Exploring the Original Cult Classic: Captain America's Rotten 1990 Adventure

Article Key Points

Captain America's 1990 self-titled movie is universally viewed as an awful film and has mostly been forgotten over time due to its cheesy era and forgettable plot.

Matt Salinger portrays Captain America and Scott Paulin takes on the role of Red Skull in the film. However, both their performances and the script faced severe backlash from both critics and fans.

Notwithstanding its limited financial resources and unfavorable reception, the movie culminates in Captain America triumphantly vanquishing Red Skull, and President Kimball initiating a forward-thinking global policy.

Chris Evans is the most well-known actor associated with the character Captain America in Marvel's films. However, he is not the only one to have portrayed the symbol of freedom. In 1990, a movie titled "Captain America" was released, but it is not widely known due to its reputation as an awful film. Set in the cheesy era of the eighties and nineties, this version of Captain America is considered strange.

The film stars Matt Salinger as the main character and Scott Paulin as Red Skull. Over time, this classic superhero movie has been largely forgotten. It is difficult to compare it to the modern Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but doing so makes it evident why the current portrayal of the character is more beloved by many. The costume in this nineties version is extremely faithful to the comic book, which may not resonate with most viewers. Overall, this Captain America adventure is forgettable and critically panned.

What Is The 1990 Captain America About?

In the 1930s, a fascist Italian government kidnaps a young child with the intention of developing a supersoldier serum. However, this experiment leads to the defection of Dr. Vaselli. During World War 2, Steve Rogers volunteers for the supersoldier program and undergoes a transformation from a weak polio survivor to a powerful hero. Tragically, the defected Dr. Vaselli, who was responsible for America's supersoldier project, is then assassinated by a Nazi spy. While the origins of Captain America in the MCU may bear some similarities, the story diverges from there.

The young child who was abducted in the beginning has grown into Red Skull, a formidable super being. However, the new Captain America is assigned to confront the threat posed by Red Skull. Captain America finds himself at Red Skull's mercy, as he is bound to a rocket aimed for the United States. Nevertheless, Captain America cleverly manipulates Red Skull into severing his own hand to avoid suffering a similar fate. With immense effort, Captain America diverts the missile from its original course, causing it to crash in Alaska, resulting in his disappearance in the icy terrain.

Jumping ahead to the 1990s, Red Skull has established his own criminal empire, which includes his daughter Valentina. Throughout the years, he has orchestrated the high-profile assassinations of influential figures with conflicting interests, falsely claiming responsibility for the deaths of JFK and even Martin Luther King Jr. Due to the adverse public response to these killings, Red Skull demands the kidnapping of the current president of the United States, who vehemently opposes Red Skull's fascist ideology.

Eventually, Steve Rogers is located and thawed out, only to find himself once again embroiled in conflict with Red Skull's forces. Desperate for answers and a grasp on the decades he's missed, Rogers seeks out his former girlfriend. Along the way, he forms a bond with her daughter Sharon, who educates him on the passage of time. It is during this journey that Rogers stumbles upon the shocking news that the president has been abducted by Red Skull's henchmen. Recognizing his duty to safeguard America and put an end to Red Skull's villainous acts, Captain America springs into action once more.

What Is The 1990 Captain America’s Rotten Tomatoes Score?

Critics and fans on Rotten Tomatoes have not shown much love for Captain America, and the film's fantastic and goofy trailer may have contributed to its poor reception. It currently holds a score of under 20% among both groups. Critic reviews have been particularly harsh, giving the film a rotten score of 12% and offering scathing comments to justify their low rating. They are quick to criticize every aspect of the movie, including the performances and the script. One common critique from critics and viewers alike is that the film clearly suffered from a low budget, which did not align with the grand scale expected from a Captain America movie.

How Does The 1990 Captain America End?

Although fans have displayed a slightly more positive attitude towards the film (though not necessarily in terms of its financial success), their overall reception remains lukewarm, with only a 19% approval rating from the general audience. While general audience reviews may not always carry the same level of refinement as those from professional critics, their disapproval of Captain America has been expressed in no uncertain terms. Many of these reviews even reveal a lack of motivation to sit through the entire film, citing the performances and the overall story as uninteresting and dull.

Upon acquiring a deeper understanding of the Red Skull's historical background, Captain America and Sharon launch a counteroffensive against their adversary. Sharon, unfortunately, falls into the clutches of Red Skull's forces, serving as bait to enable Captain America's secret infiltration of the compound. Braving through a labyrinth of horrors within Red Skull's castle, Captain America successfully locates and rescues President Kimball prior to engaging Red Skull in a decisive confrontation. Unyielding and determined, Red Skull reveals a cunning plan to impede Captain America's progress.

Revealing his possession of a device capable of triggering a nuclear bomb, Red Skull is momentarily distracted by a recording of his family's tragic murder, which Captain America had previously discovered. With precision, Captain America hurls his formidable shield at the Red Skull, ultimately eliminating the villain. In a surprising turn of events, the shield's rebound also proves fatal for Red Skull's daughter. With the defeat of the Red Skull, President Kimball gains the ability to enact a progressive policy that secures widespread agreement from around the world, striving to protect the planet through an environmental treaty. Triumphantly, Captain America and Sharon embrace, fully aware of their readiness to confront any adversaries that may challenge the principles of the American way – even if it would be several decades until Captain America could devote himself to this mission for an entire day.

Captain America

Captain America, an iconic character of Marvel Comics, was brought to life in 1940 by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. He has played a crucial role in the comic book world, consistently challenging formidable adversaries such as the Red Skull. Over time, Captain America has transitioned from the pages of comics to the silver screen, gracing numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of Captain America, I have mixed feelings about the 1990 film. On one hand, I appreciate the effort to bring the character to life on the big screen for the first time. Matt Salinger's portrayal of Captain America is earnest and captures the character's patriotism and determination. Scott Paulin's Red Skull is suitably menacing, and the film's action sequences are entertaining.

On the other hand, the film is undeniably dated and suffers from a weak script, wooden acting, and unconvincing special effects. The plot is convoluted and lacks focus, and the film's attempts at humor often fall flat. Additionally, the film's depiction of Captain America's origin story differs significantly from the comic books, which may be disappointing to fans of the character.

Overall, the 1990 Captain America film is a curiosity for fans of the character and a reminder of how far the superhero genre has come in the past three decades. While it may not be a classic, it is still an interesting piece of superhero cinema history.