Captain America is a spectacular, patriotism-inspiring movie that you're sure to love, unless you are an America-hating member of the evil army of Hydra.  Or a progressive, take your pick.

Hollywood critics have given the movie a lukewarm reception, calling it "simplistic" (Hollywood Reporter), "cliché" (Filmcritic.com), and "subversive" (Boston Globe).  It's not surprising that the liberal Hollywood literati turn up their collective noses at it.  The Boston Globe compares it negatively to the anti-war movies "Coming Home" and "Born on the Fourth of July".  

In Progresso-world, our country is despotic, Jane Fonda is America's Sweetheart, and Oliver Stone is our national Bard.

In truth, they hate it because it is an allegory for American exceptionalism.  Have you noticed that all of the iconic superheroes are Americans?  They make us feel good because they represent all that is positive about our country.  (OK, Thor is an undocumented worker from Asgard.  There are a lot of parallels between Asgard and America, however.  Especially when the evil Loki, masquerading as a purveyor of hope and change, takes the throne.)

America is the most exceptional nation in human history, based on its belief in the innate strength and wisdom of the individual, its thirst for freedom and justice, and its power to defend itself and others from forces of evil.  America is the superhero of nations.

Captain America the movie expresses this concept purely and perfectly, without a hint of liberal snarkiness or self-loathing.  It thrills and inspires, with no obligatory depravity, gratuitous sex, or stomach-churning violence.  Marvel Studios has created a masterful and uniquely American classic.

Marvel has also atoned for its grotesque mischaracterization of the Tea Party as bigoted and evil in its infamous Captain America #602.  Issued in early 2010, it coincided very closely with the Disney acquisition of Marvel.  Perhaps Disney got the message from the negative outcry of its largest customer base, conservatives.

The Red Skull is the embodiment of evil, along with his minions in Media Matters, er, I mean Hydra.  If you close your eyes during the climactic scene when Red says, in his Germanic accent, "I have seen the future...There are no flags!", you can almost visualize a young George Soros in glorious 3-D.  Brandishing his red, white, and blue shield, Cap speaks for America when he retorts, "Not in my future!"

Andrew Thomas blogs at darkangelpolitics.com