‘Captain America: Brave New World’ surprises with greatness amidst controversy
Anthony Mackie as the new Captain America. in “Captain America: Brave New World”. Image from Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment
I have waited long enough before I put out my movie review/analysis of “Captain America: Brave New World” since this was released here in cinemas (nationwide) last week on February 12, 2025, and the weekend has already passed, and it is already February 18, 2025. That is more than enough time already. All it requires is common sense. If you do not want to get spoiled on a movie, then do not read the entertainment article or movie review. Haha…. I can’t keep putting up disclaimers. Come on, you guys have to start using your heads and stop blaming the columnists, writers, and reporters. Haha…. Now, back to business and getting this done because I am not going to keep postponing this, and then I end up having to watch this again for the second time because too much time has passed since my first viewing and I forget important details of what I had watched. Haha….
Here it goes….
(Spoilers Ahead)
“Captain America: Brave New World” lives up to all the official movie trailers, marketing, and pushes forward Phase 5 of the MCU into overdrive towards the end. I have seen some of the best fight scenes for any superhero-themed movie ever in “Captain America: Brave New World” between “Falcon” and the “Red Hulk” who completely shattered the limitations of previously seen CGI-infused battles because of how realistic, seamless, and polished everything appeared to be here. From fighting in the compound of the White House, to facing off on top of it, demolishing one side of it, to ruining a National Monument, to ending up fighting in an open space near a cherry blossom garden and nearly blowing up the entirety of it. It was one of the most visceral, intense, and eye-brow-raising CGI, I have ever seen in one long scene because, with each second that passes and more minutes, we are talking about millions of dollars having been spent using all the latest software programs for CGI for that very memorable comic book like slugfest between the “Falcon” and the “Red Hulk.” In my eyes, it was money well spent for the movie studio. They did it for you guys, the fans.
Note that I continue to refer to the onscreen character of the new Captain America as still “Falcon” because that is who “Sam Wilson” is, and for me, that will be very hard to shake off completely. And I think it would be much better to remain as that because even being labeled as the new Captain America, complete in the American patriotic colors of red, white, and blue, and of course, with Captain America’s shield, cannot change the perception of most moviegoers regarding his imprint on the minds of most people and fans of the MCU. Why so? Anthony Mackie as the “Falcon” has been in one too many movies under the MCU for anyone to be completely convinced he is Cap because that is the way it is, and he has embraced the role as the “Falcon” to the point we can’t imagine him being any other superhero ever. That’s what happens when you have fans who believe in the portrayal and identify with one actor in a specific role for years; they become vested in you.
On a humorous note, I found it a bit funny that a known sidekick for Captain America, at one point in Marvel Comics, now has his sidekick in the new Falcon in “Joaquin Torres,” who is portrayed by Danny Ramirez, who is now the sidekick for the new Captain America in “Sam Wilson.” That right there is a full circle moment, a vacancy filled, a passing of knowledge, and ensuring that even when Sam Wilson is promoted to the “Captain America” role by “President Thunderbolt Ross” and given a mission order to help reform The Avengers, the role he had first, is not forgotten but is being continued by someone who is deserving. I found it to be a nice touch to this movie and proves how far “Sam Wilson” has gone in trying his best to live up to the legacy of the original Captain America in “Steve Rogers.”
Instead of moviegoers believing “Sam Wilson” is the new Captain America, I believe most of us would tend to believe more that the “Falcon” represents more of a living symbol of the original Captain America, who is “Steve Rogers” portrayed by Chris Evans, and Anthony Mackie as the actor is the perfect “Falcon,” and his superhero suit here is as advanced as ever, besides being able to fly with the speed of a fighter jet, with the added Wakandan technology he can now shoot his feathers like blades an ability that only Archangel of The Uncanny X-Men can do, he can also use his mini-sidekicks in the “Red Wings” to provide him with some backup who can shoot lasers, one could even shoot small missiles, then, his wings can even slice his opponents and as a last resort, his wings can self-detonate like a bomb, so, the arsenal the “Falcon” has now is way beyond of what he first had in the previous movies, and this time even he has no superpowers or superhuman abilities, the “Falcon” can stand on his own against anyone as shown with his showdown with the “Red Hulk.”
