Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

3 Stars (out of 4)

Signed, Shield, Delivered

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

After some thirty-odd movies and more TV shows than I can remember, we finally have our third MCU movie directed by a person of color and starring a person of color. And yet, in this bizarro Trumpian world, rather than being celebrated, Captain America: Brave New World is being trounced (much like Kendrick Lamar's spellbinding Super Bowl Halftime show). Certainly this new movie is no Black Panther. It has its flaws. It tries a little too hard to get things moving in the first act, and it does feel fairly slight overall, a Minor Marvel. But for the majority of its running time, it soars, largely thanks to Anthony Mackie's potent presence.

Following the series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson (Mackie) has made the difficult decision to take over the Captain America mantle. (The series explored complex issues of Blackness and racism that are largely ignored here.) But it was a good choice. Watching him dispatch bad guys using his wings and shield as poetic weaponry is endlessly cool. And, unlike Steve Rogers, Sam doesn't actually have any superpowers, and his humanness is part of his charm.

Sam has been sent on a mission to retrieve a mysterious canister, which he does, although something about the mission seems fishy. After that, he's invited to the White House, where President Ross (Harrison Ford, taking over the role of "Thunderbolt" from the late William Hurt) is going to make an announcement. (Ford returns to the White House for the first time since Air Force One.) Sam brings his new sidekick, Falcon-hopeful Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), and their tough super-soldier trainer, Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly). Isaiah is bitter after having been imprisoned and experimented upon for decades, and has no love for Ross, but goes anyway (the movie's most irritating first-act nitpick).

Suddenly, Isaiah tries to shoot the president, but, after a chase, seems to have no memory of having done so. He goes to prison and Sam vows to find out what happened. There are several other instances of seeming mind-control, as President Ross tries to wrangle a treaty with Japan and several other countries, and the talks — which had previously been going well — begin to break down.

The diverse cast also includes the fascinating, lovely Shira Haas (Foxtrot) as the president's security advisor, and a badass Black Widow. Xosha Roquemore (Precious) plays a Black, female Secret Service agent. Giancarlo Esposito plays a sneaky, sinister fellow called Sidewinder (who, I suspect, we might see again someday). And Takehiro Hira (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai) plays the Japanese Prime Minister. The movie keeps the Big Bad a secret for a while, so I won't say anything more about that.

The director is Nigerian-born Julius Onah, whose previous features The Cloverfield Paradox and Luce wouldn't suggest an artist ready for the Marvel Universe, especially given that the former was a muddled mess and the latter was talky and static. But he steps it up, providing Captain America: Brave New World with a graceful fluidity, especially in the flying scenes. The Red Hulk sequence, while short, is gripping and intense, especially when a wounded Sam crawls out from beneath a pile of rubble and finds the creature still standing; he knows he has nothing left.

Frankly, it's Mackie that makes all this work for me. He's an incredibly versatile actor, tough but funny and also quite vulnerable when it counts. He plays well with his cast members, creating a warm camaraderie when it counts, but also tension when it matters. He ranks near Paul Rudd's Ant-Man as perhaps one of the most lovable of the Marvel heroes, guys who are more or less reliant on a suit and their wits. Maybe it's appropriate that Mackie's first Cap movie is a bit jerry-rigged and imperfect. While the shield itself may be perfectly crafted and balanced, the same can't really be said for this movie, but it's messy and human and it has a big heart, perfect for Valentine's Day.