(Photo courtesy of IMDB. “‘Captain America: Brave New World’ sets a modest pace for the MCU in 2025.”)
Jenkins Zziwa
Connector Contributor
What does the latest installment in the once infallible entertainment juggernaut that is the MCU have in store? Enough to leave you satisfied, but certainly not enough to have you giving a standing ovation at the credits roll. After a year on the backburner at the movies with only one film (“Deadpool & Wolverine”) released in 2024, Marvel looks to get back on track with three movies on the slate for 2025. With a runtime of 1 hour 58 minutes, the first to hit theaters for Marvel Studios this year; “Captain America: Brave New World” ranks as one of the shortest in the MCU thus far. The fourth installment in the Captain America film franchise sees Sam Wilson pick up the shield as Captain America in his first official outing on the big screen in the role, at odds with a newly elected president Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross and a nefarious plot to incite an international conflict of epic proportions that would leave the fate of the globe in disarray. Going into the movie itself, it garnered low expectations with talk behind the scenes regarding the film inferring to extensive reshoots and cut plotlines. It was rather evident in the film with the lack of development for curtain plot points, but not to a detrimental extent.
The film also suffers from an underwhelming villain and a lot of exposition which drags many scenes down, especially those in the first act. That being said, the movie also does a good number of things right, one of those being the standout performances from its leading cast. Anthony Mackie as Captain America stands out as to not reiterate his journey in accepting the shield but solidifies his own person behind the stars and stripes and brings him out of the daunting shadow of Steve Rogers. Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross, making his MCU debut, gives a sturdy performance as a recast in the role of the late William Hurt who’d passed away in 2022, having played the character since all the way back in 2008.
All in all, the film is sure to enthrall viewers with its dynamic aerial scenes as both Sam and his number two Joaquin Torres who takes on the mantle of Falcon take to the skies as well as select action sequences. The movie wields a pleasant surprise for fans of the franchise, a lighthearted undertone that’s a staple MCU films have come to be known for, plus a charming supporting cast in Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, aka Falcon, and Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley. It is certainly not one of the MCU’s best films, but it is to be said it’s a fun time at the theaters as it certainly garnered act-out reactions from audiences. Not the roaring start to the year moviegoers would’ve hoped for, but it’s certainly not a bad one. It also follows in the traditions of many MCU films and includes one post-credits scene, so invested viewers should keep a lookout for that.
Grade: B-
