If allowed to embrace all of its instincts The Winter Soldier could have been a true action classic, but like a high-end sports car stuck on a suburban street it feels held back from reaching its true potential. Despite all of the new elements brought to the table by the Russos and the screenwriting team of Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, this is still a Marvel movie and that brings a number of requirements. It has to introduce characters that have no purpose right now, but presumably will down the road (Agent 13, played by Emily VanCamp). It has to service the existing comics mythology while still maintaining accessibility for broader audiences (Anthony Mackies Falcon is a former paratrooper that can fly thanks to a ridiculous winged backpack). And it has to serve as a standalone film but also function as a step down the road towards The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
The most glaring example is the title of the film itself. Yes, the Winter Soldier (a menacing Sebastian Stan) is a character in this film, and while Ill leave out the specifics he has particular significance to Captain America. But his storyline is grafted on without really impacting the plot or the storys larger ethical concerns. Hes glorious and flashy, but hes a supporting henchman at best, and the call-out in the movies name comes across as nothing more than an aggressive hat tip to Marvels loyal fans.