'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'

In an era when we don’t tend to trust our government, fear Big Brother-like surveillance and are inclined to fall a little off-center when it comes to patriotism, Captain America — otherwise known by his civilian name, Steve Rogers — is an uplifting superhero.

Free of Tony Stark’s cynicism, Black Widow’s dark past and Bruce Banner’s anger issues, Captain America wears the stars and stripes proudly. He’ll make you feel like every day should be celebrated like the Fourth of July. He’s a beacon of American pride.

Or at least he was in 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” and 2012’s “The Avengers.”

“Captain America: The Winter Solider” finds Cap at a tipping point in his superhero career. Working various missions for S.H.E.I.L.D. by night and adjusting to 21st-century life by day, Cap begins to seriously doubt the intentions of the organization that thawed him from his icy resting place to join Earth’s mightiest heroes. It’s a timely tale no doubt inspired by our distrustful NSA/Edward Snowden political climate.

It’s this dark tone that gives Captain America’s second solo film a 1970s political thriller vibe, not unlike “All the President’s Men.”

Speaking of “All The President’s Men,” Robert Redford joins the Marvel Universe as Alexander Pierce, a senior leader at S.H.E.I.L.D. Redford’s a welcome and wise presence, hot off his stirring turn in last year’s man-at-sea drama “All is Lost.”

Returning from “The Avengers” is Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow.

Both are at the top of their game, the latter shooting verbal barbs and probing about the Cap’s dating life throughout their missions. She rolls down her window to pick up Cap from a run and says she’s there to pick up a fossil from the Smithsonian. Ouch.

As the ninth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that launched in 2008 with “Iron Man,” it’s incredible to witness the stakes continue to raise higher and higher as the mega-sized franchise goes forward. Though New York City was practically destroyed in “The Avengers,” things seem more dangerous than ever as Captain American and Black Widow uncover truths about their organization they never expected.  

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” works marvelously well as a solo outing for the Cap, as well as a continuation of this engrossing universe Marvel has so meticulously created.

There are throwbacks to the first film in addition to wisecracks about Cap’s acclamation to 21st-century life. Star Wars, Nirvana and Thai food top his list of things to check out.

But this sequel changes the game in a critical way for the Marvel Universe, throwing things into a tailspin for any future releases from the superhero factory, including the upcoming “Avengers: Age of Ultron” next summer.

It’s this uneven ground and wide-open future that makes this expansive franchise one you’ll keep coming back to.