, Steve Rogers does not so much as throw a single punch in this entire film). Steve sketches a
star spangled costume that the government quickly whip up for him. Steve drives around on his bike for awhile (he flies around in a helicopter for a bit just to mix things up, but with his bike on board of course), until he
finally finds evil Steve Forrest's transport truck that is carrying the neutron bomb. Does Steve Rogers drop down on the truck and go mano-a-mano with the head villain? No, he climbs between cab and trailer, bends the truck's exhaust pipe and pumps the exhaust through one of the trailers air vents. Yes, Steve Rogers defeats the villain by way of carbon monoxide poisoning. Our hero? But wait, the bomb was linked to the villain's heart beat so that the day is only truly saved by Captain America performing CPR on the villain. Seriously, have the makers of this film ever read a comic book?
I'm really looking forward to watching the action packed sequel.
