Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
New Orleans' own Anthony Mackie is
Captain America in Marvel Studios' offspring Captain America: Brave New
World. This is the fourth Captain America film, as well as a
continuation of the television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
where Mackie's Sam Wilson becomes the new Captain America. It's common
knowledge that Brave New World had a bumpy production with extensive
reshoots and release delays, and while the end result has its problems, it's a
fairly entertaining film.
Brave New World takes a page
from Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) with its conspiracy
thriller vibe as Wilson tries to clear the name of his friend—and the first
super soldier—Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) after Bradley attempts to
assassinate President of the United States Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford).
Meanwhile, Ross wants Wilson to reform the Avengers. Divulging any more of the
plot would get into spoiler territory, but just know that BNW ties
itself to past Marvel movies including The Incredible Hulk (2008), X-Men
(2000), and even Eternals (2021).
Mackie is a likable movie star and he's
very good here, as is Ford, whose character becomes the Red Hulk. They give it
their all, but it's the screwy, overstuffed screenplay—credited to five writers—that
is the weak link.
Giancarlo Esposito as assassin
Sidewinder was added in the reshoots, so he's there for an additional action
scene and for some exposition. However, the insertion of his scenes isn't as
clunky as you might think.
There is a cameo that's here just so
audiences will say, "Oh look, it's him." Story-wise, the cameo doesn't make
sense, because this character could actually help Wilson out in his mission.
Also, Wilson hasn't been injected with the super serum, so he isn't super human
and can be injured. Now there are several moments in the film where his
injuries are shown or mentioned, usually for comedic purposes, but they could
have really elevated the tension in the action scenes if the focus was on the
fact that he could really get hurt.
Speaking of action, there is a terrific action sequence late in the movie where Captain America and his sidekick, the new Falcon (Danny Ramirez), battle it out in the sky with fighter jets. Flaws and all, Captain America: Brave New World can't be considered boring.
