MARCUS CHEONG takes a look at the return of Captain America to the big screen…
Captain America: Brave New World (AU – M/UK – 12A/US – PG-13)
In A Word: Superfluous
Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World. PICTURE: Courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 MARVEL
It’s been nine years since Chris Evans concluded the original Captain America trilogy with Civil War and a lot has changed, both in the real world and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Before, nearly every Marvel film was both critically lauded and a box office phenomenon.
“To its credit, the story tackles themes of redemption and ponders whether an antagonist can truly change for the better. Captain America still upholds values of honour, bravery and loyalty.”
Now, there is scepticism that Marvel will ever return back to those glory days. The 35th film in the MCU tries hard to recreate the magic of the past, but can this Brave New World save the struggling superhero genre?
We first saw Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as a sidekick known as the Falcon in The Winter Soldier. Now he has inherited the shield and the title of Captain America. In this Brave New World, President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) is at the centre of a conspiracy when an attempt on his life is made by mind controlled assassins. Sam is compelled to investigate the mysterious Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) and discover the secrets behind all the chaos and intrigue.
It is part detective story with plenty of gratuitous fight sequences. While the hand-to-hand beatdowns become a bit tiresome, the action gets some variety in a tense aerial dogfight over international waters. The ultimate battle is, however, a bit of a let down. It is almost entirely computer generated and feels less real than movies made over a decade ago.
The original MCU films featured iconic characters that became beloved by fans. All the characters in Brave New World look like imitations of better known heroes. There is a Black Widow copycat, Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), a new Falcon wannabe, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), and then a Hulk with a new coat of paint, Red Hulk. So not only are we following a replacement for Captain America, but we are constantly surrounded by clones that remind us about the past rather than ushering in a so-called Brave New World.
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To its credit, the story tackles themes of redemption and ponders whether an antagonist can truly change for the better. Captain America still upholds values of honour, bravery and loyalty.
There is a brief moment when Sam considers whether he has what it takes to be a hero without any real powers other than a shield and some fancy gear. This internal conflict is resolved conveniently with a cameo from The Winter Soldier concluding that being just a man makes Captain America an aspirational hero for everyone.
This movie, however, will not be for everyone. The most die-hard fans may be able to squeeze some enjoyment out of the references to the past. It offers little that has not been seen or done before. This Captain plays it safe rather than being brave, and is far too derivative to offer anything new.
