Serving as the first cinematic Marvel offering of 2025, Captain America: Brave New World is neither a return to familiar form or a step in a, well, brave new direction, but a middle-range actioner that’s just serviceable enough to earn entertainment points; even if it ultimately adds up to very little of consequence.
Post-Endgame, it’s fair to say that the MCU haven’t exactly fired on consistent cylinders in their attempt to saturate the market with a brand that was, at one point, considered untouchable. Bar a few exceptions, the Multiverse Saga that the studio has favoured has diluted the “event” mentality that these films used to project. Fan service and the intention of an intricately weaved web of connected storylines proved their M.O., and whilst it no doubt all looked good on paper, the reality for these films is a much harsher landscape.
It’s really all a shame for Anthony Mackie too. After being gifted the infamous shield and taking on the mantle left void by Chris Evans – plenty big shoes to fill as it is – his iteration of Captain America deserves better than the Incredible Hulk sequel Captain America: Brave New World ultimately serves as. In his favour though, Mackie is the least of the film’s problems, as he confidently leads the charge of a movie that suffers from an identity crisis.
Mackie’s Sam Wilson is apparently poised to rebuild the Avengers – whether or not this will be a throughline for his storyline going forward remains to be revealed – early on in Julias Onah‘s outing, with President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford, one of the major bright spots) calling in he and partner Joaquin Torres (an underused Danny Ramirez), who has since taken over Wilson’s turn as The Falcon, to the White House to deliver the assignment. Wilson doesn’t have much time to digest Ross’s request though, as an incident within the White House walls calls into question national security when Ross is targeted for assassination.
It’s a pretty standard narrative involving mind control of sorts, and whilst the five-person-strong script (Onah, Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson and Peter Glanz are all credited) flirts with intrigue, it never quite comes together as cohesively at it deserves. Long a point of contention for Marvel fans who were frustrated at its lack of acknowledgement, Brave New World at least gets points for finally incorporating the abandoned Celestial from Eternals, but it too has an air of afterthought as the film flits between its own Captain America outing, a continuation of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, and a political thriller temperament – without really finding its feet in any of the categories; it also doesn’t serve the film coming off the previous three Captain movies that very much had their own identity.
It really is ultimately quite amusing that it’s the oft-forgotten Incredible Hulk from 2008 that serves as Brave New World‘s most important asset. In a time before Mark Ruffalo honed the role of Bruce Banner, Edward Norton was the intended MCU mainstay, and this film very much incorporates Tim Blake Nelson‘s villainous Samuel Sterns as a seeming driving force going forward, as well as providing a sweet emotional payoff for Ross that is referenced throughout. The Incredible Hulk is one of the lesser offerings within the grand scheme of the MCU, and it is a surprise that it earns such a considerable reference here, but you have to give this film its props for not disregarding its existence entirely.
On the mention of Ross, Ford is an intimidating presence in any iteration, but his eventual transformation into Red Hulk is, undoubtedly, one of Brave New World‘s most exciting aspects. There’s something exhilarating about seeing a Hulk as a legitimate threat, and the terrifying nature he possesses as he skillfully battles Wilson is an action highlight in a film that, overall, never really gives us action set-pieces that truly wow us. Mackie is effortless in his physicality, and the fact that he’s taking on such threat without the serum enhancement that assisted Steve Rogers is neatly referenced and a testament to this embodiment’s legitimate strength, but there’s only so many ways to throw a punch or a shield before it feels played out.
Given the reported extensive reshoots and release date shuffles Brave New World ushered through, the lack of confidence in itself makes more sense in light of such. It’s difficult to know what was always envisioned as being part of the original output and what was added or removed, but, hopefully, moving forward the Marvel higher-ups have more faith in their storytellers and that not every MCU outing has to adhere to the same action temperament. In the shadow of Steve Rogers, Wilson expresses the pressures of living up to the Captain America moniker – when the film lets him reflect on such, that is – and whilst I can only imagine how Mackie feels as an actor in a post-Evans environment, he can certainly stand tall that he’s embodied the character respectfully; it’s the film that doesn’t deserve him.
TWO AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Captain America: Brave New World is now screening in Australian theatres.
