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Rating
Synopsis
Having assumed the role of Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) struggles to live up to expectations. He’s paired with Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), who’s become the new Falcon and is excited to work with Wilson. Adding to Wilson’s doubts is his old friend Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), who questions his ties to the government. Meanwhile, newly elected President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) struggles to maintain peace due to his past actions. The discovery of a Celestial emerging from the Earth starts an arms race where numerous nations are vying for control. Adding to the tension is an attack on the White House that leaves foreign powers questioning Ross’ abilities. Deciding to investigate further, Wilson and Ramirez discover an enormous conspiracy that could ignite a new world war. Who is pulling the strings, and will Wilson be able to prove himself as Captain America?
Review
While Deadpool & Wolverine was a step in the right direction, Captain America: Brave New World feels the opposite. Granted, it’s not the worst MCU movie in recent memory, but the fact that it’s more middle-of-the-road is disappointing. The film takes so many elements from earlier MCU entries that it fails to establish a unique identity. Considering this is the first to star Anthony Mackie as Captain America, he deserved better than a middle-of-the-road movie. Still, I hope Julius Onah continues working in Hollywood because I think he has potential as a filmmaker. If you remove all the drab CGI and messy choreography, you can tell Onah is a competent director. His previous outing, 2019’s Luce, received tons of critical acclaim and award nominations, so he has talent. Here’s hoping this movie is successful enough that he can move on to better projects.
Anthony Mackie does a solid job as the new Captain America, bringing plenty of charisma to the role. A prominent theme of the movie is how Sam Wilson doubts his abilities and whether he can measure up. This feeling reflects the audience’s going in, and it’s appreciated that the filmmakers organically explore this. Surprisingly, the best performance comes from Harrison Ford, who cared more here than Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. He brings a level of vulnerability and empathy you wouldn’t expect from Ford, and it’s greatly appreciated. It makes his transformation into Red Hulk more impactful, as it’s the culmination of his conflicted feelings made manifest. Unfortunately, despite the marketing playing up Cap’s fight with Red Hulk, it only amounts to 10 minutes of screen time. Sadly, actors like Giancarlo Esposito and Shira Haas feel wasted, though they have their moments.
Like many recent MCU movies, the overused CGI comes off as drab and monotonous rather than exciting. Admittedly, the effects used to render Red Hulk are impressive, and the scenes of him destroying Washington, DC, are thrilling. It’s just unfortunate that the film has numerous scenes with noticeable green screen on par with Black Panther. Those scenes must have been part of the reshoots since they feel incomplete and added at the last minute. Numerous subplots and characters are complicated to keep track of and rely on easter eggs without going into spoilers. Despite my criticisms, you’ll find enough to enjoy if you take it as a simple superhero movie. But Anthony Mackie deserved a better debut for his Captain America than a slightly above-average affair. Overall, Captain America: Brave New World has plenty of fun action and decent performances but falls short of expectations.
Captain America: Brave New World is currently in theaters.
