Captain America: Brave New World Review

Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford shine in the scene-setting Captain America: Brave New World, but they can’t lift the film out of the now-average MCU mire.

Mackie has already proven his capability of taking the mantle—or shield—from Rogers, but it’s always a splendid sight to see this charismatic lead don the winged suit. As the name suggests, Captain America: Brave New World is about new beginnings. In an attempt to put past clashes behind him, Wilson agrees to attend the party of newly-elected President of the USA, Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford, Blade Runner). Accompanying him on this celebratory night is Joaquin Torres / Falcon (Danny Ramirez, Top Gun: Maverick) and Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly, M.A.N.T.I.S.). Things go dramatically wrong when Isaiah and four others try to assassinate Ross, all of them seemingly under some sort of mind control.

In these earliest stages, Captain America: Brave New World is decently plotted, with an espionage style that is bolstered by Laura Karpman’s (American Fiction) original score. Her music is frequently formulaic, but it also has moments of noirish brass twangs that are a real treat. On the whole, Captain America: Brave New World often has hints of excitement such as this, but too frequently it is let down by the safety and predictability that seems to cover every Marvel film in recent memory. That’s before you come onto the political overtones, or rather the lack of. What does make it in is so neutral and afraid to take a side that it is almost laughable, if it wasn’t so frustrating.

Nevertheless, the basic plot remains compelling enough, but it’s in stark contrast to the same old action that we’ve seen countless times before. It’s aggressively average, full of jerky camera movements, unwarranted zooms, and unnecessary slow motion. There are shield throws galore—they lose their appeal quite quickly—but at least some of the flight sequences are fun. Ugly CGI also seems like it’s now a must-have in every Marvel film, and Captain America: Brave New World is no different. It’s surprising that the best parts of Julius Onah’s (The Cloverfield Paradox) installment come in the quieter moments or in its story, as opposed to the bombastic action.

As good as the plotting of Captain America: Brave New World is, it never climaxes in a wholly satisfying way. There are the usual emotional beats and swipes at humour, but nothing ever quite lands with aplomb or meaning. This is despite good performances across the board: Mackie is impressively layered and nuanced; Ramirez, who shares great chemistry with Mackie, is delightful fun; Lumbly is a nostalgic treat; Ford is expectedly terrific as a tormented soul. But again, the strengths of Captain America: Brave New World are undone by an unavoidable flimsiness. For example, just when Tim Blake Nelson’s (Watchmen) starts to shine as villain Samuel Sterns, the film is over, saving the story for another day.

The fact that Captain America: Brave New World is the 35th film in the MCU implies that set-up and exposition is inevitable, but it can be grating to watch so much content that is both neverending and always saving something for the future. There have been—and will be—many extreme highs and woeful lows in this seemingly eternal Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain America: Brave New World is nowhere near either level, instead sitting blandly in the middle. It isn’t without spurts of entertainment, and the set-up for the future is intriguing, but overall, it has scant more to offer than some occasionally fun moments.

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World opens in UK & Irish cinemas, in US theaters, and globally in theatres from February 14, 2025.