Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

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"Captain America: Brave New World may not reach the high bar set by its direct predecessors, but it's far from the disaster some claim it to be.
Despite its evident production flaws, Julius Onah still manages to deliver moments of real entertainment, supported by a charismatic cast and well-crafted action sequences. Most importantly, Anthony Mackie's performance as Sam Wilson proves, without a doubt, that he was the right choice to wield the shield left behind by Steve Rogers. The actor perfectly captures the duality of being both a global symbol and a man still searching for his own path, bringing a unique approach to the legacy of the titular hero.
It may not be top-tier MCU, but it's a film worthy of being experienced on the big screen."
Rating: B

'Captain America: Brave New World' came close to pleasing me, but in the end I think it is not consistently enjoyable enough to be classed as something I'd want to watch again and/or recommend. There is quite a bit about it that I did like, but the down moments hurt the ups.
The cast and their characters are positives. I'm a big fan of Anthony Mackie's as he has done many roles in films that I've highly, highly enjoyed; interestingly, he has appeared in three of the fourteen films I've given a total 10/10 to. Here, he is very good in the titular part.
I'm not someone overly attached to Marvel and therefore Chris Evans' Captain America, so this new era doesn't hinder my interest in the lead character. I'm admittedly not wholly convinced Mackie is undoubtedly a perfect fit for the role, though his performance itself is perfectly watchable and fun enough.
Carl Lumbly's performance as Isaiah is great in this, he genuinely made me care quite a bit about Bradley; especially in the more emotive scenes. Danny Ramirez, Harrison Ford, Giancarlo Esposito (a little typecast still, sadly) and Tim Blake Nelson (albeit the weakest) are also pluses that I have for this movie.
My main issues lie with the plot and how it is told. There were too many moments where I could feel myself losing interest in events onscreen, most notably across the first half. The second half is better paced, if still not making for superb viewing. I was firmly awaiting the credits, which is never a good sign.
When I was locked on to the story, I did dig it. I particularly found the interactions/dynamics between characters to be solid, for example Cap with Carl, Joaquin and Seth. I just think what lets this down, unfortunately to a somewhat damaging degree, is that the plot just isn't quite good enough. A shorter run time (even though it isn't that long) may have helped, but I'm not sure.
I just realised that this is the first MCU film that I've scored below 7/10. That feels harsh, it isn't as bad as that sounds at all, but thinking about this and the other flicks from the franchise that I've rated similarly it is actually merited. 'The Incredible Hulk' and 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' were my bottom two, both are better films.