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The Star-Spangled Man

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For the song from Captain America: The First Avenger, see Star Spangled Man.

"The Star-Spangled Man"
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode
Episode no.Episode 2
Directed byKari Skogland
Written byMichael Kastelein
Produced byMalcolm Spellman
Cinematography byP.J. Dillon
Editing by
  • Jeffrey Ford
  • Todd Desrosiers
Original release dateMarch 26, 2021 (2021-03-26)
Running time49 minutes
Cast
Episode chronology
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"Power Broker"
List of episodes

"The Star-Spangled Man" is the second episode of the American television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, based on the Marvel Comics characters Sam Wilson / Falcon and Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier. It follows the pair as they reluctantly work together to track the anti-nationalist organization the Flag Smashers. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Michael Kastelein and directed by Kari Skogland.

Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their respective roles as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes from the film series, starring alongside Wyatt Russell, Erin Kellyman, Danny Ramirez, and Daniel Brühl. Skogland joined the series in May 2019. Filming took place at Pinewood Atlanta Studios, with location filming in the Atlanta metropolitan area and in Prague.

"The Star-Spangled Man" was released on Disney+ on March 26, 2021. Critics praised the political commentary, the dialogue, and the combination of the two titular characters.

Plot

John Walker appears on Good Morning America as Captain America, revealing his desire to live up to Steve Rogers' mantle. Meanwhile, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes struggle to work together as Barnes expresses disapproval in Wilson's decision to surrender Rogers' shield. They travel to Munich and find the Flag Smashers smuggling medicine. Wilson identifies a possible hostage, who is revealed to be the group's leader, Karli Morgenthau. The Flag Smashers, with enhanced abilities, quickly overpower Barnes and Wilson until Walker and Lemar Hoskins come to their aid, though the Flag Smashers escape. Walker and Hoskins requests Barnes and Wilson join them in aiding the Global Repatriation Council (GRC) to quash the ongoing violent post-Blip revolutions, but they refuse. Meanwhile, Morgenthau receives a threatening text from an unknown number.

Traveling to Baltimore, Barnes introduces Wilson to Isaiah Bradley, a veteran super soldier who fought Barnes in the Korean War. Bradley refuses to help them uncover information about additional Super Soldier serums due to being imprisoned and experimented on by the US government and Hydra for 30 years. As the two argue over him keeping the existence of an African-American super-soldier a secret, Wilson is harassed by police and Barnes is arrested for missing a therapy appointment. Barnes is released on bail after Walker and Hoskins intervene, though he and Wilson are first forced to take a therapy session with Barnes' therapist Dr. Raynor. Walker and Hoskins again ask Barnes and Wilson to work with them, but they refuse once again. Disgruntled, Walker warns the duo to stay out of their way. In Slovakia, the Flag Smashers escape by airplane while one member buys them time, fighting the Power Broker's minions. Barnes suggests they visit an imprisoned Helmut Zemo in Berlin to gather intelligence on the Flag Smashers, to which Wilson reluctantly agrees.

Production

Development

By October 2018, Marvel Studios was developing a limited series starring Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson / Falcon and Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films,[1][2] which was officially announced as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in April 2019.[3] Kari Skogland was hired to direct the miniseries a month later.[4] Skogland and head writer Malcolm Spellman executive produce alongside Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Nate Moore.[5]: 15  The second episode was written by Michael Kastelein and is titled "The Star-Spangled Man", a nod to the song "Star Spangled Man" featured in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).[6]

Casting

The episode stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Erin Kellyman as Karli Morgenthau, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, and Daniel Brühl as Helmut Zemo.[7]: 44:12–44:46  Also appearing are Clé Bennett as Lemar Hoskins / Battlestar,[6] Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley,[8] Desmond Chiam, Dani Deetté, and Indya Bussey as the Flag Smashers Dovich, Gigi, and DeeDee, respectively, Renes Rivera as Lennox, Tyler Dean Flores as Diego, Ness Bautista as Matias,[7]: 45:21  Amy Aquino as Dr. Christina Raynor,[9][7]: 45:21  Elijah Richardson as Eli Bradley,[8] Noah Mills as Nico,[7]: 45:21  Gabrielle Byndloss as Olivia Walker,[6] Mike Ray as Alonso Barber, Neal Kodinsky as Rudy, and Sara Haines as herself.[7]: 45:21 

Filming and visual effects

Filming began on October 31, 2019,[10] at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Atlanta, Georgia,[11][12] with Skogland directing,[4] and P.J. Dillon serving as cinematographer.[5]: 15  Location filming took place in the Atlanta metropolitan area and in Prague.[13][14] According to Aquino, the therapy scene with Wilson and Barnes was largely improvised between Mackie and Stan.[15] Visual effects for the episode were created by Digital Frontier, Tippett Studio, Rodeo FX, QPPE, Cantina Creative, Technicolor VFX, and Trixter.[16][7]: 46:43–46:53 

Music

The drumline in the episode plays a rendition of "Star Spangled Man" by Alan Menken and David Zippel, first heard in Captain America: The First Avenger.[6]

Marketing

After the episode's release, Marvel announced merchandise inspired by the episode as part of its weekly "Marvel Must Haves" promotion for each episode of the series, including apparel, accessories, and collectibles which included a Funko Pop and Marvel Legends figure of Walker and a Hot Toys Winter Soldier figure.[17]

Release

"The Star-Spangled Man" was released on Disney+ on March 26, 2021.[18]

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average score of 8.18/10 based on 23 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "New political intrigue and a healthy dose of emotional stakes are great, but what really makes 'The Star-Spangled Man' sing is the return of Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan's delightfully antagonistic chemistry."[19]

