'Captain America: Brave New World' movie review: A weak superhero film in the MCU universe but not without its moments

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Seth Rollins, Rosa Salazar, Shira Haas

Director: Julius Onah

Language: English

Captain America: Brave New World is the 35th film in the MCU universe but it could also be one of the most dismal ones with middling moments of spark and surprise. This time, Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting President Thaddeus Ross. He must soon discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. The first 20 minutes of the film are a blast with every actor enjoying himself and even the director Julius Onah from behind the camera. There’s even a mention about the return of the Avengers.

The veteran Harrison Ford plays Red Hulk. You can clearly see there’s a lot of ambition that has gone behind making this sweeping and stylish superhero film but the soul is clearly missing. What’s not to like? By the end of Avengers: Endgame , following Steve’s retirement, Sam was entrusted with the iconic shield, officially stepping into the role of Captain America. However, Sam’s transformation didn’t stop there. Now, Sam Wilson will have his first solo outing as Captain America in Captain America: Brave New World.

Mackie does his best but the writing lets him down and ditto for Ford, who shines as the Red Hulk but the quality of the material fails to make him a solid character. Out of all the movies the MCU has made, Captain America: Brave New World is the most middling one with spurts of entertainment. But the makers need not lose heart as this is their first offering of 2025 with Thunderbolts set to follow in May and The Fantastic Four: The First Steps in July. Marvel continues its trend of releasing multiple films each year, with Deadpool & Wolverine being the only film to be released in 2024. Only if they amp up the quality.

Rating: 2.5 (out of 5 stars)

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in cinemas