Captain America Brave New World Review: A High-Flying Hit

Get ready to watch Anthony Mackie in his first feature film as Captain America, this time taking on a dangerous plot that could impact the whole world’s peace. After an incident involving President Thaddeus Ross, Sam Wilson must discover the reason behind the attack before the true mastermind has the world angry and red.

Check out our Captain America Brave New World review below, and remember spoilers ahead!

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Captain America Brave New World Review – Breaking Down Plot, Setting, Characters

Plot

We meet Thaddeus Ross once again in the Marvel Universe, this time as President. Five months after his election, he sends Sam Wilson (Captain America) and Joaquin Torres (The Falcon) on a mission in Oaxaca, Mexico, to stop the illegal transaction of the precious metal adamantium. Foiling the plans but realizing the buyer never showed, Wilson is skeptical about the true reason the criminals were sent there, but dismisses it for the time being as he and Torres are invited to the White House. Wilson brings along super soldier Isaiah Bradley, showing good faith to one of the first super soldiers.

While at a summit between countries to determine the best way to gather the adamantium on Celestial Island, Bradley pulls a gun on Ross, and the scene devolves into chaos, leaving Bradley in cuffs and Wilson more confused than ever. As Wilson tries to uncover the plot, his close connections to Bradley leave him on the outs with Ross. Each team tries to uncover the culprit, later revealing Ross’s past with a man called Dr. Samuel Sterns, last seen in The Incredible Hulk, who was imprisoned in a remote government facility to run probabilities for Ross with his gamma-enhanced brain.

As Sterns tries to destroy the treaty and peace surrounding Celestial Island, he also works on revealing Ross’s secret as the Red Hulk. When he succeeds, it is in front of the White House, sending everyone into a panic as Wilson desperately tries to defuse the situation. Both suffer major injuries before Ross finally turns back to normal, forcing him to resign and get imprisoned at the Raft while Bradley is exonerated.

While many critics have been less than positive about this addition to the franchise, I think there is real promise in Captain America: Brave New World. While the plot may have been a little scattered at times, and if you haven’t seen The Incredible Hulk, you may be slightly confused, there is no denying the high-paced action that the film brings for the full two hours. At every turn, the viewer and Sam Wilson are trying to uncover the plot, keeping us watching the screen and discovering the true power Sam Wilson holds as Captain America.

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Setting

The setting of the film traveled all over the world, with the main pieces being in Oaxaca, Japan, the White House, Celestial Island, and Camp Echo One. Each of the scenes showed the political background of the plot and characters while also showing just how large the consequences would be if Captain America couldn’t save the day. The CGI worked well, showing Celestial Island in a daunting yet beautiful way, and the destruction of the White House was just so well put together.

Out of all the settings, the White House and the warships surrounding Celestial Island were my favorite. The White House shows the power Captain America holds, but also the charged political environment he must navigate trying to be friendly with President Ross while protecting what he feels is right. Not to mention, the bomb of a new Avengers squad was dropped there. Jaw. Drop.

The entire Celestial Island sequence was just so cool, mainly to see Captain America and the Falcon do what they do best in the sky. Soaring around this unfinished Celestial while battling their own rogue pilots was so intense and showed the weight of this moment for the world’s relations. Add to that the harrowing fall of the Falcon after a botched missile explosion just makes you want to stay in front of the screen for every second.

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Characters

The characters interacting in this film really shined, showing the continual power struggle between world leaders and “enhanced” individuals as they continue to seek a middle ground. Sam Wilson becomes a stunning Captain America, even without the super serum that he wishes he had several times throughout the film. His composure and determination to find the truth stick with the viewer, causing them to root for his success the whole film. The Falcon, now taken over by Joaquin Torres, also shined in this film, ushering in a new wave of superheroes, and even a piece of the new Avengers.

The two other characters that stuck out to me were Thaddeus Ross and Dr. Sterns. Two sides of the same coin, each had intertwined history that hurt each other in the end. While President Ross sought more power and peace in the world, he did so by manipulating Dr. Sterns for years, providing him with probabilities and outcomes to lots of problems. Eventually, Sterns, tired of his role and transformed body, got back at Ross in the only way he could: his gamma medication. Unleashing the Red Hulk, Sterns showed the world what Ross was hiding, leaving them both detained in the Raft by film’s end.

The only downside to the characters was the connection to The Incredible Hulk. While it created a great villain, I had never watched the film before and didn’t know I should be watching it before, so the entire plot made sense. Perhaps a slightly longer backstory could have worked, or maybe I just need to sit down and watch the film.

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Prominent Actors in Captain America Brave New World

While Anthony Mackie may be the star in Captain America: Brave New World, several other talented actors appear. Check out some of the prominent actors and actresses in the film, along with other productions they have been in.

• Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson) – Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Elevation, Twisted Metal
• Harrison Ford (Thaddeus Ross) – Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Blade Runner, The Fugitive
• Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres) – Look Both Ways, Top Gun: Maverick, No Exit
• Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley) – Doctor Sleep, South Central, To Sleep with Anger
• Tim Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns) – The Incredible Hulk, Holes, Dune: Part One
• Shira Haas (Sabra) – Unorthodox, Bodies, The Zookeeper’s Wife

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Final Thoughts

Overall, I thought this film was a powerful addition to the franchise, especially with the current phase being so controversial in terms of positive versus negative reviews. Sam Wilson is the perfect Captain America, showing that a “common” man can take the mantle of something great and continue to improve its status. I am interested to see where they take the end credits scene with Sterns mentioning other worlds and how Captain America might remake The Avengers into something new.