There was a time when Marvel was almost untouchable for making enjoyable, exciting blockbusters. Nearly every film before Avengers: End Game was of a very high standard in storytelling, world creation and the film’s general look. Ever since then, however, things haven’t gone their way, and the wheels started coming off the Marvel wagon, from poor CGI to rethinks of the journey they were going to finally, last year, putting a halt to all TV and movie productions to regroup and look at the quality of the work. Only last year’s Deadpool and Wolverine was released, and thankfully, it was a winner. The hiatus is over, and Marvel is back with a full calendar of movies and TV shows. The first is Captain America: Brave New World. Does this promise what the title suggests? Or is it the same old Marvel?

Sam Wilson, the Falcon of old who has become the new Captain America, has to work with the new President of the United States, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who wants the end of the Avengers. With an international incident on the horizon involving the mysterious island that has a new mineral, Sam finds he must go it alone to discover why his best friend should turn to evil so quickly and who is behind the mind changes who are tuning for the President and wanting the peace between the nations to fail.

You think that things have changed with a new opening logo for the studio. Gone is the comic book, clips of the heroes of old, replaced by bold, large screen fillers announcing a Marvel Studio production. Then, we seem to fall back into the old Marvel as if nothing has changed. It’s back to Captain America, now with flying ability but still carrying the shield of justice, going after the bad guys. It doesn’t take long to realise that the existence of this film is to tie up the loose ends and act like the middle movie of a trilogy. In fact, this plays out more like a sequel to The Incredible Hulk but without the title character.

After a while, as the story unfolds involving a mysterious messenger wanting a canister that hides something important and Sam coming face-to-face with Sidewinder, a mercenary out to trap the hero, while there seems to be something suspicious going on with the President, you instantly remember how good the paranoid thriller of Captain America: The Winter Soldier was and realise that this isn’t that film. It tries to tie things up, whether from Eternals, events since Endgame, or The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Yet it does nothing to encourage you that this is a brave new world. It just repeats the old one. Choppy action sequences that are hard to follow, a plot that drifts from one set piece to another and new characters you care little about.

As the new Captain America, Anthony Mackie is no Chris Evans. Yet it seems the producers aren’t allowing him room to breathe life into the character. He has a presence and handles the action scenes well, but there doesn’t seem to be much else going on. Placing him with a new co-partner, army officer Joaquin Torres, played by Danny Ramirez, the pair have some light banter but nothing more. Harrison Ford, as Ross, is the only person given room to develop his character. Replacing the late William Hurt, Ford doesn’t feel out of place and seems to enjoy the nonsense around him. As for the big reveal in the final act, it’s the highlight of the film.

Captain America: Brave New World is a middle-ground Marvel that passes the time fine but doesn’t deliver much else. Maybe this is a way of breaking us back into that universe, and with Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four coming this year, the studio could be placing their money in those two as potential returns to form. This one, however, already seems worn out and tired.

3 out of 5

Director: Julius Onah

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbey, Tim Blake Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Xosha Roquemore

Written by: Julius Onah, Peter Glanz, (also story) Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, (Captain America created) Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

Running Time: 118 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date: 14th February 2025