Sulagna Misra of The A.V. Club said, "There's something really amazing about how this series is slowly leading us to how Sam can become Captain America. It's clear that it's not a problem of nerve or intelligence or compassion. It's that Sam feels there is no easy way to go into the role without feeling like an imposter – or even worse, being treated as one." She called it "a relief" that Wilson is "such an emotionally intelligent main character" and enjoyed the banter between him and Barnes. Misra also felt Lumbly was able to convey a lot in his short scene, giving the episode an "A".[20] Den of Geek's Gavin Jasper felt, "After a shaky start, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier seems to have found its footing. We've moved past the boats and bank loans for now and we're walking into an interesting conflict. As our heroes reluctantly work together, they're sandwiched between a country that mistreats them and a group of terrorists who want to do away with the systems that mistreat our heroes." Jasper called the scene with Isaiah Bradley a memorable, though somber, one of the episode. He gave the episode 4.5 out of 5 stars.[21] Giving the episode a "B", Christian Holub of Entertainment Weekly believed it was a good choice to explore Walker in the opening of the episode and praised the scene with Isaiah Bradley. Holub enjoyed seeing the Flag Smashers expand upon the idea that there were some benefits to the Blip and compared the group to the Red Lotus from the animated series The Legend of Korra. Speaking to the episode's set piece, Holub said it was "not quite as impressive" as the opening of the first episode, but made up "for the difference in size and scale with more combatants". As well, he was excited by the continued teasing of the Young Avengers forming in the MCU with the appearance of Eli Bradley, who is known as Patriot in the comics.[22]

Feeling "The Star-Spangled Man" dove "headfirst into its story" with the episode giving more time to the Flag Smashers and John Walker after "a highly character-focused premiere", IGN's Matt Purslow said the episode was "another dense, chewy episode, marred only by an odd approach to Sam and Bucky's antagonistic [quippy] dialogue" which came off as "irritating rather than funny". Purslow felt having the action sequence centered on super soldiers "neatly ties it all into the Captain America mythos that runs through the show" and spoke highly of the scene with Isaiah Bradley. He called it "a huge moment" for Wilson, adding the sequence was "a good sign that the writing team intends to continue exploring the issue in a serious way that is smartly woven into the larger-than-life world of superheroes". He gave the episode an 8 out of 10.[23] Alan Sepinwall at Rolling Stone said the episode was "even busier" than the previous one, but "much more satisfying" given Wilson and Barnes shared scenes which "significantly boosts the energy level of the show and injects some badly-needed humor". Wilson and Barnes' counseling session was one of the highlights for Sepinwall along with the various running gags throughout, though he did criticize the episode's set piece for being "a bit repetitive" and having questionable visual effects.[6]

References

  1. ^ Kroll, Justin; Otterson, Joe (October 30, 2018). "Falcon-Winter Soldier Limited Series in the Works With 'Empire' Writer (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  2. ^ Boucher, Geoff; Hipes, Patrick (October 30, 2018). "Marvel Duo Falcon & Winter Soldier Teaming For Disney Streaming Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  3. ^ Dinh, Christine (April 12, 2019). "All of the Marvel Disney+ News Coming Out of The Walt Disney Company's Investor Day". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Fleming Jr, Mike (May 20, 2019). "Kari Skogland To Direct 6-Part 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Miniseries With Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Bruhl & Emily Van Camp". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Production Brief" (PDF). Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e Sepinwall, Alan (March 26, 2021). "'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Recap: Two (Butting) Heads Are Better Than One". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Kastelein, Michael (March 26, 2021). "The Star-Spangled Man". The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Season 1. Episode 2. Event occurs at 45:21. Disney+. End credits begin at 42:48.
  8. ^ a b Romano, Nick (March 26, 2021). "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier brings in Marvel's first Black Captain America: What this could mean for the MCU". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  9. ^ Dinh, Christine (March 29, 2021). "'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier': Episode 2 Intel Report". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  10. ^ Anderson, Jenna (October 31, 2019). "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Has Begun Filming". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  11. ^ Perine, Aaron (October 20, 2019). "Falcon and The Winter Soldier Starts Production on Monday". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  12. ^ Raftery, Brian (June 26, 2019). "Anthony Mackie is Your New Captain, America". Men's Health. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  13. ^ Sources for filming in Atlanta from November 2019 to February 2020:
  14. ^ Perine, Aaron (October 10, 2020). "Falcon and the Winter Soldier: New Set Photos Reveal Prague Filming After Coronavirus Shutdowns". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  15. ^ Miller, Liz Shannon (March 30, 2021). "Here's How Much of That 'The Falcon and the Winter Solder' Episode 2 Therapy Scene Was Improv". Collider. Archived from the original on March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 31, 2021 suggested (help)
  16. ^ Frei, Vincent (March 16, 2021). "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier". Art of VFX. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  17. ^ Paige, Rachel (March 29, 2021). "Shop Marvel Must Haves: 'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' Episode 2". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  18. ^ "(#102) "The Star-Spangled Man"". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  19. ^ "The Star-Spangled Man". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  20. ^ Misra, Sulagna (March 25, 2021). "The Falcon And The Winter Soldier brings spiky humor back to the MCU". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Jasper, Gavin (March 26, 2021). "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 Review: The Star-Spangled Man". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  22. ^ Holub, Christian (March 26, 2021). "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier recap: Confronting America's dark past and uncertain present". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  23. ^ Purslow, Matt (March 26, 2021). "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: Season 1, Episode 2 Review". IGN. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.

External links

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