Marvel’s latest instalment of the shield-bearing superhero moves into the future with the quality of the past.
Finally, after nearly a decade of waiting, what is essentially Captain America 4 has hit the big screen. Like a cinematic knight in shining armour, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) doesn’t just save the day but goes further, his first outing with the shield giving Marvel a hit after far too many misses.
Captain America: Brave New World has both a great tone and a great storyline; one that will strike a chord with fans of sci-fi, superheroes and political thrillers alike. The film takes us back down to earth and explores the threats humanity faces from its own people and politics. Just like in Captain America The Winter Soldier (2014), the world is put under threat from traitors within and those with their own agendas. We see the cost of leadership figures refusing to work together as the rift between Sam and United States President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) almost takes America to war with Japan. Infiltration and espionage play a key part in this as loyal soldiers and friends are manipulated into acts of violence through mind control; a very realistic-feeling mind control, administered through light and sound.
The continuity is nothing short of amazing, knitting together past MCU instalments like The Incredible Hulk (2008) and The Eternals (2021) seamlessly. Viewers aren’t subjected to having every character thrown at them at once, but through references to Ross’s past and news reports of previous events: what happened between the Hulk (Edward Norton/Lou Ferrigno) and Abomination (Tim Roth) and the world coming together, as well as into conflict, over the resources found on Celestial Island. For reference, Celestial Island is the body of the Celestial Tiamut, which was stopped from fully emerging in The Eternals.
This approach harks back to Marvel of old, where the wider cinematic universe was acknowledged and played a key role despite the film focusing solely on the protagonist that it was about. The film also introduces adamantium to the MCU, a substance first introduced in Marvel’s mutant universe as the metallic substance Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) bones are infused with.
If all that wasn’t enough, however, Brave New World makes a personal appeal to the audience by relating its superhero to the viewers. In the film, Sam deals with an internal conflict brought about by doubts as to whether or not he can fill Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) shoes and make a good Captain America. His actions throughout the film through stopping war and Red Hulk and defeating the overall villain Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), who masterminded attacks on Ross and turned him into Red Hulk, more than prove him worthy of the role, but even then, he still believes he could and should do better. Parallels can also be drawn between his predecessor’s drive to save his falsely-accused friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) in Captain America Civil War (2016) and Wilson’s drive to save his falsely-accused friend Isaiah Bradely (Carl Lumbly).
The Verdict
Captain America: Brave New World takes the audience back to the days of good-quality MCU releases while progressing the wider universe into new depths. The themes of spies and political intrigue are a fresh change from other MCU projects, and Sam’s Captain America brings a fresh perspective to the figure. The film is a must-see for fans who cry out for the quality of the past with a new and different spin.
Words by James Jobson
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