Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with President Thaddeus Ross. He must soon discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Director: Julius Onah
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some strong language.
Runtime: 1h 58m
Review:
Captain America: Brave New World tries its best to be bring a level of intrigue to its comic story but there's something decidedly bland about the whole thing that never connects the way it should. Julius Onah does a serviceable job in delivering a glossy but exposition heavy, political thriller. There are plenty of characters and moving parts at play from the start to keep the action rolling. It should make for an engrossing mystery, but it never engages the audience the way it should with the reveals coming off as more perfunctory than revelatory. The main issue is that the central mystery isn't all that interesting or shocking, especially since the previews gave away the biggest reveal in the film. The action sequences are decent but slightly uninspired with none of them giving the film the sort of pop that would liven up most of these films. Anthony Mackie takes up the Captain America mantle with an earnest air that fits the role, but he struggles to find the real meat of his character. He does his best with the script he's given as he's clearly searching for an emotional center to this new iteration of the character throughout. A few quick moments in the final act do touch upon the weight of his new mantle, something the story would have been wise to use to greater effect. Instead, he almost feels lost in his own film that should have served as his big spotlight. Harrison Ford joins the fray here, taking over for the late William Hurt, as Thaddeus Ross who has just been elected president. Ford brings some of the old school Air Force One energy to the role, but he suffers a similar fate to Mackie with an underwhelming script that paints his character in the most generic terms possible. There's supposed to be an air of antagonism between the two that never comes through the screen the way it should, which kills a lot of conflict that's written on the page. It doesn't help that the main reveal was given away months ago thanks to the film's advertising which kills most of his character's story arch. The supporting players are all serviceable even if they don't leave much of an impression with Danny Ramirez and Shira Haas making the most of their limited screentime. Carl Lumbly brings some gravitas to the screen, but the film never takes full advantage of his presence or his character, especially in relation to Mackie's Sam Wilson. Giancarlo Esposito shows up for a cup of coffee as a hired mercenary that there mostly to connect the plot to Tim Blake Nelson's Leader from 2008's The Incredible Hulk. It's a strange choice to connect so much of this film that, mostly forgotten Marvel entry and 2021's Eternals but ultimately Captain America: Brave New World main purpose seems to bring a certain element to the universe and everything that entails.
C
