When the new Captain America Sam Wilson finds himself embroiled in an international incident he must team with his protégé Joaquin Torres (aka the new Falcon) to uncover the motives behind a nefarious global plan.
As a former soldier with no special powers, Wilson has had to learn to embrace his new role and the iconic shield. (A journey explored in Marvel’s 2021 TV series Falcon & The Winter Soldier). As Brave New World begins, we find Sam attending a special White House function at the request of the president, but when one of his group (old friend Isaiah Bradley) attempts to assassinate the commander-in-chief, Sam’s loyalties are severely tested.
Having featured in multiple Marvel projects as Wilson, Anthony Mackie returns to headline an MCU film for the first time, in a movie helmed by debut MCU director Julius Onah. Heavyweight support comes in the form of Harrison Ford, who replaces the sadly departed William Hurt as President Thaddeus Ross. The screen legend appears in the film way more than expected, perhaps pointing to the fact producers didn’t trust Mackie enough to carry the film by himself.
Reports of numerous re-writes and re-shoots have dogged the production, with Pro Wrestler turned actor Seth Rollins reportedly having his role completely cut from the final film. With this in mind, it’s perhaps a surprise that Brave New World isn’t the complete car crash some were expecting.
The excellent Carl Lumbly returns as Veteran super soldier Isaiah Bradley, a character he played in the aforementioned TV show.
His characters story arc alongside Lumbly’s earnest portrayal is undoubtedly the films biggest strength.
Unfortunately the villains don’t fare quite as well. Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito and Tim Blake Nelson, do their best with the material they’re given, but there’s not much on the page to work with. The decision to have Nelson reprise the role of Samuel Sterns, a part he played 17 years prior (in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk) is likely to completely baffle casual viewers.
In fact with many links to the original Hulk film, it’s surprising there’s no sign of the big green beast himself, maybe pointing to the fact the writers (five credited in total) were scrambling to find some sort of hook.
The action scenes are entertaining if a bit generic and Danny Ramirez is a bright and bubbly addition to the franchise as Wilson’s partner Torres, but on the whole the film needed a sharper script, as its humour misses more than it hits.
The biggest problem however, has been the marketing campaign. Revealing the films ace card and biggest surprise in the trailer and featuring it prominently on subsequent posters saps away all the tension, leaving viewers to watch a film that builds towards a Red Hulk reveal that everyone already knows is coming.
Passable Marvel fair, and enjoyable enough during it’s runtime, Brave New World is unremarkable but not completely without merit.
While it’s a definite improvement on the last few instalments, it’s still a long way from Marvels best.
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Paul Steward
🦋 @grittster X @grittster
1/03/25