Make no mistake – this reviewer firmly believes that the golden age of the MCU is long behind us. Since Infinity War and Endgame wrapped up the Infinity Saga with a neat, triumphant bow, this once-mighty cinematic universe has struggled to reignite that same spark.
Stretched thin across multiple platforms and increasingly fragmented by its expansion into television, the MCU has become almost unrecognisable. Keeping up with the ever-growing roster of films and series has become exhausting, leading to projects that, despite featuring stellar casts and talented directors, feel rushed and uninspired.
And so, we arrive in 2025, greeted by three new Marvel films vying for our attention. The first of the bunch, Captain America: Brave New World, attempts to steer the MCU back on course – but does it succeed?
Not quite. While there are flickers of greatness, moments that echo the brilliance of The Winter Soldier, this fourth Captain America installment ultimately squanders its exceptional cast and stumbles towards a bland, uninspired finale that features some truly appalling special effects.
Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, now firmly established as Captain America, finds himself caught in the middle of an international crisis after a meeting with President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). Soon, he is drawn into unraveling a sinister global conspiracy before its true architect plunges the world into chaos.
The action kicks off in Mexico, where Sam and the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), attempt to thwart the sale of illicit goods with major governmental implications. Their efforts bring them face-to-face with Sidewinder (a criminally underused Giancarlo Esposito), setting the stage for a heist-style narrative that, despite delivering some solid action sequences, lacks much substance beyond that.
One of the film’s biggest issues is its muddled approach to political themes. It ambitiously attempts to make bold statements but never commits to exploring them with any real depth. The result is a movie that feels like it thinks it’s saying something important – but in reality, it never quite lands the punch. Instead, what we’re left with is a passable, albeit forgettable, addition to the MCU.
Mackie carries the film with confidence, and Ramirez’s Falcon is plucky enough to fit right in, yet neither character experiences any meaningful growth. By the time the credits roll, they are exactly where they started – unchanged and unchallenged by the events they’ve endured.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some nice set pieces – an aerial dogfight over Celestial Island (remember that?) around halfway through is nicely choreographed and exciting to watch. However, there are several plot points that happen because it’s easier for the film to progress to the next stage of the story by doing it this way. That’s not how you write a great script.
And then there’s Red Hulk. Despite dominating the film’s trailers and marketing, he appears for a mere 10 minutes. The visual effects used to bring Ford’s character to life are surprisingly solid, offering a rare bright spot, though it hardly compensates for his limited screen time.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the film’s overall visual aesthetic. Much like many of Marvel’s recent offerings, Brave New World suffers from uninspired, artificial-looking environments. The cherry blossom-laden finale, in particular, feels overly glossy and lifeless, an all-too-common flaw in modern MCU films, especially given its hefty $180 million budget.
In the end, Captain America: Brave New World is a serviceable yet unremarkable entry in the franchise. It proves there’s still some life left in the MCU, but it fails to push the saga forward in any meaningful way, leaving lingering doubts about whether this once-dominant universe is nearing the end of its reign.
Here’s hoping Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four fare better.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
