‘Captain America: Brave New World’ is aggressively mediocre

“You’re no Steve Rogers,” Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) snarls at Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson during a tense scene in Captain America: Brave New World. It’s a brutally honest and savage truth that Ross throws at our hero protagonist but it rings true all the same. Steve Rogers’s absence is very much felt in this film but can Wilson successfully take on the mantle? It’s a question both Mackie, studio execs, and the audience are asking themselves going into the movie’s release.

As the latest cog in the Marvel Studios machine, a lot is riding on the latest Captain America film to steer the MCU in a better direction, into a braver, newer world where another Golden Age of Marvel awaits. To lead this movement, Anthony Mackie returns as Sam Wilson AKA Captain America, after Steve Rogers bequeathed him the blue, red and white shield in Avengers: Endgame, in his first film-starring role as the star-spangled hero. 

But does Captain America: Brave New World deliver? Find my spoiler-free review below.

PLOT

In Brave New World, Sam Wilson finds himself at odds with Thaddeus Ross, a fiery ex-military general turned President of the United States who historically has it out for the Avengers. Their already-strained relationship meets further conflict when Wilson’s close friend and fellow super soldier, Isaiah Bradley, is arrested after attempting to assassinate Ross. To clear his name, Wilson goes on an investigation and soon finds a sinister force behind the shadows pulling the strings. 

Plot-wise, I can see that the film is trying to echo what fans love from previous Captain America films such as Winter Soldier (my personal favourite) and Civil War. There is that spy espionage feel when Wilson goes snooping around and breaks into government property in search of the truth. 

In saying that, Brave New World does not feel like a continuation of the Captain America franchise. Rather, it is a direct sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Many of the characters and plotlines from that film return in Brave New World so it feels like a Hulk-centric plotline in a Captain America film. Great for Hulk fans, but not so much for Captain America enthusiasts looking to see their hero shine. 

The Incredible Hulk and Disney Plus’ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series are pretty much required viewing so be sure to get yourself caught up on both of these before watching Brave New World. Sure, you won’t be completely lost if you don’t but you’ll miss out on a lot of the context and history between the characters that will make certain scenes in Brave New World particularly impactful.

Granted, I enjoyed the political espionage aspect of the film and it was also nice to see a certain catastrophic event finally acknowledged in a Marvel film (if you know, you know). The discovery of a new material also brings a new dimension to the scales of power we will see in upcoming films. However, Brave New World clocks just under two hours and it suffers from a padded runtime due to its convoluted plotlines, clunky writing, and unsatisfying payoff. 

CHARACTERS

Anthony Mackie brings a totally different dimension to the Captain America we all know and love. While Steve Rogers was steadfast, strict, and righteous almost to an infallible level, Wilson softens the edges with his vulnerability and anxieties in a way that makes us all want to root for him. He doesn’t know if he can be the Captain America the world needs and he’s riddled with impostor syndrome. 

Mackie’s Captain America feels fresh and relatable as he grapples with very human emotions. I just wished that the film fleshed out more of his inner conflict rather than just paying lip service to it by the end. 

Arguably, most of the character development went to Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross instead. Ford carries on the legacy of the late actor William Hurt masterfully in his memorable performance. The film spends a lot of time building the inner turmoil in Ross as he tries his best to make up for his controversial past as a wartime general. It’s hard to believe the Indiana Jones actor is 82 years old but man, can he get fired up and animated when he needs to! Ford does a great job at balancing the act between an overzealous patriot, amicable president, loving father, and raging Red Hulk. 

Another character I enjoyed seeing was Joaquin Torres. First introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Torres is a United States Air Force intelligence officer who becomes a close friend of Wilson’s and ultimately inherits his Falcon suit. Reminiscent of Tom Holland’s bubbly and friendly Spider-Man, Torres is fun to watch and his banter with Wilson gives much respite when things get too stuffy. Plus, it’s nice to see someone look up to Wilson as a role model for once. Carl Lumbly also gave a particularly affecting performance as Isaiah Bradley AKA the “forgotten” Captain America.

As far as villains go, Brave New World did not hit the mark—yes, including Red Hulk. I won’t spoil who the main antagonist of the film is (if you know your stuff from The Incredible Hulk, then you’ll quickly figure it out) but they were not compelling or believable enough, especially when fans already know what kind of planet-ending villains are out there in the MCU. The scheming is so pedestrian that I thought, “That’s it?”

But what about Red Hulk, you ask? He’s disappointing based on just how much time he actually appears in the film. Savour up every moment of him on screen because you’re not going to get much.

VISUALS

Visually, Brave New World offers some incredible action sequences that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Wilson’s brand-new vibranium wings instilled in his suit paired with his shield make for a killer combination as he slices through cars and missiles with ease. Both Captain America and Falcon look great zooming across the sky. However, I did feel that the hand-to-hand combats looked clunky and sluggish at certain points and the camera angles did not help the choreography look any better.

But let’s talk about the giant Hulk in the room. Fortunately, there was no repeat of the She-Hulk debacle and Red Hulk’s motion capture actually looked impressive. The battle between Red Hulk and Captain America is certainly a highlight as the fight sequences were thrilling and delivered the destruction we all love Hulk for. 

In saying that, I found myself again disappointed by the CGI and use of green screen, especially in an IMAX theatre where these flaws are glaringly obvious. This has been a long-standing issue with Marvel films and Brave New World is its latest victim. With such shallow and flat depth of field as well as almost cartoonish backdrops, the look and quality of the film were severely brought down and made the already-divisive third act of the film even more contentious. 

VERDICT

Overall, Captain America: Brave New World is enjoyable but forgettable. Brave New World did not offer anything brave, new or riveting. In fact, the film falls firmly in the “fine” category. With Phase Six just on the horizon, Marvel Studios shouldn’t settle with putting out “fine” films if it ever wants to return to form in time for Avengers Doomsday and Secret Wars in 2026.

Rating: 3/5

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