“Captain America: Brave New World” has great acting, humorous friendships and exciting action scenes, however, the plot may be confusing for viewers new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film was released on Feb. 14, and is a little under two hours long with a bonus scene after the credits. For fans of the previous Captain America movies, this film is a must-watch.
The film is the fourth movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Captain America series and the first with Sam Wilson, played by actor Anthony Mackie, as Captain America. In order to fully understand the plot of the film, a few preceding Marvel movies are necessary to watch beforehand.
The movie follows plotlines started in previous Marvel films, such as the Sam Wilson storyline in “Avengers Endgame” in which he was given the mantle of Captain America. This continues to the Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” where Wilson officially changes from the Falcon into Captain America. The film also shows Celestial Island which was discovered after events in “Eternals.” In addition, the movie resurfaces the villain Samuel Sterns, played by actor and playwright Tim Blake Nelson from “The Incredible Hulk.”
After watching the movie, I regretted not having watched these three movies and all of the previous “Captain America” films before going to the movie theater. While the plot had many surprising and interesting elements, these previous movies would have clarified some of my questions about the storyline and characters.
The movie begins with the inauguration of U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by actor Harrison Ford. The movie explains how he won the presidency by establishing a trade treaty over the precious metal found at Celestial Island, adamantium.
The plot follows President Ross’s attempts at keeping the treaty intact, while dealing with Sterns’ attempts at sabotaging the treaty. Captain America and his sidekick Joaquin Torres, (also known as the Falcon) played by actor Danny Ramirez, help President Ross fight Sterns while also helping their friend Isaiah Bradley, played by actor Carl Lumbly, who is wrongfully imprisoned.
“Captain America: Brave New World” effectively utilized the skills of their star-studded cast. Ford, who has a lot of experience playing action roles, plays both the role of President Ross and later a superhero. Mackie fits the role of a likeable hero perfectly, along with Ramirez who plays his lighthearted sidekick. President Ross’s head of security, Ruth Bat-Seraph, is played by Israeli actress Shira Haas, who flawlessly completes the group of heroes in the movie with her resilient attitude.
While the characters each added their own unique role, Captain America and Torres really stood out. I enjoyed watching their funny banter, the evolution of their friendship throughout the course of the movie and how they begin to rely on each other to form a strong team.
Despite the great acting, I felt that the Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) in “Captain America: Brave New World” fell flat. In one of the last scenes in the movie, there is a battle scene that takes place at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in which the destroyed cherry blossom trees and the Potomac River look very fake. The movie had some great action scenes, while others were disappointing due to mediocre CGI.
“Captain America: Brave New World” is a great movie for fans of the Captain America franchise and “The Incredible Hulk,” and for those who enjoy watching an enigmatic villain. Overall, “Captain America: Brave New World” is a very enjoyable movie to watch but may not be suitable for people new to Marvel movies.
