“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is the most topically relevant superhero film I’ve ever seen. With a plot that is as much influenced by classic American political thrillers as it is by the anti-terrorism, paranoia-filled times we live in, it is a much more mature and thoughtful superhero movie than anyone in the audience will expect when buying their ticket. Yet it never takes itself too seriously, nor does it forget who its audience is, making it the best solo-hero addition to the franchise since the first “Iron Man.”

Following the Avengers’ victory over the Chitauri and Loki in New York, we find Captain America (Chris Evans), always the soldier, now working deep within S.H.I.E.L.D. still trying to find his footing in this new and unfamiliar world. After a covert mission, which Cap believes is to rescue hostages but actually has much larger implications, it is clear that he has very different priorities and ideals than the ultra-secretive security organization. This prompts a discussion about truth and control between Cap and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Fury reveals the “Insight Program” being carried out by S.H.I.E.L.D. to gain Cap’s trust.

In response to the events in New York, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been given the go ahead to produce airships capable of picking out potential threats to homeland security and eliminating them before they do any harm. Cap is wholeheartedly against this, stating, “This isn’t freedom this is fear.” On top of this, Cap must also deal with ghost assassin, The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan).

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo (of TV’s “Community” fame) handle this heavy amount of plot with ease, balancing intrigue with action, which is certainly not missing from this film in anyway. The choreography of the hand-to-hand combat sequences is incredibly engaging, ensuring that you’ll feel every one of Cap’s biogenetically engineered blows.

Each character, whether it is Cap, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) or The Winter Soldier, has his or her own unique fighting style. When they clash, the sense of danger feels very real, even for our seemingly immortal protagonist. This combined with stunning action set-pieces taking place all over our nation’s capital in the third act provide for an experience as exhilarating as “The Avengers” that still fits the scale of a Marvel solo-hero films.

Recently, Evans has revealed that after his contract with Marvel runs out, he’ll retire from acting to pursue a career in directing. You wouldn’t know it by his work here however, as he still perfectly embodies Captain Steve Rogers through and through. He is heroic incarnate as the straight-shooting, soft spoken patriot and it’ll be a shame to see him hang up the red, white and blue shield when the day comes.

Much of the political drama feel comes from Robert Redford’s character Alexander Pierce. Redford is as welcome and delightful as you’d expect. It’s obvious he took this character just as seriously as any of his previous roles, creating a sense of mystery around the character that forces Captain America to question who he can and cannot trust.

In fact, the entire supporting cast delivers fantastic performances, giving the film a depth that was missing from its predecessor. The Winter Soldier provides both a physical and emotional threat to Cap. Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon and Johansson in particular stand out providing not only the bulk of the comic relief but legitimate support for Captain America as the stakes rise higher and higher. They feel necessary and evade the uselessness of Hawkeye in “The Avengers.” Johansson still finds new ways to represent the shady Black Widow, who we still don’t fully know even after seeing her in the other Marvel movies. Mackie fits right in alongside Evans and Johansson, a team-up we’ll hopefully see again soon in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

Not everything in this sequel meshes as well as this trio however. Much of what has plagued previous Marvel movies, such as weak dialogue at times as well as the overuse of certain recurring jokes wear a little thin, just enough to distract from some scenes. A running gag with Black Widow trying to find Cap a date starts out funny enough, but by the third or fourth time around, it feels about as old as the 93-year-old super soldier. Overall these are just a few bumps in a road filled with well-timed comedic beats and breathtaking action.

With talk of an attack on New York, the debate of fear versus control and the questionable actions of a secretive government organization paired with engaging action sequences, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is one of the most relevant and gripping superhero movies of all time. It has all the makings of a political drama and spy thriller while still managing to stay true to its superhero roots, delivering the best Marvel movie to date.

Cory J. Willey can be reached at [email protected].