The biggest pleasures of Captain America: Brave New World lie in its witty and emotional touches, some of which serve as clever callbacks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The scale here is considerably low in comparison to the grand spectacle that MCU films often dish out. However, the film frequently mines humour from its material to offer consistently engaging, albeit mild, entertainment. The film also stays self-aware long enough to ensure that it does not fall prey to franchise fatigue.
The central plot of Captain America: Brave New World does not move the needle and is serviceable at best. It involves a former scientist-turned-prisoner at a military facility coming back to settle an old score. Meanwhile, President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) urges Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) to bring back the Avengers as he tries to divide a powerful metal called Adamantium and forge a global treaty.
However, Japan refuses to cooperate with Ross, with its prime minister (Takehiro Hira) being adamant that his American counterpart played a part in having the metal stolen from his country. This leads to a situation of potential warfare between the nations, necessitating Wilson’s involvement to save Uncle Sam.
While the logline might hint at a high-stakes affair with plenty of spectacular action and political intricacy, the same does not translate onto the screen. The big climatic fight in Brave New World is deft and enjoyable enough, but it only amounts to a bit more than a mere military exercise for Wilson/Captain America.
There is very little to differentiate between it and some of the earlier set pieces. Do not expect pyrotechnics. Further, the main antagonist (Tim Blake Nelson) is such a generic character without any traits in his personality to make him memorable. His main weapon involves mind control, which feels more like an excuse to keep him away from the central action—a move that does not work for the film.
What works best in it is the portrayal of Wilson’s relationship dynamic with Ross. Writer-director Julius Onah and his co-writers respect the legacy of Evans’ Steve Rogers/Captain America in multiple ways while expanding on it with a new actor in the role.
At one point, an angry Ross reminds Wilson that he is not Rogers. It does not elicit an immediate retort from Wilson but rather a silent acknowledgement that speaks volumes of his existence in the universe. A later scene explains why he got the mantle of Captain America and the shield from Evans’ Rogers in The Avengers: Endgame.
The makers integrate this element of humanity being the core trait of Captain America exquisitely into Brave New World’s story. Remember when Rogers jumped on a dummy grenade in Captain America: The First Avenger? This is a character whose heroism often stems from an act of sacrifice.
Mackie plays Wilson with equal parts grace and gravitas. He is wonderfully understated wherever he needs to be and performs the stunts with much panache. Ford, meanwhile, makes a knockout MCU debut as an American president grappling with his past.
The actor marries authority, menace, and vulnerability effortlessly to pull off a complex role with ease. The others also excel in supporting roles, notably Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon and Carl Lumbly as former Super Soldier/Captain America Isaiah Bradley. Wilson’s exchanges with both are delightful and add meaningful layers to the characters. Also watch out for a cameo from a fan-favourite MCU character.
On the whole, Captain America: Brave New World is a reasonably entertaining entry to the Marvel canon, although it bears repeating that the film does not raise the stakes for the franchise itself. Longtime MCU fans should stick around for the end-credits scene.