by James Coulter
If you were to ask ChatGPT to write a script for a new Captain America movie, and you asked it to have the film star Anthony Mackie as the new Captain America, as well as to incorporate Isaiah Bradley, the Celestial, the Red Hulk, and Sabra (without ever mentioning she’s Sabra because…reasons!), you would most likely have a script resembling that of Captain America: Brave New World.
The new movie is that big of a mess–and considering the film received endless reshoots, a shuffling around of release dates, and a scathing article in Vulture detailing its chaotic production (where one of the crew members literally stated, “I think everyone on the crew knew this is probably not going to be a good film”), expecting anything less would have been wishful thinking.
Captain America: Brave New World follows Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) assuming his role as the new Captain America. As a government agent, he now works under the new president Thaddeus Ross, who has proven controversial considering his history.
However, following an assassination attempt by Isaiah Bradley (a former soldier who had been experimented on to create the original super serum for Captain America), Sam is forced to investigate and uncover the real culprit. Will he find out who’s really responsible? And will the Red Hulk factor into it? (Considering he was featured in the trailers, that answer’s obvious.)
I’m not even going to bother with a rhetorical question asking whether or not this movie will be hypothetically good. Because it isn’t! This may not be the worst Marvel movie ever (because Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk win that dishonor with a tie), but it is hands down the worst Captain America movie.
I’m not kidding when I say this movie feels like it was written by AI. It looks like a Marvel movie. It even feels like a Marvel movie. But something about the story feels hollow, almost as ifit was written by a computer borrowing heavily from previous Marvel movies and shows. And watching it certainly leaves you feeling hollow.
And is it a spoiler to mention that the entire “mystery” involves the Red Hulk? Especially since Marvel already spoiled that “twist” in their trailers? Because the whole time, I was sitting in my seat waiting for the moment the Red Hulk finally appeared(because I knew he was going to be in the movie), and then when he did appear, the result felt underwhelming, leaving one to ask, “Wait, that’s it?”
Anthony Mackie does an excellent job reprising his role as Sam, who is now assuming his role acting as the new Captain America. And Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross…well, Harrison Ford is great in everything he appears in. Because he’s Harrison Ford.
However, the rest of the cast feels undercooked. This movie introduces Shira Haas as Sabra, an Israeli superhero who’s never mentioned in the film to be an Israeli superhero because…current events! The result is that her character doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression.
Oh, and there’s also Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, who assumes the role of the new Falcon. He exists. Seriously, I had forgotten he was even a character in this movie, he was that forgettable. In fact, he’s so irrelevant to the overall plot that he’s written out halfway through following a serious injury in the film.
But perhaps the worst aspect of the film is how “apolitical” it feels, especially considering it’s a Captain America movie. Captain America, as a hero, embodies the heroic ideals of the American spirit. As such, his movies usually have something to say about America.
In contrast, this movie has nothing to say at all. The movie almost has something to say with the president being a literal monster, but considering that whole plot point feels almost incidental, rendering the metaphor toothless.
I recently stumbled across a thread by someone on BlueSky who put it best:
“[The movie] is such a rejection of who Cap should be as an inspirational character, someone who always took a stand, always tried to do what was right, no matter the thumps or how unpopular it may have been…
A Cap story HAS to stand for something, HAS to have meaning, or it, it’s intrinsic to the character as a greater symbol. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming the meaning, in this case, a weak, mealy-mouthed sequel.”
With that said, as underwhelming as this whole movie felt, I’m not too enthused about The Thunderbolts, and I’m crossing my fingers that Fantastic Four proves to be the better film.
