Captain America: Brave New World
The MCU lurches forward with this turgid nonsense
Anthony Mackie looks to the horizon for a point to this movie.
After battling with himself over whether or not he deserved the moniker of Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has decided to embrace the shield and the title. He’s working with the government now, stopping arms deals and keeping America safe.
Or so he thinks.
When his latest mission seems a bit too easy, Sam begins to question things. It doesn’t help that the current president is Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford), the man responsible for imprisoning Sam during the Sokovia Accords. Still, Sam wants to move forward and bring unity to the country.
He even brings the “forgotten Captain America” to the president’s special treaty announcement. The forgotten Cap is Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a black soldier given the same super serum as Steve Rogers, but treated as a criminal and imprisoned for decades when he disobeyed orders to save his platoon from disaster. Bradley is understandably skeptical of the military and the federal government, but he trusts Sam and agrees to make an appearance.
But in the midst of Ross’ speech, Bradley stands up and tries to kill the president. Now, Ross is growing paranoid, Sam is persona non grata in the government, and Bradley is in jail.
Can Sam uncover the truth and save Bradley? How has the MCU sunk so low?
Nearly a year after the original release date, it’s now pretty clear why Disney chose to push back this stupid, insipid film. The series that lead into the movie, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, addressed systemic racism, mistrust in the government, and debated the merits of terrorism to effect change. This movie has no interest in debate or nuance. In fact, it feels like watching someone setting a chessboard for two hours without anyone actually playing the game.
This movie is filler, and not good filler at that.
Director Julius Onah offers no sense of style or substance to this slog. The action is ugly CGI nonsense. The Steadicam is nauseating and unnecessary. The acting is limp. The whole movie feels like a corporate product to keep toy sales up until Marvel can launch their Fantastic Four merchandise. There is nothing brave nor new in this world, it’s all regurgitated comicbook gobbledygook. This movie could have been an email, it would have looked better.
Poor Anthony Mackie deserves to be in a good movie. He’s given utter trash to say and really no arc as a character. He starts as Captain America and remains Captain America. His morals and beliefs aren’t challenged. He grows not one wit.
Saving Mackie from having the direst performance in the film is Ford, who I’m starting to suspect retired from acting about 10 years ago and just never informed the people who keep hiring him. His Ross lacks menace, even when he turns into the Red Hulk (that’s not a spoiler, it’s been heavily advertised). The whole performance is very “Old Man Yells at Cloud,” and when they try to cram some pathos into the story to make you feel sorry for him, it’s way too late.
If you’re an MCU completist you might have to sit through this film. I can think of no other reason to do so.
Verdict: This flop isn’t worthy of Mackie or Cap.
Captain America: Brave New World is rated PG-13 and is available in theaters February 14.
