Captain America: Brave New World is the perfect watch for those who love to say, “I told you so.”
On Feb. 14, Marvel Studios debuted its latest addition to the superhero movie franchise—a new Captain America film. Starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, which follows Steve Rogers’ passing of the torch at the end of Avengers: Endgame.
Captain America has been a symbol of power, patriotism and American ideals since the character first appeared in the 1940s comics. The character was designed to represent the best of America, though he has often been criticized for perpetuating stereotypes and casual racism.
Given the current political and social climate in the United States, the introduction of Sam Wilson as Captain America had the potential to be something truly powerful and innovative.
Sam, a Black man, stepping into the mantle of such an iconic hero could have provided a poignant commentary on race, representation, and what it means to embody the ideals of America. However, this opportunity was largely squandered in Brave New World. The power behind the symbol of Captain America is overshadowed by a predictable plot and the introduction of controversial characters, such as Sabra, an Israeli superhero who has been rightfully criticized for her negative portrayal of Arab people.
Marvel had countless potential storylines to explore with this film. Instead, they chose to lean into a political narrative that feels forced and out of place. Why debut a controversial character through a superhero who is already going to face scrutiny due to his race? The movie becomes a political spectacle, missing the exciting action fans crave. The film also suffers from the familiar trope of the hero being defeated repeatedly before giving a climactic speech that ties everything together. It’s a plot that we’ve seen countless times.
If that wasn’t cheesy enough, we’re also treated to poorly explained mind control tactics and an oversized, red Hulk with an inexplicable love for cherry blossoms.
The most compelling character in the film is Carl Lumbly’s portrayal of Isaiah Bradley. However, his character is locked in prison for the majority of the film, which could have been a powerful opportunity for Marvel to make a statement about race and injustice in America. Instead, the narrative focuses more on Sabra, the Israeli Zionist heroine, thus sidelining an important conversation about Black history and heroism. This is just another example of the film’s missed opportunities.
Brave New World is a whirlwind of clichéd superhero tropes and wasted potential. It fails to deliver what anyone truly wants from a superhero movie, especially given that this is the first time Sam Wilson is stepping into the iconic role of Captain America.
Fans want to see their heroes rise to the occasion, perform awe-inspiring feats, and defeat villains in spectacular fashion. Captain America is meant to represent the best of the country, embodying the ideals of justice, freedom and courage. And, as much as we may want to believe in our heroes, we don’t want to see them fail over and over again—especially not for nearly two hours.
The entire movie feels like a repetitive cycle: Captain America fights the bad guy, loses, tries to talk them down, and finally wins.
Where is the bad-assery we witnessed from Sam Wilson in the Avengers movies? The action, the stakes, and the emotional resonance simply aren’t there. Instead, we get a predictable, recycled plot that never feels as dynamic as it should. This is especially disappointing because Sam Wilson, as Captain America, should represent a fresh, bold direction for the character—one that we’ve seen glimpses of, but never fully realized.
Copy edited by Manuel Nocera
