CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD
(director/writer: Julius Onah; screenwriters: Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalon Musson, Peter Clantz; cinematographer: Kramer Morgenthau; editors: Madeleine Gavin, Matthew Schmidt; music: Laura Karpman; cast: Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres/Falcon), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Liv Tyler (Betty Ross), Timothy Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns), Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley), Giancarlo Esposito (Seth Voelker aka Sidewinder), Shira Haas (Ruth Bat-Seraph), Xosha Roquemore (Leila Taylor), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Harrison Ford (President Thaddeus Ross); Runtime: 118; MPAA Rating: PG-; producers: Kevin Feige, Nate Moore; Walt Disney Pictures; 2025)
“Bloated misfire.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Julius Onah (“Luce”/”The Cloverfield Paradox”) directs and writes this uninspired superhero story from the world of MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Onah co-writes this big-budget action pic, that’s beaten down with a gimmicky and limp screenplay by Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalon Musson, and Peter Clantz.
Since the Avengers disbanded, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) becomes the new Black Captain America (but without the superpowers Steve Rogers had as CA in “Avengers: End Game). The newly elected MAGA-like American leader, President Ross (Harrison Ford), a former gung-ho general with a volatile temper, is the enemy of the Avengers.
The Prez surprisingly calls Captain America to the WH to attend a reception. Sam appears with his protege buddy, prepping to be the new Falcon (Danny Ramirez) and with his trainer, the embittered former imprisoned Korean war vet Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), who was abused by the Army’s Super-Soldier program and never forgave the US government for framing him. The Prez catches Sam off-guard as he asks him to again unite the Avengers to deal with a political problem over a mysterious “celestial island” in the Indian Ocean, that’s controlled by the Japanese. The Prez wants CA to rescue the hostages being held by the baddie Seth Voelker, aka the Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), who’s selling some of the stolen Japanese adamantium found on the island to a mysterious buyer (later revealed as the disgruntled ugly looking green-skinned scientist Sterns-Timothy Blake Nelson, the film’s chief villain). CA is helped in taking down Voelker by his costumed sidekick, soldier and computer wiz, The Falcon.
The charmless story also follows the failed assassination attempt at the WH on the American President by the possibly brainwashed rogue Army vet, CA recovering the stolen Adamantium and turning it over to the Prez to avert war, and the Prez’s effort to establish alliances with other countries. It leads to a WH treaty signing ceremony with Japan over usage for the valuable new element.
The tiresome pic reaches its climax when President Ross’s alter ego goes ape shit and turns into the Red Hulk.
I don’t think fair-minded MCU fans will care that much for this bloated misfire, the 36th film in a franchise that now offers cardboard performances, a clunky story, unintentional laughs and cheesy visuals.
REVIEWED ON 2/19/2025 GRADE: C
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