“Captain America: Brave New World,” the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU),served as a reminder of why recent Marvel films have made me less than hopeful for the future of the MCU. After “Deadpool and Wolverine” in July 2024, the success of which hinged on the self-callout from Marvel superheroes and critique of the superhero film genre, the MCU only continued to feel uncertain.
Releasing a new Captain America film, similar in genre and themes to the original Captain America trilogy, was a smart move. Calling back to the nostalgia of the original films that were released during a time that many Marvel fans consider to be the “prime” of the MCU was a great way to help win people over to the new wave of Avengers. Unfortunately, it left much to be desired and fell flat as just another money grab from the franchise.
The film was cast well, and the cast does a lot of the heavy lifting for this film, but even the performers can’t make up for the choppy editing and hastily thrown-together script. Instead of being able to deliver good performances, the cast had their hands tied, having to play hollow characters that engage in cringe-worthy, unnatural dialogue. This is yet another attempt to cash in on the franchise’s legacy rather than deliver something truly worthwhile.
The film stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, who assumed the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) stepped down. With a great pre-existing trilogy of Captain America films to build on and a return to the political thriller, the genre in which the films originated (instead of having Cap fighting aliens or someone from the multiverse), there was a lot of potential, especially since Mackie has the charisma and talent to carry the film.
Unfortunately, Mackie is not given this opportunity as Wilson’s character doesn’t seem to evolve in the film. Additionally, his characteristic comedy is stripped down. This leaves Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez)—a member of the U.S. Air Force and friend of Wilson—to step into the role of Falcon and assume Wilson’s previous humor and quips. The effect is quite jarring and off-putting, as Torres, despite being in his early 30s, has the enthusiasm and puppy-dog characterization of a teenage sidekick.
Along with the main characters, “Brave New World” sees the return of 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk” characters Thaddeus Ross, Betty Ross and Samuel Sterns combined with the espionage of 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” The film hits the ground running (or tries to) with Wilson and Torres on a mission to take down villain Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) and obtain mysterious cargo. Invited to the White House as honored guests for their success, they then witnesses an assassination attempt on the newly elected President Ross (Harrison Ford). Wilson’s friend, Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a U.S. veteran who was forcibly turned into a super soldier, then imprisoned and tested on for 30 years, is once again incarcerated for being involved in the assassination attempt. Wilson must then work to uncover this sabotage plot of the president and exonerate Bradley by proving his innocence.
There is potential significance in Black and Hispanic men taking on the mantles of beloved Avengers Captain America and the Falcon, but “Brave New World” has no time to discuss or dwell on that, as the emotional weight of the film instead hinges on the belief that corrupt President Ross, despite his past villainous actions, is redeemable. Wilson insists that in the name of unity, Captain America must stand by the nation’s president. The only person in this film to disagree is Bradley, who implores Wilson not to work with Ross’s administration, highlighting that Captain America does his best work when operating outside of the government. Wilson goes on to continually protect the president by discovering the corruption but allowing Ross to keep his skeletons in his closet until he personally owns up to his actions related to Samuel Sterns, a villain whose intelligence was increased from gamma radiation who Ross had been personally using for federal weapons and advancement. And the said president only owns up to his misuse of power in the closing scenes of the film and after he was already outed publicly, so Wilson’s trust and lack of pushback through the film is unwarranted.
Steeped in political messaging and patriotic propaganda, this film reminds us that Marvel has a long history of engaging with political themes. Despite this, it often leaves its critiques somewhat open-ended, allowing for various interpretations and keeping the focus on action rather than deeper societal change.
“Captain America: Brave New World” ultimately feels like a missed opportunity. Despite an applicable political context, a talented cast and the potential for a nuanced exploration of identity and government corruption, the film falters due to a disjointed script and lackluster character development.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.