CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD: It’s Actually An OK Time

Marvel Studios. It feels like an eternity ago, but they truly ran the 2010s. Not just the box office, but the MCU’s brand of quip-based comedy, commitment to shared multiversal IP, and large-scale CGI spectacles created a blueprint that all of Hollywood followed. For a while, starring in the MCU was an easy ticket to fame and glory.

But, like all trendsetters, the MCU was swallowed by their own popularity. A deluge of content, now also on TV, began to wear out audiences. The quips began to get tiresome, the CGI battles began to look dated, and the shared movies everyone loved had gotten spread out through so many movies that few could keep up.

After a dark period, Captain America: Brave New World looked poised to be the course-correction Marvel needed. But years of reshoots following an unfortunate comparison to real-world politics threatened to doom the project before it even released.

When the movie finally released this week, I was frankly expecting a dumpster fire. And yet, somehow, Captain America: Brave New World managed to cobble together a mildly entertaining time at the movies. Imagine that. Let’s review:

A World Of Superheroes Divided

Following his controversial time as an enemy of the Hulk, the reformed Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) is made US President, trying to convince Sam “Captain America” Wilson (Anthony Mackie) to work for him. However, their relationship degrades when former super-soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) is brainwashed to assassinate Ross.

To clear Bradley’s name, Wilson joins Joaquin “Falcon” Torres (Danny Ramirez) and former Widow Ruth (Shira Haas) in uncovering an investigation by Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), a super-genius planning to use brainwashed soldiers to instigate a war between the US and other nations over recently-discovered Adamantium as revenge for Ross’ mistreatment of him.

The heroes avert Sterns’ plan in a tense naval battle, but Sterns has one more trick up his sleeve: ruining Ross’ legacy by exposing him to radiation and turning him into the Red Hulk. Now, it’s up to Captain America to save the nation and those he loves, all while struggling under the weight of the mantle Steve Rogers left behind.

A Brave New Disjointed Tone

Marvel’s attempt at making a political-thriller is admirable, especially in 2025. And…. To be fair, it does adequately enough for a two-hour superhero movie. Don’t get me wrong, the portrayal of government alliances and naval warfare is cartoonishly one-dimensional, and the dialogue lets down the gravitas of many serious moments. However, the film believably sets up the threat of war and nails home the paranoia often felt in high-level government. Much of the film’s espionage-based plot doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, but it still feels a cut above Marvel’s “turn your brain off and have fun” credo of recent years.

The film’s main tonal issues arise in the third act, which becomes a belabored boss battle that strips away any sense of nuance the film had up to this point. The CGI goes from uneven to distractingly shoddy, abandoning the film’s realism for cartoonishly over-the-top fights. It feels like watching a friend relapse, coming so close to achieving something new before falling back into old habits.

The film’s pacing and character motivations feel incredibly rushed, speedrunning through lore-based exposition in the film’s opening half hour. Although more comfortable in its place in Marvel’s increasingly large universe, the film still grinds to a halt whenever it needs to recap events from The Incredible Hulk or Eternals. Marvel films usually suffer from not just sustaining their own story, but pushing the entire universe forward. Captain America: Brave New World’s obligation comes in the form of an X-Men tease that feels like a painfully obvious tie-in.

These Actors Are Pretty Good At Their Job

But through it all, the only thing saving the film are the actor’s performances. While let down by one-dimensional writing, Mackie steals the show as a Captain America allowed to be more relaxed and confident. Mackie’s prior appearances often leaned into the character’s no-nonsense attitude or snarkiness, and trading that for a more honest performance allows Mackie’s natural charisma to shine.

Co-stars Ramirez and Lumbly provide a beautiful counterpoints for Mackie to bounce off of. Lumbly blends the stern veteran with a vulnerability that leads to the film’s most genuinely heartbreaking sequence where Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley breaks down over returning to prison. Ramirez gets less to work with, but transcends the “quippy friend” archetype with a more grounded scampy energy that doesn’t rely on Marvel’s traditional reaction-based humor.

But through it all, the film’s surprising standout is Ford. Taking over from the departed William Hurt, Ford elevates Thaddeus Ross into a broken-down villain trying to resist his impulses, selling the writing’s bland attempts at salvation with nuance and gusto. After a decade of underplaying stoic old men, seeing Ford turn up the intensity is a delight, and he excels as the corrupted Red Hulk without ever leaning too far into caricature.

Conclusion:

Captain America: Brave New World is not the movie that will bring Marvel skeptics back to the franchise. Underneath the bells and whistles, it’s still the same formula with a lot of the same major players. It still ends with a CGI-based boss battle, commits to a one-dimensional hopeful ending, and gets forced trying to balance its own identity with the wider Marvel world.

But, through it all, the film goes to some unique places. One of the first Marvel films in an eternity to abandon the usual Marvel intro, the film has a few directorial touches that at least hint at the studio allowing their creators to mold the now-tired template in their own image beyond just the punchlines.

Combined with just enough realism and restraint to make the film’s plot palatable, Captain America: Brave New World still managed to provide some decent enough entertainment without insulting my intelligence. And, with the state of blockbuster cinema today, I think that’s enough to call it a win. Go check it out on a Thursday night, you’ll have a decent time.