Captain America: Winter's End
Genre: Action/Superhero/War
Director: Peter Berg
Writer: D.R. Cobb
Based on Marvel Comics character
Cast: Glen Powell, Paul Mescal, Willa Fitzgerald, Tom Selleck, Tom Burke, Noah Taylor, Alain Moussi, Eduardo Noriega, Andrea Londo, Danny Glover
Plot: At an extravagant Christmas-themed charity gala in the heart of Manhattan, James Rhodes (Danny Glover), CEO of Stark Industries, delivers a speech about supporting disabled veterans, especially during the holiday season. As Rhodes' heartfelt words draw applause from the crowd, a figure with a metal arm (Paul Mescal), codenamed Winter Soldier, assembles a sniper rifle from a high balcony. As Rhodes steps away from the podium, gunshots ring out. Panic spreads as guests scream and scramble for cover. Security rushes to escort an injured Rhodes to safety, but the Winter Soldier emerges and brutally dismantles two guards. SHIELD agents, led by Sharon Carter (Willa Fitzgerald), arrive on the scene, and pursue the Winter Soldier. Outside, Rhodes is rushed into an armored vehicle. The Winter Soldier pursues on a motorcycle. He fires a grenade launcher, blasting the armored vehicle off the road. The Winter Soldier walks towards the vehicle, ripping its doors off with his cybernetic arm. He drags Rhodes out of the vehicle, but before the Winter Soldier can execute Rhodes, Sharon and her SHIELD team catch up with them. Sharon opens fire at the Winter Soldier as the area becomes surrounded by more arriving SHIELD agents. The Winter Soldier realizes his chance to kill Rhodes is at an end. He detonates an explosive charge as a distraction, disappearing into the smoke and debris as Sharon tends to the severely injured Rhodes.
At SHIELD HQ in Washington, Steve Rogers (Glen Powell) enters a large conference room with his shield strapped to his back. The room falls silent as Tony Stark (Tom Selleck) begins the briefing. Stark presents footage of the Winter Soldier as James Buchanan Barnes, recalling their mission during World War II to take down the Red Skull. Stark confirms that Barnes has been working as Hydra's top assassin, somehow still alive after all these years. Stark explains that their intelligence indicates that Barnes is under the command of Baron Helmut Zemo, a rogue Hydra leader based on the Central American island of Cortena, where he has allied with the nation's military dictator, General Esteban. Stark presents Rogers and Carter with their mission: infiltrate Cortena and dismantle Zemo's operation. Rogers asks about rescuing Barnes. Stark warns Rogers that Barnes may not be redeemable.
Hydra's base on Cortena is surrounded by jungle. Baron Helmut Zemo (Tom Burke) discusses the failure to kill James Rhodes with Barnes and Batroc (Alain Moussi), who chastises Barnes' failure. Barnes and Batroc begin to argue, but Zemo angrily silences them. He tells them that what matters most is focusing on the big picture - unleashing a chemical attack on SHIELD, which will mark the dawn of a new Hydra. Zemo orders Barnes back to the reconditioning chamber as Batroc looks on in disdain.
A SHIELD stealth aircraft soars high above the clouds under the cover of night. Inside Rogers and Sharon prepare for a HALO jump. Sharon reminds Rogers that HALO stands for High altitude, low opening, so if they miss their mark, they'll be splattered all over the jungle. The doors of the plane open and the two leap into the sky. As they plummet skillfully through the air, Sharon pulls her ripcord, but the parachute fails to deploy. She begins to panic. Rogers immediately notices her spiraling out of control. Without hesitation, he adjusts his trajectory, angling himself toward Sharon as the ground quickly races toward them. Rogers grabs hold of Sharon and pulls his own ripcord, and his parachute deploys. It's too late for a full recovery though. They crash into the jungle canopy at high speed. Rogers twists his body to shield Sharon from the impact. They hit the ground with a heavy thud, the force leaving Rogers winded but alive. Sharon expresses her gratitude to Rogers for saving her life just then. Together, they disappear into the shadows of the dense jungle.
Rogers and Sharon are suddenly surrounded by a militia group, guns trained on them from all sides. Ana Cortes (Andrea Londo) emerges, ordering Rogers and Sharon to drop their weapons. Ana's group of rebels binds Rogers and Sharon's hands, marching them to a camp hidden deep in the jungle. Ana confronts them, demanding to know why Hydra sent them. Rogers tries to explain that he and Sharon are not part of Hydra and have actually been sent to stop Hydra. Ana is not convinced though and explains that Cortena used to be a safe place, but once the government aligned with Hydra it became a battleground. Rogers looks Ana in the eyes and assures her that he is there to stop Hydra. She scoffs at one man being able to do anything against such a force. Rogers stands and easily breaks free from his bounds to the shock of Ana and her rebels. Rogers and Sharon explain their mission to Ana and the rebels. She offers her militia's resources and knowledge to help in the mission to stop Zemo and Hydra. She informs them that there is a Hydra outpost nearby that has been their main supply hub for months and offers to lead them there through the jungle.
