About the film (courtesy of Marvel Studios):
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Captain America: Brave New World is the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The film follows Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as he takes on the mantle of Captain America, and it’s got some things going for it. Mackie is great in the role, and the action sequences are well-done. However, the film’s plot is a bit underwhelming, and it never quite reaches the heights of the best Captain America films.
The movie picks up a few years after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019) and the Disney+ original, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where Sam is still adjusting to his new role as Captain America. He’s struggling with the legacy of Steve Rogers along with the acceptance factor from some, and he’s not sure if he’s up to the task. When a new threat emerges, Sam must team up with Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) to stop it while also continuing to attempt to forge his identity.
The cast is one of the strongest aspects of the film. Mackie is fantastic as Sam Wilson. He brings a lot of heart and soul to the role, and he makes you believe that he’s worthy of carrying the Captain America shield. Ramirez is also great as Torres, and he’s a welcome addition to the MCU. Stan is solid as Bucky, but his role is smaller in this film than it was in previous Captain America movies. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (assuming the role previously held by the late actor William Hurt), and he’s as gruff and imposing as ever. The antagonist of Captain America: Brave New World is Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) who has very prototypical reasons for becoming the villain.
The action sequences and CGI serve as a highlight of the film. They’re well-choreographed and exciting, and they make good use of Sam’s new abilities as Captain America. The final battle is impressive initially, but just as the rest of the film, it levels out quickly. This eye candy isn’t enough to erase the new title that kept creeping up in mind…Captain American: Bland New World. Sigh…
Unfortunately, the film’s plot is a bit of a letdown. Captain America: Brave New World is predictable and uninspired, and it never quite manages to grab your attention. The characters are just there, so to speak. I also thought I’d geek out when “The Red Hulk” FINALLY makes his appearance, yet I was, more or less, just relieved since I knew the conclusion couldn’t be that far off.
Overall, Captain America: Brave New World is a serviceable superhero movie, but it’s not one of the best films in the MCU. And these days, you can’t be satisfied with the status quo. It’s worth seeing for the sake of continuity purposes, but don’t expect to be blown away and it’s also not something that I’d worry about rushing out to see in theaters. That said, experiencing this feature in IMAX did tick up the enjoyment factor a notch or two.
See Captain America: Brave New World only in theaters starting Friday, February 14th, with early showtimes Thursday afternoon. And yes, there is one post-credits scene to stick around for.
