The MCU enters a brave new world, but it’s told through a movie that’s more or less what’s expected from the franchise.
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Spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World ahead.
At the end of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson’s transition to being the new Captain America is complete, and quite fittingly as the season finale aired, Marvel announced that his solo movie, then titled Captain America: New World Order which was then changed to Brave New World, would be coming. Four years later, we finally have Sam’s first movie as Cap that sees the hero not only battle internal doubts about whether he really is worthy of holding the shield, but also face an enemy that sets in motion a political conspiracy that involves the newly elected US president Thaddeus Ross (now played by Harrison Ford after original actor William Hurt passed away in 2022).
In many ways, Brave New World feels like a new chapter for the MCU, not only because it’s Sam Wilson’s Captain America’s first big screen outing, but also because it is the MCU’s first of three movies this 2025 after a pause in 2024 (they only released one movie, Deadpool & Wolverine). The result makes for a film reminiscent of Phase 1 era MCU movies in that it’s a fine film with solid action that doesn’t look too much over its head. But at times it can also feel quite safe to its detriment. Here’s what we liked (and didn’t) about Captain America’s latest MCU adventure.
THE MOVIE FINALLY ADDRESSES *THAT* PLOT POINT FROM THE ETERNALS
Remember Eternals, the MCU film from 2021 that many people hated then but whose reputation has rebounded over the years? One of the movie’s biggest moments was the emergence of a Celestial in the middle of the Indian Ocean. In the MCU projects since then, not a single one addressed that development, which is weird considering how massive of a moment that was.
In Brave New World, we finally get an answer as it is revealed that the frozen Celestial is now referred to as Celestial Island, and because of it, they were able to discover Adamantium. If you know your Marvel lore, you know how important that is to certain Marvel characters, notably Wolverine. It took them long enough to address it, but at least the explanation is suitable. The revelation of Celestial Island not only answered one of the bigger criticisms of Phases 4 and 5 of the MCU but also opened yet another door to bring the X-Men into the universe down the line.
RED HULK’S INTRODUCTION IS SATISFYING
We’ve known Red Hulk was going to be in this movie, and we can report that his introduction to the MCU gets the job done. While the film does save him in the end, once Red Hulk lets loose, he’s appropriately destructive and gives Captain America a real challenge even with his tech (that was gifted to him by the Wakandans). Red Hulk is a real beast and he gets his time to shine as a serious threat. He’s no villain per se in this movie, that title still goes to The Leader, but he isn’t nerfed either.
ANTHONY MACKIE SHINES IN THE LEAD ROLE
If there was any doubt that Anthony Mackie would flop as Captain America, Brave New World proves that he has what it takes to carry the mantle. Sam goes through it in this movie with times when he doubts himself and whether or not he should be Captain America. It’s an internal and external struggle that the actor showcases well. Sam Wilson is not Steve Rogers, and that is used both as a point of conflict and motivation for Sam to be his own Captain America.
The movie also smartly differentiates Sam’s fighting style from Steve’s since he doesn’t have the Super Soldier Serum. Sam is slower but still competent and frequently uses his gadgets during battles. Also, his interactions with Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) are delightful while his scenes with Isaiah Bradley (played exceptionally by Carl Lumbly) add weight and gravity to being a black Captain America. Sam is different, and the film makes a point that it isn’t a bad thing.
THE MOVIE MOSTLY GETS IT RIGHT WITH ITS POIGNANT THEMES
Captain America has never been one to blindly follow what his government tells him to do. And in Brave New World, it’s a pillar that gets tested through a new hero whose context and story make the job even more complicated. The shaky truce between Sam Wilson and Thaddeus Ross sets the stage for a story on blind allegiance and how far one is willing to go to follow orders.
You could tell the movie is trying to say something that could find many comparisons to today’s political climate such as themes on questioning authority. It is admirable that Brave New World tries to ask questions about what it means to be Captain America in this day and age now that Sam is carrying a mantle with a loaded history.
IT PLAYS IT SAFE, MAYBE TOO SAFE
For a movie called Brave New World, you would expect world-shifting events to happen. And while there are a couple of major revelations here that could and should have a lasting impact on the MCU, for the most part, the movie doesn’t really shake things up in terms of narrative events and story structure. Once the big moves are revealed and the political thriller angle is dropped, the film shifts to more typical MCU fare.
The big bad here is not a multiversal threat but one rooted in human cynicism and greed. It’s a win for people who want the MCU to move away from too much universe-expanding world-building, but it seems that while they avoided aiming too high for the stars, the MCU grounded themselves too low to the earth. It’s decent and okay, yes, but if you’ve seen most of the MCU movies, Brave New World won’t surprise you much. Also, no spoilers here, but we IJBOLed at the end credits scene with how last-minute it looked and felt.
THE ESPIONAGE ASPECT IS GOOD BUT ISN’T USED TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL
Brave New World’s marketing depicted this film as a political thriller where trust is questioned and lines are crossed. And for at least the movie’s first half, it pushes through with that claim as it builds on the tension of misplaced trust and the MCU’s take on geopolitical conflicts. Optics also plays a surprisingly meaty part in the movie in how the characters consider that their motivations may not necessarily look the best to a wider audience.
But there also lies the problem with how that side of the movie loses agency in its second half once the MCU-ness kicks in. It was really getting somewhere in the conspiracy of it all that had Sam questioning his allegiances but doesn’t commit to the bit with the lack of firmer answers by the conclusion. The movie is giving more Winter Solider-lite than Winter Solider’s successor as an apolitical thriller that could use more bite.
So, is Captain America: Brave New World a flop as some on the internet claim it to be? No, far from it actually. It’s a fine movie that features a great big-screen debut from Sam Wilson as Captain America, solid action (albeit with a couple of questionable uses of CGI), and strong performances from Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, and Carl Lumbly.
Where it’s lacking though is how it treads too closely to the MCU formula that isn’t inherently bad but does keep the movie from soaring as high as it could. Still, it’s not a bad option for a weekend watch at the cinemas, especially if you’re a fan of Sam Wilson, who proves yet again that he’s one of the best second-generation Avengers characters. It’s a mixed bag, but a fun one at that.
Captain America: Brave New World is now showing in cinemas nationwide.
Photos courtesy of Disney
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