The jungle is eerily quiet as Rogers, Sharon, and Ana's rebel team approach the Hydra outpost - a fortified cluster of buildings surrounded by barbed wire and a watchtower housing Hydra guards and a spotlight. Sharon slips away, scaling a tree to get a vantage point on the tower. She takes out the spotlight operator using a silenced pistol, then disables the light itself. The Hydra guards are now on high alert. Rogers leads a charge into the outpost, shield in hand. Hydra guards open fire on him, with the bullets deflecting off Rogers' shield. Rogers then hurls the shield, knocking out two guards in one motion. Ana and her rebels follow close behind, engaging in an intense firefight with the Hydra soldiers. Inside the compound, Sharon hacks into a computer terminal, downloading schematics and files on Zemo's operations. The team regroups near the central building, but are attacked by Batroc. The mercenary drops from a rooftop, acrobatically attacking Rogers, who uses his shield to block Batroc's blows and force him back. The fight is fast and brutal, but Rogers finally overpowers him, slamming Batroc back into a stack of crates. Batroc, bloodied but grinning, retreats into the shadows. As more Hydra reinforcements close in, Ana plants explosives on the supply caches, and the team retreats into the jungle as the explosives engulf the outpost in flames. Sharon begins reviewing the downloaded data, learning that Zemo is building weapons for an attack on SHIELD.
Baron Zemo oversees preparations in an refurbished Cold War era Hydra lab. An AI hologram of Arnim Zola (Noah Taylor) flickers to life as General Esteban (Eduardo Noriega) enters the room. He surveys the lab with suspicion. Zemo explains the purpose of the facility and its historical significance, highlighting how his father had laid the foundation for Hydra's presence in the region. Zemo speaks with pride about the Winter Soldier program, presenting it as a model for the new world order he envisions. Zola's hologram showcases footage of James Buchanan Barnes being experimented on decades earlier. Zola assures both Zemo and Esteban that any issues with the Winter Soldier's conditioning will be resolved. Zemo shifts to the larger picture, using Cortena's resources to aid his planned strike at SHIELD. Esteban listens intently, but is more concerned with how much power he will have in the planned new order. Zemo assures Esteban that their continued alliance will lead to more power than he can imagine. In the background, Barnes silently observes the conversation from his reconditioning chamber as his metal arm begins twitching faintly.
Rogers, Sharon, and Ana's rebels make their way through the jungle toward Zemo's main compound. As they walk Sharon quietly asks Rogers if his mission is more about saving Barnes or defeating Hydra. Rogers pauses for a moment while he thinks, finally suggesting that he can do both. They reach a narrow ravine with towering cliffs on either side. As they begin crossing, Hydra forces, led by the Winter Soldier, ambush them. The rebels fight back, but the ambush is overwhelming. Barnes moves down below, opening fire on Rogers. Rogers focuses on deflecting gunfire and taking out multiple enemies to protect the rebels. Sharon provides cover fire. Rogers finally comes face-to-face with Barnes. The two engage in a brutal hand-to-hand fight, Rogers trying to reason with the soldier he once fought alongside. Barnes remains expressionless as the fight continues. Meanwhile, Batroc enters the fray, flanking the rebels. Sharon tries to stop him, but she is knocked unconscious from a violent kick from Batroc. Hydra soldiers capture Ana and make her watch as they execute her remaining rebels. Rogers continues to battle Barnes, refusing to give up on him. Barnes manages to knock Rogers' shield away and begins hammering him with his metal arm. Rogers, Sharon, and Ana are all taken away by Hydra forces.
At SHIELD Headquarters, Tony Stark visits James Rhodes in the advanced medical facility where he's recovering from the attempt on his life. Rhodes asks to take a look at the intel on Hydra's activities in Cortena. While Rhodes looks over the intel, Stark paces the room, frustrated that Hydra could strike so close to home. Their conversation turns reflective as they discuss their history as Iron Man and War Machine in the 1980s. Rhodes then brings up Rogers, expressing doubts about whether an old-fashioned soldier is the best option to fight a modern Hydra threat. Stark defends Rogers, calling him the kind of hero the world still needs.
