Even I had to do a quick Google double check to remember what the last Marvel cinematic entry was (it was the magnificent Deadpool & Wolverine of course) because it just seems such a long time between drinks when it comes to MCU films. It’s clear that the Marvel films haven’t reached the height, both in box office, critical, and cultural acclaim of previous entries over the last few years (with the exception of Guardians 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine). So is Captain America: Brave New World a much needed return to form? Sadly, it isn’t. While there are some intriguing moments, Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t really give space for Sam Wilson to make the suit his own with a slim plot to boot. 

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After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

 

Captain America: Brave New World has the ingredients for a solid entry into the MCU. A likeable, charismatic hero in Sam Wilson, a Hollywood megastar in Harrison Ford, and a character in Captain America that is beloved the world over. But the stumbles that the film takes can be found simply in balance. 

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There are elements of the political thriller plot that are too overplayed on one hand and not given enough detail or weight on the other which impacts the audience’s connection with the narrative drive. Anthony Mackie is a thoroughly charismatic and funny guy - really likeable. But here his character is enveloped in a kind of seriousness that may have worked for Chris Evans Steve Rogers but just doesn’t work here. 

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Equally there are missteps with Ford’s Ross and ultimately Red Hulk. This should be a massive reveal, Red Hulk is an iconic character, but its delivery in the final act of the film is just a bit flat. But the most disappointing is Tim Blake Wilson’s villainous turn as Stern encased in some of the worst superhero makeup in recent memory. 

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This isn’t the worst MCU entry by far. There is still plenty to engage with here from Ramirez’s Falcon to the fight sequences and Esposito’s Voelker. It does however raise the question of where to next for Mackie’s Captain America and whether the next film really can be a brave new world for him to dwell in.  

 

While there are some intriguing moments, Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t really give space for Sam Wilson to make the suit his own with a slim plot to boot.