Captain America: Brave New World arrives in cinemas nationwide on Feb 14.
Among the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 35 films, the Captain America movies have stood out as some of the strongest entries. Whether it’s the throwback fun of The First Avenger, the political intricacy of The Winter Soldier or the colossal spectacle of Civil War, these movies have been sturdy pillars of entertainment in what is becoming an increasingly crowded canon. Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessors but nonetheless proves to be another reliable addition to this franchise within a franchise.
Following Steve Rogers’ retirement, Captain America’s title and vibranium shield have passed to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), previously the superhero Falcon. Sam vows to uphold Steve’s teachings, but he fears he will never live up to his predecessor without Steve’s signature charisma or super-soldier serum to buff up his strength. Even with help from his protege Joaquin (Danny Ramirez) and mentor Isaiah (Carl Lumbly), who is a former super-soldier like Steve, Sam struggles to live up to his new title.
Also collecting new titles is General Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). Having recently been elected President of the United States, Ross is negotiating a treaty with international allies following the emergence of a Celestial in the Indian Ocean (as depicted in Eternals). However, following an assassination attempt on Ross inside the White House itself, Sam finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy to sow international discord. With few resources and a strained relationship with Ross, following their various conflicts across the MCU, Sam works to find and stop the masterminds pulling the strings.
The film’s plot grabs pieces of various MCU properties to form its foundations. Characters like Joaquin and Isaiah reprise their roles from the 2021 miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, while many of the plot developments surrounding Ross are as much continuations of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk as they are of the Captain America films. The long overdue acknowledgement of Eternals is appreciated, but the film can occasionally feel like a myriad of callbacks for those who have done their MCU homework. The inclusion of a fan-favourite character, whose abrupt appearance exists solely to give Sam a pep talk, certainly adds to that feeling, even if the scene itself is reasonably poignant save for one forced joke that undermines the emotional tone.
However, at its core, the film is a story of self-worth, as shown through the character arcs of Sam and, to a lesser extent, Ross. If there is a resonant thematic principle to the spectacle, it’s how one conquers their feelings of imposter syndrome, especially when following in the footsteps of a beloved predecessor or handling a terrifying responsibility. By highlighting how Sam doesn’t possess many of the same advantages Steve had during his tenure, the film layers an already fun character with a refreshing amount of humanity. If one believes the “hard times create strong men” sentiment, then Brave New World champions the same virtues, as it tells a tale of Sam learning the value of himself in the face of adversity. Even with the international setting and action, director Julius Onah is putting character front and centre.
Previously relegated to a supporting wingman in other Captain America films, Anthony Mackie proves himself to be leading man material. As jovial and willing to throw down as any other MCU actor, Mackie wonderfully sells that new humanity that the film gives to Sam. During Sam’s more vulnerable scenes, where he worries about whether Steve was right to appoint him as his successor, Mackie’s charisma is at its best. This is also true of Harrison Ford, who takes over the role of Ross following William Hurt’s passing. Despite his intimidating replication of the aggressive self-righteousness that made the character so memorable, Ford’s performance also creates empathy for Ross – showcasing him as a paranoid hothead who, now that he has enormous political power, wonders what his legacy will be. Even when dealing with the quippy, action-heavy confines of the MCU, Ford continues to demonstrate why he’s one of the greatest movie stars.
Visual thrills and jaw-dropping scale have usually been a strong fallback, even among the weaker MCU films. Brave New World complements its political tension and introspective characterisation with gripping setpieces and combat. This includes several highly energised fisticuffs in public spaces and murkier, more confined locations – one hallway fight feels like a throwback to Netflix’s Daredevil with how it uses dolly camera techniques to capture the viscerality of the fight. When the action moves to grander settings, such as the Indian Ocean, the CGI proves to be hit-and-miss, with some of the greenscreen coming off as blatant. Yet the creativity incorporated into these scenes, such as how Sam’s Falcon suit matches against fighter jets, keeps the spectacle engrossing.
Occasionally, the narrative can feel overstuffed, not quite striking the thematic or storytelling balance of The Winter Soldier – arguably the MCU’s best film. The juggling of various characters, namely three separate antagonists, if you include Ross and the complications of Ross’s treaty, can cause one to temporarily lose track of the story’s colossal amount of information. One also can’t help but wonder if certain character arcs could’ve been pushed a tad further – with Ross’s paranoid leadership decisions reminding this critic of RWBY’s General Ironwood, himself an excellent example of a descent into villainy arc. It certainly would have made the political undertones of the story regarding the abuse of power – a timely sentiment given Trump’s return to the White House.
Captain America: Brave New World may not rank among the best MCU films, but plenty of thrills remain on its plate. Ambitious in its action and political spectacle, it is Brave New World’s grounded dissection of character that proves its most admirable quality. Is it the return to form that the MCU needs? That’s not immediately apparent, but it will nonetheless satisfy the cravings of many Marvel fans.
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