I've defended the film but never did get around to voice what I guess you would say I didn't like about TWS or stuff I might have wanted different. And for the most part I love TWS, and none of this in any way ruins or spoils the film for me but...
-The conclusion of the opening boat scene was a little underwhelming to me the first time I saw the film. For the most I didn't spoil anything in terms of how things were going to unfold. Maybe I'm just used to/spoiled by stuff like the Bond films and even The Avengers opening scene where it's an OTT explosive set piece. A part of me might have been expecting the ship to be blown up or at least a serious threat/attempt to do so. Was also waiting to see if they would factor the rocket into the action in someway but it was just window dressing for the scene, kinda like the helicarrier engines but more on that later. The conclusion itself was rather abrupt with Batroc setting off the grenade and escaping, next thing the film's in DC. Now all that said I feel that's just a nitpick and actually a part of me is happy that they went against my built in exceptions, usually films with an OTT opening action scene are a little front loaded in that department, case in point some of the Brosnan Bond films. That's certainly not the case here and overall I feel the action in the movie was very balanced. The opening as is is still pretty awesome overall, but no where near my favorite sequence of the film. I thought Batroc was well done though and the actual fight was good.
- The whole bit with the USB flash drive in the vending machine. This one might be nitpicking on my part again cause after thinking about it I guess Widow probably saw/spied Steve planting the drive in the machine in the bit where it cuts away to Steve leaving before the reveal in the machine. The first couple times I watched it that part just felt a little contrived/clunky and although I guess I kinda explained it to my self it still feels a little too convenient. Again I feel like I'm nitpicking with that one. It's no where near as bad as some of the story issues with Silva's plot in Skyfall, and I liked Skyfall just feel like that film is a little overrated, Casino Royale is still my favorite Craig film.
- Not really a flaw because it was probably a pacing issue or perhaps it was never filmed, but I wanted to see the infiltration into Fort Meade to get the Falcon wings. Maybe there's nothing more to it scripted or filmed but if there is it would nice to see as a possible deleted scene or maybe even a one shot at some point although there's way more interesting stories to tell with a one shot.
- Parts of the ending helicarrier battle. I actually think this helicarrier scene is a little more balanced than the one in The Avengers with "ten minute freefall"(porbably hyperbole on my part but it seems/feels like it). The problem is it feels like some nice action may have been left on the cutting room floor for the sake of having the effect that things were happening in real time while still showing all the important stuff with Cap/Falcon, Winter Soldier, Widow/Fury/Pierce and Maria Hill. I guess at the end of the day it's hard to complain about story getting top priority over action but if it's a running time issue rather than pacing than that's something I don't like. I'd prefer if we'd get a film that runs 140-145 mins for the theatrical/final cut if it means we can have both (story/action). I'd rather see the good stuff on the big screen than have to watch it on home video as deleted scenes or an extended/director's cut i.e The Wolverine(which is why I may or may not go to see DoFP on the big screen just because).
One thing I would change about the helicarrier action is the bit where Cap leaps off one carrier and is caught mid-air by Falcon. I'd expand a bit on the lead up to the leap and give Falcon a bit more to do and tie up one lingering action related question, what happened to the Quinjet chasing Falcon? In the film Cap is driven off the edge of the carrier by rocket fire from Hydra goons, instead I would keep the dodging rocket blasts but have him leaping across the deck only to be cornered and driven out onto one of the engines where they can't use the rockets but can still pursue. Meanwhile Falcon is busy being chased by the Quinjet from earlier and can't make it to Cap who's still on the edge of the engine, a couple Hydra goons make it onto the engine to get in closer firing range for their guns but one steps a little too close to the hazard markings and he's picked up off his feet pulled through the inlet vanes into the engine where he's fried/incinerated/vaporized by the repulsor jets. Meanwhile Falcon nears the engine that Cap's on with the quinjet still behind him, he flies under the carrier and almost like he's going to go straight through the repulsor blast but fakes out at the last second sending the quinjet behind him flying into the blast which knocks it out of the sky. With Falcon now in perfect position, Cap leaps off with the rest of the scene/continuing as is in the film. If I could add/change one thing in the film that would be it. I feel like it would have made things a bit more interesting, perhaps another little memorable action bit. Perhaps I should have taken Fury's comment that engines were redesigned by Stark as a hint as not to expect too much from them after what we saw in The Avengers, although they explode pretty spectacularly and at least we got quite a bit with the quinjet's anyway.
Now I voted/picked the helicarrier battle as my favorite action sequence in that thread, probably because I loved the bit with Winter Soldier vs. The SHIELD ground crew(which doesn't even take place on a carrier). I wouldn't change/cut that scene for anything, although I find the propeller kill in TFA more satisfying probably cause it was an actual villain rather than a good guy getting diced more so than the blood and gore, but again I'm not complaining about that at all, in fact they better have another one in Cap3(hopefully a goon) or I'm gonna be disappointed lol. If they think it would be redundant than maybe a different kind of brutal/gory/bizarre death, i.e The rock crusher from Temple of doom, The tank in The last Crusade, or something like Benicio Del Toro's demise in Licence to Kill or Mr. Wink in Hellboy 2. That kinda stuff never gets old and it's just feels like a staple of all the best/most memorable action/adventure films, at least for me. It's the nostalgia. That kinda stuff stood out when I was kid and it kinda stuck with me when it comes to the genre.
