Released: 14th February 2025 (UK and US)
Length: 118 Minutes
Certificate: 12A
Director: Julius Onah
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson and Harrison Ford
From 2011 through to 2019, Captain America became one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also delivered the most consistent and worthwhile trilogy in the wider franchise. After a five-year break, the torch has been passed to a new bearer; try as it might, this latest entry is merely passable.
Picking up where Falcon And The Winter Soldier left off, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has taken up the mantle of Captain America fully and works for the newly elected Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). With the discovery of adamantium on the Celestial Island, a major political treaty is on the cards. But a forgotten threat (played again by Tim Blake Nelson) emerges from the shadows to sabotage the deal and trigger a major conflict. Sam, with his new partner Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), must unravel the conspiracy and stop the President from descending into a deadly rage. Captain America 4 has a lot to manage; it places Wilson as the leader of the new Avengers while picking up multiple threads that stretch all the way back to 2008. On top of that, Brave New World aims to live up to a much-lauded legacy. On the whole, the depth and overall engagement is low; the film offers the same action you’ve come to expect from the series, but it doesn’t follow through on the character work. The intrigue that made other missions so memorable also fails to materialise as the film swaps between dialogue and action without much mystery.
In a modern context, the characters of Captain America are forced to reconsider black and white morality. Brave New World accomplishes this to a lesser standard. Anthony Mackie does the best he can with the material, but Sam Wilson struggles to live up to Steve Rogers. The lofty expectations placed on the protagonist lack emotional weight and he doesn’t have much time to reflect or progress. Joaquin Torres is quite disappointing; one early scene tries to establish some friendly camaraderie between the heroes, but it falls flat. Other characters like the former Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas) and the villainous Seth Voelker (Giancarlo Esposito) are very standard-fare. They chime in occasionally without much impact. Harrison Ford is by far the best piece of the entire package. He effortlessly picks up where the late William Hurt left off and delivers a conflicted persona for President Ross. Unlike other cast members, there’s a genuine build-up that contributes massively to the climax.
As the MCU has progressed, advanced CGI effects have taken centre stage and Brave New World is no exception. The high-flying antics combined with the iconic shield throw creates a novel setup for the most part. On ground level, the basic fight choreography remains strong, leaning into the same realistic tone that made previous efforts work. The music is also good, maintaining the same feel of political machinations. Thirty-five films in, there is some unavoidable repetition in the action. An aerial dogfight between our leading men and fighter jets is too close to the original Iron Man and Brave New World also borrows elements from older phases like Civil War. While the sequences are shot and edited well, they do lack a sense of tension. Sam is supplied with some advanced technology from Wakanda that often shields him from harm; more balance was needed to get the audience invested.
In spite of all the build-up and marketing, the fourth Captain America won’t be revitalising the MCU. Harrison Ford’s solid performance is a big saving grace when so much of the production is unremarkable. Those who have followed the series for so long will be mildly entertained, but the cast and plotlines have a difficult time measuring up.
Rating: 3/5 Stars (Fair)
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