"Sometimes you have to tear down the old world to build a new one, and that makes enemies"

The eagerly awaited follow up to Captain America: The First Avenger is quite simply an amazing entry into the Marvel franchise, never missing a step and certainly not disappointing.

Right out of the gate, Joe and Anthony Russo have crafted a compelling film, which feels more like a espionage thriller, full of intrigue in the first two thirds than a superhero outing, that isn't a bad thing at all, it just brings another layer to our star spangled hero Steve Rogers aka Captain America and his friends as well as foes.

We have grown to admire the cast, it's never a bad idea to recruit talent and as well as the returning players of Chris Evans (Rogers), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), who all own their respective characters, we are treated to magnanimous Hollywood legend Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka the Falcon and the reintroduction of Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, who is now the brainwashed super soldier - The Winter Soldier.

The supporting cast are superb also; the highlight being Emily VanCamp's Agent 13, as it's good to see her outside of TV's Revenge and whilst she doesn't have a great deal to do, she, like Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill) plays the part incredibly well, ensuring neither of their inclusions feel at all wasted.

Hayley Atwell is almost unrecognisable as the aged Peggy Carter, her inclusion giving another facet to Steve Rogers's life, as she effectively is an emotional centre of sorts for him, their interaction also reveals why he joined S.H.I.E.L.D in the first place and helps to enforce the mythology as well as giving fans a bit of closure with the character, while whetting our appetites for the Agent Carter TV series. Meanwhile Toby Jones is also back as Arnim Zola, and even without seeing him, he brings gravitas to proceedings.

The effects and fight sequences are stunning, as the filmmakers don't seem to be pulling any punches with this sequel. A true highlight for the film is Mackie's Falcon, his flying is spectacular to see and his character is not just there to be there, to fill out the roster, much like all of the characters - old and new, the Falcon is definitely one that is going to show up again and again, a very welcomed addition, and gives a nice contrast between him and Captain America, as their banter brings something of a light touch to an otherwise intense action thriller.

For those perhaps unimpressed by Captain America: The First Avenger, now hesitant to see the follow up - be assured that this eagerly anticipated sequel will blow any misgivings out of the water. Fortunately, it's also been left wide open for a third outing, so with one planned for 2016, it's exciting and intriguing to see where they go from here. As Alexander Pierce says 'Sometimes you have to tear down the old world to build a new one, and that makes enemies'. So, bring on the next one.