At this point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, you’re either in for the long haul or you’ve checked out. Personally, I still get excited for these movies. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that the series has been hit-and-miss since the last Avengers film. Julius Onah’s Captain America: Brave New World is unlikely to convince wayward fans that the MCU has returned to its glory days, but for those of us who are still invested, there is some fun to be had.
After the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ streaming series, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has fully embraced his role as the new Captain America, although doubt still creeps in here and there. The film opens with a nicely done action sequence that shows off Sam’s mastery of the iconic shield. It also displays how Sam is different from his predecessor in that he is not a superhuman and he relies more on technology to save the day. The opening act also sets up our other two main players, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), aka the new Falcon, and President-elect Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford, taking over the role from the late William Hurt). Even if you haven’t seen every Marvel movie, I think the script does a good enough job that you’ll be able to follow along.
Onah wisely takes his cues from the previous two Captain America films, which are two of the strongest MCU films in my opinion. Political intrigue, secret government conspiracies, and military operations figure into the plot. At the same time, dangling plot threads from previous Marvel films are addressed, including some that are 17(!) years old. We also get the return of elderly super soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), the introduction of former Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), Giancarlo Esposito as a formidable mercenary, and the always-welcome Tim Blake Nelson finally getting to play a long-awaited supervillain.
As I said, Onah does maintain the general vibe of the previous two Captain America films, but the script is not nearly as tight here. In addition to himself, four other writers are credited (Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, and Peter Glanz), with Edwards, Spellman, and Musson also receiving story credits. The resulting vision feels unfocused and formulaic. There are enough good ideas bubbling here for a couple of movies, but the end result feels hastily welded together. The dialogue feels undercooked in spots, aspects of the premise come off as hokey, and character beats are few and far between.
I understand that it’s fair for the writers to assume that fans understand what makes some of these folks tick, but Sam barely gets an arc. Despite being a major supporting character, Bat-Seraph is nearly blank. Esposito’s role is mostly wasted, and I definitely could’ve used more of Nelson. However, although somewhat uneven, I think the general narrative works fine. It does move Sam’s story forward, even if it’s not done as organically as I hoped. The action sequences are fun, and it does deliver on those trademark Marvel moments (cameos, lore, and giving us a complete story that still feels like part of a larger tapestry).
I do wonder if some thematic elements got left on the cutting room floor. There has been some discussion surrounding the relatively brief runtime of 118 minutes. Captain America as a character is always going to be symbolic, and I think there was a bit of a missed opportunity here. Isaiah Bradley’s tragic backstory is touched on, but it’s not really tied to Sam’s experience as an African American in modern times. Marvel has certainly discussed race in the past, as Black Panther is, among many other things, a joyous celebration of Black history and culture. That’s not to say that Brave New World is completely colorblind, so to speak. At one point, Sam talks about the pressure of the Captain America mantle, and it’s pretty easy to read into that exchange. Maybe I’m being unfair, and maybe America’s current political climate is too charged for a blockbuster corporate superhero effects movie to be expected to offer up some juicy social commentary, but I think the film would’ve been better for it.
Speaking of effects, I thought the CGI was pretty solid. Red Hulk looked absolutely fine, and the many aerial sequences with Cap and Falcon were honestly pretty impressive. I’m guessing that Nelson’s look is going to be a little divisive, but I loved it. Considering it looked mostly practical, it made for a nice contrast to all the digital mayhem. I also really enjoyed Laura Karpman’s score. The track that complements the film’s opening sequence is fantastic, and the rest of her suite is a huge part of the film achieving the tone of a paranoid thriller.
Julius Onah’s Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t reinvent the wheel and maybe plays it a little too safe. You know what, though? I watched it with my kid, and we were both completely enthralled and came away smiling. It’s a nice popcorn-muncher. I do recommend that you watch The Falcon and the Winter Soldier beforehand, as it definitely leads right into the film. It opens this Friday. I recommend it, with caveats, for fans of sassy sidekicks, gruff Harrison Ford, and destroying national landmarks.
Michael Cavender