“Captain America: Brave New World” is not the finest film in the Captain America franchise, but the action sequences almost make you forget the weak storyline.
In ”Avengers: Endgame,” Steve Rogers, previously known as the beloved hero, gave his shield to Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie, believing that he was the right man to continue his legacy. Alongside Mackie, “Captain America: Brave New World” also stars Danny Ramirez, Harrison Ford and Giancarlo Esposito. It is the franchise’s first film to feature Wilson (previously The Falcon) as Captain America.
The screenplay is not the strongest part of the film. The previous Captain America films were only written by two people while this film had five writers, including the director, Julius Onah. It makes you wonder why five writers were needed. The screenplay seems very disorganized as if the writers could not agree on which direction to take. At times, it also feels like the film focuses more on other characters and not the hero. Mackie does fulfill his role as Captain America and credit should be given for working with what he was given.
The film opens with Thaddeus Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford, announced as the President of the United States. Ross’ alter ego, Red Hulk, also makes an appearance for the first time in the MCU in the third act of the film. This alter ego is unleashed after Ross can no longer contain his anger which leads to a fun, action-packed battle against Wilson. Although the moment is exciting, the use of green screens is noticeable. You would think the studio would have this skill down after multiple Marvel films.
The film’s score was composed by Laura Karpman , who has composed for other Marvel projects, including “The Marvels,” “What If…?” and “Ms. Marvel.” The film has a reasonable amount of action and the music helps elevate these scenes. The score pays tribute to that iconic Marvel sound that makes the viewing experience immersive.
If you’re planning on watching the film, you will need to have some previous knowledge. You will feel lost if you have not watched “The Incredible Hulk,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” or previous Captain America films.
“Captain America: Brave New World” is a good introduction of Sam Wilson as Captain America. As someone who has watched all the films in the Captain America and Avengers franchise, I enjoyed Mackie’s portrayal. His character takes his responsibility as Captain America seriously and proves that Rogers did not make a mistake in choosing him. He carries the legacy and represents everything that Captain America does in his own way.
Like all Marvel films, this film included a post credit scene and follows the scene with “CAPTAIN AMERICA WILL RETURN” in white, bold letters against a black screen. It is not yet known when or how he will return but it is something that Captain America fans can look forward to.