The storyline itself was multi-layered, filled with at least three subplots combined with the main plot, and they all are interconnected in some way with several previous movies, and they provide answers to some long lingering questions. So, it was like watching a puzzle piece being filled in little by little, and by the time of the third act in the final scenes, it is revealed to be “The Leader,” who is the main antagonist, the supervillain pulling all the strings, the evil force hiding behind the shadows and manipulating everyone both heroes and villains (The Serpent Society in “Sidewinder” and “Copperhead”) and to the President of America himself, portrayed by Harrison Ford in “President Thunderbolt Ross” who would transform into the “Red Hulk” due to “The Leader” supplementing him with blood pressure medication pills laced with gamma radiation, it was “The Leader” all along behind everything that unfolded in ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’
Yes, the unassuming scientist from ‘The Incredible Hulk (2008)’ that helped “Bruce Banner” get rid of his ability to transform into the Hulk. But, ultimately, “Samuel Sterns.” portrayed by Tim Blake Nelson, was forced to aid in changing one disgruntled, shady, and dastardly aging super soldier into The “Abomination,” and we all know how that turned out for “Samuel Sterns”: getting his head injured and having a blood sample of “Bruce Banner” with a high percentage of gamma radiation in it from a vile drip into his open wound on the side of his head, which caused him to have super intelligence, advanced level of thinking and a deformed head. That is the guy who is behind all the danger, chaos, and word-threatening events in ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’ Not in a million years did I ever think we would see “Samuel Sterns” return again and finally become “The Leader” in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ because that was years ago, and that was in Phase 1 of the MCU. Added fact: “The Leader” is one of the main supervillains of The Incredible Hulk in Marvel Comics, so there is a connection to that also in this movie besides the return of the love interest of “Bruce Banner” and daughter of “President Thunderbolt Ross” in “Betty Ross.”
The fact that the main supervillain here is one that went below the radar of everyone is ingenious because it not only exceeded expectations but superseded them and provided moviegoers with a shadowy threat that does not rely on strength, physical prowess, or anything like that but with his gamma-powered mind, his superior intelligence and his ability to make accurate predictions into the future, which are all the correct mental powers of “The Leader” in the Marvel Comics. But one of the most surprising things for me was the fact “The Leader” was not killed, but surrendered and got locked up in a special facility that houses supervillains or any humans with powers that are too dangerous to be let loose or out in public with civilians, it was a brilliant conclusion to a movie that you were not sure at first how things would conclude, but did end with a promise of far greater things to come in the next phase of the MCU.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ reminds me a lot of the pacing, storytelling, and style of ‘Clear and Present Danger’ and ‘Patriot Games’ classic movies of Harrison Ford in the 90s, but for younger moviegoers, this movie would remind you more of ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ and ‘Captain America: Civil War’ but if you are old already like me then ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ would remind you of all those four movies. Haha…. Why so? You have political themes, you have espionage, you have action, you have suspense, and you have this slow-burn of events that are both methodical, well-planned, and properly plotted. I can say this is one of the smartest movies overall ever in the MCU because it does not feel like a kid made it or someone unfitting for the job. A little word of caution: I will say this: if you are only after cameos, easter eggs, self-poking comedy, senseless violence, and quick setups in a movie, then this is not for you. Haha… ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ is for adults with patience, and trust me when I say that being able to analyze what is going on, pay attention to detail, and enjoy the process is rewarded in the end.
This is worth mentioning because it is both an observation and an assessment of a movie’s immediate impact on moviegoers: as I looked at some of the faces of the moviegoers around me, I overheard their comments, and basically, how this movie turned out after I exited the cinema was way better than expected for them. This is the lesson: there will always be a mentality of quickly judging a movie even before it is released; you will lose your original sense of judgment if you end up listening to the cynics, haters, and people who do not want movies to succeed. Never listen to them. That is the most civil, diplomatic, and sensible thing to do because no one has the right to tell you what to watch in cinemas.
Let’s be brutally honest here, as I was never one to shy away from telling the truth, even when it gets on the nerves of some questionable people. ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ had a ton of hate online, it was being predicted to fail and practically being wished into oblivion, but for me, what you see on the big screen will never lie to you. Again, it goes back to setting your expectations right, as I mentioned and discussed in my previous entertainment article, which can only be found here because this is the only place where I write and not in some far-off continent on a bogus website plagiarizing entertainment articles from this website. Haha….
In “Captain America: Brave New World” the odds were overwhelmingly against this movie from even being watched because of the massive heat that was on it, but if you are level-headed, then you can ignore, shut off, and be oblivious to all of their nonsense and just watch it and make your ruling if it was worth the price of a movie ticket or not? For me, “Captain America: Brave New World” was surprisingly entertaining, in fact, better than that, it was great! And that word, as generic as it is, as plain sounding as it is, and as common to hear as it is, is the feeling one must feel by the time any movie ends.
I am happy when a movie comes together, such as this one did, and proves the naysayers wrong.
My final score: 8/10
