Chris Evans stars as Captain America, in the latest Marvel movie. It’s a lot of set-up for the Avengers movie, but its also a fun ride.

Director Joe Johnston and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely manage to jam in every possible major Captain America milestone all in one movie. The fact that World War 2 is also happening is almost an afterthought and Hitler is way in the background.

The only real compromise in the movie is that the main villain is the Red Skull and Hydra, not Hitler. Still, the movie moves along at a nice speed and the CGI effect as Chris Evans as a 90 lb weakling is one of the best in recent memory. Stanley Tucci does a great turn as the scientist who gives Steve Rogers his powers. In fact, Tucci’s character is the only one we really get to know. Cap is just doing too much in this movie for us to really get to know him.

Rather than being a boy sidekick, Bucky is Steve’s friend. On the streets of Brooklyn, Bucky bails him out, but in the war after Steve becomes Captain America, it’s Steve who saves him. The Howling Commandos are also in the mix and the movie manages to use ever incarnation of the costume and even give a nod to the first comic book.

Hugo Weaving is, as the Red Skull, nice and menacing. A ruthless Nazi and Steve Rogers only equal, the jam a lot of near misses in a two hour movie. Ultimately, it is tons of fun although a bit rushed. It’s hard to jam 500 Captain America issues into one movie, but Johnston comes pretty darn close.

This is all a big lead up to The Avengers movie, where Cap will lead. Chris Evans comes off as a little young for the role, but matures as fast as a character can under the circumstances. Probably the only other minor downside is that the movie does come off as a two hour promotion for Army Recruitment.

I give Captain a America 8 out of 10 keggers. I wouldn’t bother with the 3-D, but the regular 2-D movie is one to see this summer. Check out the trailer here.