Marvel enter a brave new world with a few old tricks.

When Avengers: Endgame and the first chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to a dramatic close, it really did feel like the exiting of one familiar world and the entering of an entirely new one. Whatever the expectations were for this brave new world, however, it’s safe to say it hasn’t gone quite the way Marvel would’ve wanted.

There are many reasons why the post-Endgame MCU hasn’t entirely clicked, but the long and short of it is, almost six years on from Endgame, and Marvel Studios continue to struggle to live up to their own lofty expectations. There have been plenty of ups but just as many downs, and for a brand built on consistency, it’s hard not to look at it all as at least a little disappointing.

Nothing in this new MCU era has captured this erratic, inconsistent energy quite like the production of Captain America: Brave New World. This is a film that has shifted its approach and altered its appearance several times since it was first given the green light, and one that’s honestly lucky to have made it to the big screen at all.

But now that it’s finally here, can Brave New World buck its low expectations and give the MCU the super soldier serum hit it so sorely needs?

After meeting with newly elected US President, Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of a highly charged international incident. With the clock ticking and the planet on the brink of war, Sam must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

If you’re going into Captain America: Brave New World hoping it to be Marvel Studio’s triumphant return to its big hitting pre-Endgame form, you’ll more than likely leave disappointed. If, however, you’re just looking for some good, solid MCU entertainment, you’re likely to come away far more satisfied.

In the grand pantheon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Brave New World is very much a mid-table effort. Solid and relatively simple in both its ambition and execution, Brave New World makes no real attempt to push the boat out, ultimately feeling more akin to one of the franchise’s relatively straightforward Phase One efforts.

These relative simplicities feel like both a blessing and a curse for Brave New World. After the recent bloat of both the MCU and the wider superhero movie world, there’s a lot to be gained from a simpler, less overblown approach. And in that respect, Brave New World must be considered something of a success.

That said, such an overly simplistic approach does ultimately hold the whole movie back. Whether it’s the film’s wishy-washy politics, diluted message, or abbreviated plot, Brave New World’s paired down approach and the clear commotion behind the scenes have led to a scrappy result that does the story no favours whatsoever. 

Throughout the film, there are many fascinating points brought forth, however, the script seems reluctant to fully engage with any of them in a significant way. There’s undoubtedly something to be said within Brave New World’s highly charged setup, but whether the reluctance to do so is due to reshoots or Marvel/Disney’s general reluctance to engage in hot button political topics, the result is a script and a narrative that’s far, far less brave than it could (or should) have been.

With regards to those much publicised reshoots, it’s hard to ignore the scars the troubled process has left all over the finished product. Although far from a disaster, and certainly far less of an issue than some similar problem productions of the past, you can quite clearly tell that Brave New World really went through the wringer behind the scenes.

Whether it’s tonal inconsistencies, editing wobbles, or basic story issues, the film certainly shows signs of wear and tear and has quite clearly changed shape several times since it was first announced. Despite these glaring issues, the film itself is more than serviceable and the sheer fact that it made it at all is to be commended, however, when you think about the Winter Soldier-esque political thriller we were initially promised, the end product is ultimately a tad underwhelming.

The real victim with Brave New World is undoubtedly its writing. In terms of both plot and characterisation, the film is clunky, erratic, and always feels like its holding itself back from its own potential.

Coming in at a surprisingly swift two hour run time, Brave New World’s narrative feels oddly truncated. Things happen and the plot ticks along rather quickly but there are clear logic gaps and plot holes throughout that, paired with some awkward exposition-heavy dialogue, result in an inconsistent and somewhat scrappy finished film.

As a product of this, the characters themselves end up a bit of a mixed bag, with some feeling well looked after while others are left rather short changed. As the lead in this brave new Captain America world, Anthony Mackie steps behind the shield very well indeed, and while it takes a minute to adjust to not having Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers around, the transition is a relatively smooth one, as Mackie proves himself a worthy successor to the Cap mantle.

Undoubtedly, there are moments when the story begins to shift away from him and often finds itself feeling more like a Hulk story than a Captain America one, yet Mackie manages to hold things together pretty well for the most part. Try as he might though, the further Brave New World’s story goes on, the more it winds up feeling like a Hulk sequel, mainly through the sheer presence of Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross.

Despite these issues, it’s hard not to have a legend like Harrison Ford in your film (as President, no less) and it not be a distraction to some extent. Harrison Ford is quite simply Harrison Ford and is, as one might expect, pretty excellent here as Ross. Much like Mackie, Ford has some sizeable shoes to fill as he takes over the role from the late, great William Hurt, and while it takes a moment to adjust to the new look and feel of the now moustache-less character, once you’re locked in, it’s kind of perfect.

Bringing the level of gravitas and grumpiness we’ve all come to expect from a Harrison Ford performance, there are some wonderful character moments going on here. Whether they’re call backs to the characters appearances in The Incredible Hulk and Civil War or new emotional elements added to the character, Ford’s President Ross is an effective ally and an imposing antagonist for Mackie’s Sam Wilson, managing to elevate the entire film in the process.

The seamless, effortless, and wholly enthusiastic way that notorious grouch Harrison Ford has transitioned into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the ripe old age of 82 is perhaps the film’s most pleasing element. Ford could so easily have phoned it in, however, not only does he avoid this, but his performance is also the true highlight of Brave New World, as he’s clearly enjoying himself and even managing to embrace the movie’s action when necessary.

For its part, Brave New World’s action is pretty damn decent, and while the film’s visual pallet is somewhat plain, its action is thankfully much livelier and much more visually engaging.

Evoking Winter Soldier without ever quite landing all its punches, Brave New World’s fight choreography is nevertheless rather impressive, making the hand-to-hand combat feel admirably physical, all while leaning into Sam Wilson’s unique skillset and fighting style. Sure, there are plenty of huge CGI-heavy action sequences throughout, however, it’s Brave New World’s lower-key and more tactile moments that really stand out.

So yes, it certainly doesn’t touch Winter Soldier or Civil War in the Captain America rankings, however, there’s a lot to appreciate there with Brave New World. Exceptionally solid is perhaps the best way to describe what Brave New World has to offer, and while there’s no ignoring the film’s glaring issues, it manages to get the MCU back on a firm footing after years of lofty multiverse shenanigans.

Considering just how wrong things could’ve gone after all the tumultuous production shenanigans, the fact that Captain America: Brave New World not only made it to the big screen at all, but is actually very decent, is rather remarkable. It’s certainly not on Winter Soldier or Civil War’s level and with some clunky writing and a truncated plot, it’s far from perfect, yet there’s a lot to like in its simple, strait-laced early-MCU nature. And after the franchise’s bloat in recent years, such relative simplicities are very much appreciated.