Summary
Having not watched the trailer, I went into the cinema with zero knowledge of Captain America: Brave New World. There were expectations, of course, as the previous Captain America trilogy was an incredible part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and some of my favourite films in the franchise. Having just gotten home from seeing the film, I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised.
Having not watched the trailer, I went into the cinema with zero knowledge of Captain America: Brave New World. There were expectations, of course, as the previous Captain America trilogy was an incredible part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and some of my favourite films in the franchise. Having just gotten home from seeing the film, I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised.
Old Marvel
Something that struck me as a surprise was the old-Marvel feeling of the film. There is no outlandish plot about the multiverse, no super-enhanced hero, just a classic action-filled, no-nonsense story that felt like the classic phase two stories Marvel seems to have outgrown. Sam Wilson, our new Captain America, stayed close to the ground throughout the film, despite his high-powered wings.
Critiques
That being said, a few questions popped up as I watched.
First of all, for the first time, Marvel elected to not use its famous comic intro. A devastation, since this intro is a classic, something that made the Marvel films cohesive.
The timeline is slightly confusing. The film is obviously set after the events of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and The Eternals, however, the question of how some of the characters had gotten to the state they are in is left unanswered.
They bring aspects of The Incredible Hulk into play, a film that is 17 years old. No casual viewer will understand the references made, or remember the characters they bring back. This choice is a confusing one. Even a super-fan of the MCU would struggle to recall who is who, and what is what.
To add to this, after 17 years of The Hulk being known in the MCU, you would think the government officials of this world would have figured out how to handle a Hulk, or at least have noticed that guns do not do anything to harm one. Yet, as seen in this film, such progress has not been made. A small issue, yes, but it still took me out of the immersion to ponder.
The Good in the Bad
Whilst I found it commendable that the film did not make Sam into a super soldier, as it made his character vulnerable and human, the installation of vibranium into his suit and wings made him ever so slightly overpowered. For the first half of the film, Sam felt untouchable, indestructible. It was only when he had his vibranium suit ripped from him that he felt real. For Captain America to not be super-powered is an interesting choice, but when he has an indestructible shield, suit, and wings, it takes away from this choice.
The new Falcon, Joaquin Torres, was a very lovable character. He was the perfect person to take up the mantle, although why the MCU needs two heroes with wings is questionable. Additionally, the introduction of yet another ex-Black Widow made me feel as if I was watching The Winter Soldier again, with a Captain America, a Falcon, and a Black Widow making up the main cast. It made me smile, being reminded of that movie.
But what is a Captain America film without Bucky Barnes, a.k.a The Winter Soldier? The five minutes of screen time Bucky had was a high point in the film, and I would have loved for him to make another appearance but it was not to be.
3/5 Stars
Overall, I enjoyed Brave New World. It was a fun watch, and whilst I have been nitpicking, it made up for its faults in its story. As with any film, it had its lull in the middle, but it came back around. I would give this film a 3/5 stars, as it wasn’t the best Marvel film out there but it didn’t have me demanding my money back at the end.
If you’re into Marvel and are interested in the new phase it’s in, give Captain America: Brave New World a go.
Image Credit: Marvel Studios
Braw Magazine co-editor for Stirling University’s Brig and a third year English and Journalism student.
