Sommerleigh Pollonais, Senior Writer
Warning: Mild Spoilers Ahead
General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) is the President of the United States. He’s a man on a mission of redemption due to his fractured relationship with his daughter Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) after the events of The Incredible Hulk (2008), his part in creating the Sokovia Accords and some hidden past sins that leads him to wanting to form a new team of Avengers.
This causes him to contact Sam Wilson AKA the new Captain America (Anthony Mackie) with the hope they can put the past behind them and work together. But after Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) uses mind control technology to Manchurian Candidate “the Forgotten Captain America” Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) into the attempted assassination of Ross, all plans for togetherness goes out the window.
So, let’s talk about the shiny side of the shield first. This movie starts on the right footing with a strong opening action sequence that grabbed my attention. The cinematography, editing and Cap’s eye-catching (and comic accurate costume) as well as the introduction of Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder all work well to pull you in.
Another fun addition is Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, the new Falcon. His energetic performance reminds me of Iman Vellani (Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel). You can tell he’s excited to be a part of the Marvel universe and his chemistry with Anthony Mackie is rock solid which makes him perfect for the part. The VFX for the Red Hulk was another winner as well as those used in the aerial fight sequence between Captain America, Falcon and the fighter jets. It’s the stuff Marvel fans hope for and in this respect the films deliver.
Anthony Mackie as Captain America is a bit of a mixed bag for me, but to his credit I think the problem lies more in the way his role feels boxed in by the writing, than anything he’s doing himself. He’s not merely trying to imitate Chris Evans; he genuinely makes the character his own. But that said – and before you pull out the torches, keep in mind everyone is entitled to their own opinion – I think he lacks the screen presence necessary to stand out in the role. It’s an issue I’ve found with him time (Altered Carbon) and time (Outside the Wire) and time again (Elevation), and I just think he works better in roles when he’s not the main focus.
That said he’s by and far the least of the issues I found with this movie. Not only does the directing feel uninspired overall, but the writing lacks any imagination and plays out more like a checklist of items being ticked off as it goes along.
The conclusion sort of just happens with the Red Hulk doing exactly what the green one does, which is smash and destroy everything, and honestly for me this was the films biggest letdown besides wasting the likes of Harrison Ford. We could’ve gotten Indiana Jones meets Air Force One levels of energy and instead we got this! Red Hulk is supposed to be a brilliant tactician BECAUSE it’s Ross behind the wheel, so why dumb him down to just another HULK SMASH character!
They also throw in a lot of things here that feel like they lack purpose such as another Widow in the form of Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph. Samuel Sterns (also known as supervillian The Leader) sleepwalks through this and has an awful design that I spent more time trying NOT to look at than anything else. And the Serpent Society (who were supposed to have had a bigger part to play in the first draft of the script) are relegated to being mini bosses that, beyond Giancarlo Esposito, no one is going to remember.
But probably the biggest mistake this movie makes is how much they tip-toe around the social ramifications of Sam being the new Captain America. While conversations do occur, they go nowhere; the film treads carefully so as to avoid offending anyone and thusly we’re left with a story that feels underdeveloped and I daresay, lacking any real heart. A big part of me wishes the Russo brothers who crafted the near perfect Captain America: The Winter Soldier, were the ones given the reins here as I can’t help but feel they would’ve taken these meagre ingredients and given us something truly satisfying to chew on.
At one point I wondered if the problem was me. Maybe after so many television shows and films from this universe, I’m starting to feel some wear and tear. But then again, I thoroughly enjoyed Agatha All Along, I’m in love with Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and I’m excited as hell for Thunderbolts. So no, I don’t’ think this it’s me and I don’t think this is a bad movie; it’s just an uneven one that wastes its potential to truly stand out in the MCU.
Sommer’s Score: 6 out of 10
Have you seen Brave New World? How would you rate it? And you check out more MCU content below:
Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More