If there is still doubt as to Anthony Mackie’s ability to carry a Marvel Studios feature as the new Captain America/Sam Wilson, “Captain America: Brave New World” will help clear away any concerns. Where 2021’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” had challenges in finding the right tonal balance between the darker undertones and lighter moments, “Brave New World” seems has found solid footing.
Set after the events of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” this film explores the repercussions of Steve Rogers stepping away from the spotlight and Sam Wilson stepping in. Accompanied by the aspiring new Falcon, Joaquin Torres (reprised by Danny Ramirez) they find themselves in an uneasy peace with Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (played now by Harrison Ford, who continues in the role established by the late William Hurt).
The film opens with Ross having just been elected as the next President, and he invites Wilson and Torres to a White House reception, where a treaty signing summit winds up running far off the rails. Among the key adversaries in this film, Giancarlo Esposito kills it (in a number of ways) as Seth Voelker / Sidewinder. Esposito is always fabulous as a bad guy, and this time is no exception. Fortunately the costume department opted not to go with the comic version of a costume for him, and keep him instead in more of a Punisher-style black ops style costume (without any skull of course).
One thing that the MCU (and also Sony with their Spider-Man installments) have done remarkably well is that they have found creative ways to bring back story elements from past films. In this case the vastly underappreciated “Incredible Hulk” (which came out way back in 2008, only a few months after Iron Man, and which is often overlooked, does indeed exist as part of the wider MCU canon).
Directed by Julius Onah (“The Cloverfirld Paradox”) from a story and script by Rob Edwards and Malcolm Spellman, the film strikes a healthy balance between charter development, story pacing, and the action set-pieces. For longtime Ford fans, seeing him play in the role of the President once again, will hear in their heads more than a few of the classic lines from 1997’s “Air Force One.” But he does a good job of playing someone who is struggling between the desire to change his legacy and himself, and someone with an inner rage that is hard to contain.
With only one more film left in the MCU’s Phase Five, “Captain America: Brave New World” is an enjoyable installment to the franchise, and worth a trip to the theater.
The film has one post-credits scene. It’s not really a must see, so if you get to the end of the nearly 2 hour film, go ahead and hit the restroom, you’re not missing anything of real note. If you’re hoping to get the logical look forward, sadly, you’re not going to get it.
Rating 7 stars out of 10.
