Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America: Brave New World was overall an enjoyable watch, even if it had a few noticeable flaws. Anthony Mackie truly shines in this film as Sam Wilson, more so than in his previous appearances. He brings charisma, sincerity, and depth to the role of Captain America in a way that finally feels fully realized. The supporting cast was equally strong, though Harrison Ford’s portrayal of President Thaddeus Ross, while solid, came across as a bit stiff and frankly, as if he was a little too old for the role. He did bring gravitas, but it sometimes felt like he lacked the physical presence the character demanded. However, the film stumbled in a few areas that impacted my overall enjoyment. My main gripe was with the final battle sequence. Sam Wilson, a fully human character without the super-soldier serum, directly confronting and battling a Hulk-level threat stretched believability too far. It felt unrealistic even by Marvel standards, detracting from the otherwise solid storytelling. The subplot involving Sam debating whether or not to take the super-soldier serum was also underwhelming and repetitive. We've seen similar storylines explored before in the MCU, and this didn't add much new depth or meaningful insight into Sam’s character. It seemed to slow down the momentum rather than enhance the narrative. Another puzzling choice was the extensive callbacks to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Given the significant differences in tone, actors, and general feel, the tie-ins felt forced and disconnected. The reliance on such an old and somewhat obscure MCU entry was distracting and didn’t resonate emotionally. Despite these flaws, there was plenty to like. The film's pacing was mostly good, the action sequences well-choreographed, and visually, it delivered exactly what you'd expect from Marvel. Red Hulk was very cool when he finally appeared, and his presence boosted the film's overall entertainment value. In short, Captain America: Brave New World is worth watching for Marvel fans, particularly for its strong characters and compelling action. However, Marvel needs to either commit to realistic storytelling for human-level heroes or provide them with suitable enhancements or foes. A solid film, but not without its clear areas for improvement.

<em>'Captain America: Brave New World'</em> came close to pleasing me, but in the end I think it is not consistently enjoyable enough to be classed as something I'd want to watch again and/or recommend. There is quite a bit about it that I did like, but the down moments hurt the ups. The cast and their characters are positives. I'm a big fan of Anthony Mackie's as he has done many roles in films that I've highly, highly enjoyed; interestingly, he has appeared in three of the fourteen films I've given a total 10/10 to. Here, he is very good in the titular part. I'm not someone overly attached to Marvel and therefore Chris Evans' Captain America, so this new era doesn't hinder my interest in the lead character. I'm admittedly not wholly convinced Mackie is undoubtedly a perfect fit for the role, though his performance itself is perfectly watchable and fun enough. Carl Lumbly's performance as Isaiah is great in this, he genuinely made me care quite a bit about Bradley; especially in the more emotive scenes. Danny Ramirez, Harrison Ford, Giancarlo Esposito (a little typecast still, sadly) and Tim Blake Nelson (albeit the weakest) are also pluses that I have for this movie. My main issues lie with the plot and how it is told. There were too many moments where I could feel myself losing interest in events onscreen, most notably across the first half. The second half is better paced, if still not making for superb viewing. I was firmly awaiting the credits, which is never a good sign. When I was locked on to the story, I did dig it. I particularly found the interactions/dynamics between characters to be solid, for example Cap with Carl, Joaquin and Seth. I just think what lets this down, unfortunately to a somewhat damaging degree, is that the plot just isn't quite good enough. A shorter run time (even though it isn't that long) may have helped, but I'm not sure. I just realised that this is the first MCU film that I've scored below 7/10. That feels harsh, it isn't as bad as that sounds at all, but thinking about this and the other flicks from the franchise that I've rated similarly it is actually merited. <em>'The Incredible Hulk'</em> and <em>'Ant-Man and the Wasp'</em> were my bottom two, both are better films.

“Brave New World” but same old yarn, sadly. Morgan Freeman clearly didn’t fancy this one so Marvel have resurrected another ex-president in Harrison Ford to put together a treaty that will deliver the old save the globe type of thing. It’s all about this giant hand-shaped structure that has emerged from the ocean and that contains “adamantium” - and that’s even more indestructible than “Vibranium” (how can something be more indestructible?). Anyway, before this accord can get signed off by a curious quadrumvirate of the USA, India, France and China a shipment of this new material gets pinched and it’s down to “Capt. America” (Anthony Mackie) and his new sidekick “Torres/Falcon” (Danny Ramirez) to retrieve it. Loads of end-to-end fisticuffs later and the goods are secure which earns our dynamic duo and their inspirational trainer “Bradley” (Carl Lumbly) an invitation to the White House. That’s where the wheels really do come off as their pal starts taking potshots at the President and we discover that the erstwhile somewhat militaristic and temperamental “Ross” and “Cap” aren’t exactly on the same page. It’s pretty obvious that there’s a third party pulling the strings so it’s going to need all of his patience and guile if the shielded wonder is to retrieve his mentor from solitary, rebuild his relationship with his president before that man really sees red, and also get to the bottom of a dastardly scheme that seems bent on causing international strife between the USA and Japan. Mackie’s a charismatic man and he does what he can with this, but the story comes across as little more than an hybrid of “Top Gun” (1986) meets “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997) with an unremarkable cast, including Ford’s “Ross”, that struggles to make any impact as it races along for two hours without presenting anything original or particularly entertaining. It passes the time, but is yet another bland offering from a studio that is increasingly resorting to it’s creative technicians to design something that looks great but resonates not remotely. Disappointing, sorry.