Inside Zemo's compound, Rogers is restrained with fortified chains. Zemo enters and begins lecturing "Captain America" about the foolishness of clinging to his outdated ideals. Zemo reveals his plan to Rogers to launch a chemical missile at SHIELD Headquarters. Zemo activates a monitor, and Arnim Zola's AI hologram appears, explaining how Barnes was reconditioned to become the perfect solider, devoid of a past or humanity. Barnes then enters the room, his face emotionless. Zemo orders him to attack Rogers to prove his loyalty. Rogers pleads with him to remember the raid on Hydra's base all those decades earlier. Barnes doesn't respond and begins beating on Rogers in a brutal fashion. Sharon, hearing Rogers being beaten, calls out his name. A battered Captain America is dragged into a holding cell. Barnes watches, briefly hesitating as his eyes catch Rogers'.
Rogers, Sharon, and Ana are locked in separate cells within Zemo's compound. Ana uses a loose pipe in her cell to knock out a guard, steals his keys, and frees herself and Sharon. Together they overpower another guard and retrieve weapons before breaking Rogers out of his cell. Rogers leads the way out of the facility, knocking out several Hydra operatives in the process with Sharon and Ana following close behind.
Later, Zemo meets with General Esteban at the presidential palace. Esteban implies that Zemo's rogue Hydra operations may be endangering his power in Cortena. Zemo listens calmly but coldly informs Esteban that Hydra does not share power. Esteban begins to argue and orders his guards to arrest Zemo, but the guards begin chanting "Hail Hydra!" Zemo then executes Esteban. Zemo thanks the guards for the loyalty, promising to make Cortena the launching point of a new global order.
Ana guides Rogers and Sharon into the heart of Cortena's capital, where Zemo has repurposed a Cold War-era Soviet silo to launch his chemical missile. They navigate narrow streets and cut through abandoned buildings, avoiding Hydra patrols. They sneak into the silo, fighting through a wave of guards as Zemo observes the assault from a control room high above the missile chamber. Zemo orders Barnes to intercept Rogers and Batroc to engage the others. Rogers enters the missile chamber as alarms blare, only to find Barnes waiting for him, ready for a fight. The two engage in a brutal battle. As they fight, Rogers pleads with Barnes, urging him to remember who he once was. Barnes rips the shield from Rogers' grasp, but hesitates, staring at the shield in his hands. Zemo's voice crackles through a communicator, commanding the Winter Solder to finish the mission and kill Captain America. Rogers manages to turn the tables and knock Barnes communicator away. Rogers gets his shield back and gains the upper-hand in the fight. Instead of delivering a finishing blow, Rogers releases Barnes and gives him a knowing nod. Barnes scrambles off.
Rogers climbs the staircase to the missile control room, where Zemo is waiting. As the missile's launch countdown ticks down, Rogers throws his shield at Zemo, knocking him into a wall. Zemo puts up a decent fight, but is no match for Rogers' super soldier strength. Rogers incapacitates Zemo and stops the missile launch with mere seconds to spare. Rogers hands Zemo off to Ana and her rebels to with him what they please. With Zemo defeated, his soldiers all stand down without a leader. Barnes leaves the silo, but as attacked by Batroc, who insists on finishing what Zemo started. Batroc uses his agility to land several blows on Barnes, but Barnes uses his mechanical arm to deliver several powerful punches, defeating Batroc.
Ana approaches Rogers, thanking Captain America for helping rid her people of Hydra's control. Barnes approaches them, with Sharon on high alert and aiming her weapon at him. Barnes holds his hands up. Rogers tells Sharon to stand down. He confesses that he doesn't know how Hydra was able to control him all these years, and requests Rogers' help getting rid of the conditioning for good. The sound of aircraft roars overhead. SHIELD transport planes arrive led by Tony Stark and James Rhodes, bringing dozen of SHIELD agents along with them to help to arrest the remaining Hydra soldiers and help Ana and her people take back Cortena for good.
Back at SHIELD Headquarters, Rogers is called into Tony Stark's office. Stark plays surveillance footage of various superheroes in action: the Fantastic Four battling Annihilus, the Hulk rampaging through a city, Namor emerging from the ocean, and the Silver Surfer gliding through space. Stark informs Rogers of an impending threat - Galactus - and tells him that Earth will need heroes like him to stand together. He calls the prospective group of heroes The Avengers. Stark asks Rogers if he's willing to be part of a team to defend the planet. Rogers picks up his shield and gives Stark a determined nod.
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