I consider myself an MCU fan, although my interest over the last year has waned. Whether it’s superhero fatigue or saltiness over not seeing things on the big screen, keeping up with the world felt like a bit of a chore in 2024. So I went into Captain America: Brave New World without any prep. I don’t even think I watched the full trailer for the film, but of course, I saw snippets about a certain angry red character. There were certainly no rewatches, and if you have listened to the Cosmic Circle podcast, you’ll note that’s exceedingly rare. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and based on some of the early review chatter, had concerns I would be totally lost and hate it.
I’m happy to say that that wasn’t the case with Captain America: Brave New World. If you’re a casual Marvel fan, you won’t be lost with the multitude of characters and points from other stories. Director Julius Onah did a pretty good job of helping to show why Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is a hero. (As if all the other Avengers movies didn’t do that already. ) It’s got all the tension of a believable political conspiracy thriller, has some really interesting and exciting action, and has great some excellent Marvel-sized visuals that look great. It’s not a perfect movie by any means, but it is fun and even thought-provoking at times, and maybe that’s enough. I wasn’t disappointed at spending the time in the theater to watch.
This film has plenty of Easter eggs and deep cuts for Marvel fans. Without spoiling the exact details on how, this movie handles the island-sized Celestial problem from the Eternals in a way that really makes sense for the type of political thriller this movie is. For those who like to piece together the puzzle of what’s coming next in the MCU, Captain America: Brave New World plants several tantalizing seeds of probabilities. I’m excited for what’s to come, and with Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps on the horizon over the next few months, that’s a good thing for Marvel.
Captain America: Brave New World’s story and Anthony Mackie’s performance
Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has been Captain America for some time. He’s settled into the role and has a cool Air Force sponsored headquarters, but still has a ton of lingering baggage over the weight of the shield and how to keep people safe. While the Avengers, the blip, and the Celestial in the ocean are all old news timeline wise, the world is still dealing with the fallout. We enter into this movie with a new American president and a dicey diplomatic situation. We jump into the action with Cap fairly early in the film. The military puts him on a special mission that we learn later on, entangles Cap and the people that matter to him into an international incident. Wilson doesn’t waste any time jumping into action that unfolds throughout the course of the film.
This movie surprised me with some of the acting. I’ve really enjoyed Anthony Mackie’s filmography, Marvel and non-Marvel alike. He’s at his best in Brave New World when he’s fighting bad guys, playing up the buddy vibes with Danny Ramirez, or working with Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley. (But as an aside, any time Lumbly is on-screen is awesome.)
As an audience member, Mackie’s portrayal of Captain America and Sam Wilson makes me believe in the good of the character. He embodies the morality that goes with the shield. I go into more detail further along in this review, but I wish the script and story had given him more to work with when Sam is in the midst of his self-doubt. Mackie is super talented, and I wish there had been more quiet moments to see his talent really shine.
Harrison Ford brings complexity and depth to the role of Thaddeus Ross
Who most surprised me was Harrison Ford, and in a good way. But of course, he’s Harrison Ford, and maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised even if it’s “just” a comic book movie. As Thaddeus Ross, Ford brings a fascinating complexity to the role. From an almost earnest politician, who has made a grand turnaround from his more explosive anti-enhanced individuals days, to a man struggling with secrets, legacy and a desire to do good, Ford plays the role with skill. Because he’s such a good actor, you’re sympathetic to him and the complicated world he’s in. He helps make this feel grounded as a political thriller. He’s totally at ease playing a character who is struggling in a world of lies. It makes me so want to rewatch his Jack Ryan films.
There are a few villains in the film of varying degrees of importance to the central plot. Giancarlo Esposito is Sidewinder, appropriately menacing from SERPENT. He had a very badass fight scene at a junkyard with Cap, but wasn’t on-screen nearly enough. Since there was so much going on with Brave New World, there wasn’t room in the story to explore all that made him tick.
Tim Blake Nelson returns as Sam Sterns. He first made his debut as the brainy scientist in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Since that time, the character has been through some things, and over the course of the movie, we learn why he’s got a grudge. Nelson’s performance reminded me strongly of Tom Cavanagh in The Flash TV series.
There’s no way around the fact that this movie has a script and a story that has multiple credited writers. But although many hands have worked to make the Captain America: Brave New World vision a reality, it doesn’t feel completely piecemeal or disjointed. It doesn’t have the same death by notes feel that Sony’s Madame Web did. Are there moments where you can kind of tell that there were reshoots? Sure. But there’s still something there at the heart of Brave New World that works as a superhero film. There’s a surprising bit of realism and humanity.
Despite having a human man in a fancy mechanical bird suit face down against an angry red beast and what can best be described as a smaller and brainy version of the Green Giant, it doesn’t feel cheesy. These are fully fleshed-out characters we’re spending time with. They aren’t copy and paste or 2D people. And the characters help sell me on these personal and political conspiracies and complicated games with world governments. But while the tone of other Marvel projects set in the same political headspace have just left me unsettled, Brave New World leaves me with a kernel of optimism.
Missed opportunities for Sam Wilson to shine as Captain America
As far as things that Captain America: Brave New World could have done better, there were a few moments in the middle of its 1 hr and 58-minute runtime that it dragged, and I found myself zoning out. Although I think Ford did a fantastic job with his character and what he brought to bear with his acting, the movie might have benefitted from less time on Ross. But I guess when you have Harrison Ford on deck, you’re going to use him all that you can.
I also wish that the film was more daring with its messaging. As with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the relationship with Isaiah Bradley is explored, but there’s not nearly enough time spent with the excellent Carl Lumbly. It’s not until one of the final scenes of the movie, in an emotional moment between Wilson and Joaquín Torres that the weight of what it means to be Cap (again), one of the big messages of the film that is touched upon with Bradley really crystallizes, although there’s another moment earlier with a surprise Marvel pop-in that sets it up.
Without spoiling who the Marvel pop-in was, that particular late scene in the movie felt unnecessary. It was the only time my theater audibly reacted to what they were seeing, but it was also kind of boring, and the back and forth between the two characters in question lacked charm. Which is sad because both involved are fantastic. This scene felt like the Marvel powers that be were just checking a box.
What it all boils down to, with the acting and the messaging, is that a really great movie was just there, out of reach. Again, the movie isn’t a waste of time and is fun. It’s just short of being great that, as an audience member, it’s super frustrating.
Final thoughts on Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World
In the end, Captain America: Brave New World is a solid superhero movie. It might not be at the top of any MCU ranking lists, but it’s an entertaining, if a little long time at the movies. Anthony Mackie does a great job as Captain America with the material in the story that he has to work with, and I’m excited to see more of the character in the future. And of course, we will because Captain America will return.
Captain America: Brave New World releases in theaters on February 14th. Are you excited about Captain America: Brave New World? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @TheCosmicCircus.com on Bluesky!
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