Captain America: Brave New World marks the 35th film entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And if you count all the various TV shows (I’m not going to right now), suffice to say we’re deep into things by now. You would be forgiven if you couldn’t remember when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) gave Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) his shield, officially passing the torch – and title – of Captain America (It was Avengers: Endgame, 6 years ago). You would also be forgiven if you skipped the entirety of The Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where Sam grapples with the weight of being chosen to carry that mantle.
That show is also where audiences are introduced to Isaiah Bradley, another super soldier whose existence was kept a secret by the government as they kept him imprisoned so they could experiment on him. And you’ll also be forgiven if you had forgotten about the giant Celestial body that popped up in the Indian Ocean during The Eternals (Marvel seemingly had, at least up until Brave New World). That was really just a long-winded way of saying there’s a lot of information you could have forgotten – or never seen in the first place – that all becomes important characters and plot points for Brave New World.
But don’t fret too much about having to play catch-up, Brave New World makes sure to (re)explain everything, in painstakingly forced exposition, as it sets up its plot. General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford, taking over for the late William Hurt) has just been elected President. He is trying to solidify is presidential legacy early on, by working on a treaty to split the resources found on the aforementioned Celestial Tiamut. But a shocking attempt on the President’s life threatens to derail these plans, and Sam, along with the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), investigate, with the risk of all-out war if they fail.
As mixed as I am on Brave New World, one feature I truly appreciate is how grounded its story is. Of course, as there always are, there hints at other future storylines, several with much bigger, further reaching consequences. But here, we’re mainly focused on international relations, no alien invasions, no multiverse nonsense.
As we start to piece together the full plan behind the assassination attempt, the stakes remain low. Okay, sure, there are potential disastrous global consequences. But villainous motivation is personal, it’s revenge. So many recent Marvel movies have become bogged down trying to cram in the multiverse storylines, and the studio as a whole simply doesn’t seem to know how to effectively incorporate those ideas on any sort of consistent basis. So it’s refreshing to see the studio set that aside, even if for just one movie.
The performances are mostly good, or at least serviceable. Mackie’s had plenty of time with the Wilson character, and he feels very comfortable in the role. As easy-going as he may come off at times, there’s an incredibly heavy burden weighing on Sam’s shoulders. And you see that struggle with Mackie. Tim Blake Nelson’s return as Samuel Sterns aka The Leader harkens back to 2008’s Incredible Hulk. He adds an almost-but-not-quite-camp performance. Giancarlo Esposito is great, as expected, if vastly underused; though reshoots likely explain that.
It’s Harrison Ford, though, that stands out. This is a role that could have been completely phoned in. And with Ford on screen, it still would have been serviceable. But Ford commits fully, channeling rage, regret, fear, strength, a type of emotional performance we don’t often see in the MCU. Unfortunately, Ford is the only thing about Brave New World that can be called great.
The action is fine. The jokes are hit-or-miss. Marvel often gets dinged for its special effects, and that’s unlikely to change here. There’s nothing egregiously bad in that department, though there are a couple green screen moments that threaten to cross that line. Most MCU movies are not exactly known for their larger messaging or What They Have To Say. And to be honest, I don’t care about that when it comes to the MCU. That’s not a shot against these movies. It’s just that if I’m going to look to a movie for an in-depth treatise on modern politics, race relations, or any other social or political issue, the MCU is not where I’m going to turn to.
I don’t mind if Marvel plays it safe. Everyone’s mileage will vary, but that’s ont what I come to these movies for. Action, comedy, and fun, if flawed, characters learning what it means to be a hero and other more personal themes.
However, if you’re going to say something, stand behind it and say it with your chest (Black Panther is an easy example). Brave New World introduces several of these topics, and essentially does nothing with any of them. There’s a saying when it comes to awards, be they Academy or otherwise: The nomination is the win. Perhaps that applies here. At least the ideas are present.
But that still speaks to some of the larger issues with Brave New World. One of the worst things a movie can be is uninteresting. It’s enjoyable enough, goes down smooth. But there’s nothing lasting. It’s fine, but forgettable. There’s nothing outright terrible, but besides Ford there’s nothing that will stick with you. It also maybe the worst post-credits scene of any MCU movie to date (maybe any movie ever?). I still won’t spoil it, but it’s 100% completely pointless.
In the least original way to phrase it, Captain America: Brave New World offers nothing brave or new to the MCU. It’s what so many of its recent movies have been: an acceptable new addition to the canon. You certainly won’t regret seeing it in theaters (how’s that for “praise”?). But if you’re feeling some Marvel fatigue and are trying to pick your spots, you won’t be missing much if you decide to sit this one out.
Grade: C
