The problem with the Captain American film was that it didn't really go anywhere. It had a fun setup, but then was nothing but battle montages for the entire second half. It all felt pretty weak once Cap liberated that first base. It didn't help that the Red Skull was woefully underdeveloped, despite the maniacal joy that Hugo Weaving played him with.
Sadly, Cap was largely useless in the Avengers. He should be the moral center of the team, commanding leadership through respect. His powers pale in comparison to many of his teammates, and only appear worse off in the air-battles that ensued in the film. He ended up being about as useless as Black Widow and Hawkeye, despite being a much more important character.
Captain American, as a character, really excelled in the Civil War arc. The scaled down, guerrilla tactics allowed his super soldier powers to shine. Likewise, his attributes as an honorable and respectable leader came through when given the chance to fight against a truly evil and tyrannical force: the American government.