Ultimate Frisbee Champ vs Red-hot Politician
Directed by: Julius Onah
Written by: Julius Onah, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson & Matthew Orton
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Harrison Ford
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some strong language
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Runtime: 1:58
This review may contain spoilers
You get a shield, you get a shield
When Marvel Studios announced they had cast Chris Evans as Captain America, everyone was like, “No, not the Human Douche from that silly Fantastic Four movie. He’s going to be awful.”
Yet, after three solo movies and the Avengers, they shut up.
Now Anthony Mackie has taken the name and shield (from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and faces a brand new mercenary, a Hulk villain, an actual (Red) Hulk, and a possible world war.
MCU recap
Let’s see, this is now the 35th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU. It’s also the 12th movie in the Multiverse Saga and fifth in the Saga’s Phase 5.
What does all this mean? I dunno, Marvel Studios like categories or something.
A few things to know going in, Sam Wilson (formerly the Falcon) is now Captain America (after the events from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and the Eternal that nearly demolished our humble planet is now designated as a new island. Oh, and Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) finally returns after being infected with the Hulk’s blood from The Incredible Hulk.
Brave New World is a continuation of Disney Plus’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but I think this was meant to be a second season. It would have felt more contained keeping it as a series instead of a movie that you needed to watch a 6-episode miniseries first.
Brave New World
The new world opens up to a lot of new things – Sam Wilson is now the respected Captain America, “de-mustached” Thaddeus Ross (now played by Harrison Ford) is the new President of the U.S., and a terrorist network calling themselves Serpent is stealing a precious new material more powerful than vibranium (thought to be the strongest metal on Earth).
There’s also a sinister shadowy figure orchestrating a global catastrophe. Armed with mind control and solving complex probabilities, this villain aims to “lead” the world into outright war, and only one man with a flying suit and Frisbee shield can save the day.
I can’t get around not talking about this, but there is a big fight between Captain America and Red Hulk. I didn’t want to talk about it since, you know, spoilers. But the marketing for Brave New World has it plastered everywhere. It would have been a cooler reveal in the movie, but marketing just had to ruin it.
“Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?”
Giancarlo Esposito (AMC’s Breaking Bad) joins the MCU as villain Sidewinder, leader of a mercenary group called Serpent. He makes a fun comic-book villain, but we don’t see much of him onscreen.
What is Serpent? They’re special-ops bad guys with snake call signs. Thankfully, none of them are dressed up as snakes, but that would have been a great laugh.
Sidewinder and Serpent aren’t the main bad guys for Brave New World; they’re more side villains. Esposito did say his Sidewinder character will return in a Disney Plus series. Hopefully, more of that Breaking Bad’s Gus will show in this role. Who knows; he could be a great recurring villain.
If only Marvel Studios did better justice with their villains, as ironic as that statement sounds.
The Big Three
What is the “Big Three?” It’s a concept by Sam Wilson in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In episode 2, he claims they are always fighting three factions – androids, aliens, and wizards.
Well, this time, he’s fighting a super brainy guy, Red Hulk, politicians, and mercenaries obsessed with snakes. So they’re all humans here, except for some having enhanced mutations. So, it looks like Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) was right in the show, “That’s not a thing.”
Got ‘em!
Rest in Peace
William Hurt passed away on March 13, 2022. Hurt’s earlier work got him major recognition, like Altered States, Body Heat, The Big Chill, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Children of a Lesser God.
None of which I have ever watched.
Instead, I was more familiar with his later stuff, like A History of Violence, Dark City, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Syriana, Lost in Space, Mr. Brooks, and The Village. Those last few I think he would prefer everyone forgot about.
In 2011, Hurt played General Thaddeus Ross in The Incredible Hulk and has reappeared as Ross in multiple MCU films since. Since Captain America: Civil War, I felt Marvel was building him up just for this film, so it’s disappointing he couldn’t be there for the big payoff.
The Great Harrison Ford took over the role in Brave New World. Ford could possibly stay on for future MCU projects, but it’s hard to say for now.
PSA from The Kaiz Blogs
By the way, can you greedy, hocking sons of bitches stop buying all the movies’ popcorn buckets to resell online? Some of us would actually like to get these and not see them on eBay for three times the price. I couldn’t even get that creepy Wolverine flesh light bucket last year, you mother fuckers! Yeah, I know it’s weird, but I still wanted it! I wanted to get this movie’s collapsible Captain America shield. But naturally, all sold out even when the movie wasn’t!
Alright, off my soapbox. You guys suck, though.
Brave New Meh
Captain America: Brave New World is… fine. It’s just fine. Several story elements rely on the viewer to see other movies and shows to understand what’s going on. So unless you have a Disney Plus subscription and are watching every MCU movie, you might be lost on a few things.
While there really isn’t anything to pick apart in the film itself, there’s just not a lot to talk about, either. I guess I’m summing up this movie as “typical.” Yeah, I’d call it a typical Marvel movie. That fits right.
Good ol’ end-credit shows Lex Luthor in prison warning Batman that something dangerous and powerful is coming. Oh, sorry, I meant The Leader is in prison warning Cap that something dangerous and powerful is coming. I don’t know how I possibly got that mixed up.
Captain America: Brave New World is currently playing in theaters.
