Alright, let’s talk about Captain America: Brave New World. First off, it’s not quite your typical Marvel superhero movie. Sure, there’s action, explosions, CGI, and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) being the peacemaker we know he is, but at its core, this is a political thriller with a superhero coating. Unlike Winter Soldier which was a superhero movie with a political thriller coating. Think Jack Ryan, but with a lot of tech, and some emotional punches.

The story kicks off with the newly elected President Thaddeus Ross – now played by Harrison Ford, after the passing of William Hurt. President Ross seems far more agreeable here than in previous appearances, but before you know it, he’s at the center of an international incident that spirals into a full-blown global conspiracy. The stakes are high, the plot is solid, and the action sequences are pretty satisfying. But here’s the thing – while the movie delivers on the thrills, it doesn’t quite balance out with the emotional beats as well as I was hoping for. I love Sam Wilson as Captain America, and Joaquim (Danny Ramirez) is a great addition as the new falcon, but I didn’t feel as invested in their journeys as I wanted to be. It’s like the movie was so focused on being a political thriller that it forgot that we’re not connected with all the characters on a deeper level. The performances do a lot to bridge the two, Ford and Lumbly are at home in this Tom Clancy style movie but for this movie to work better, Ross needed to be a consistant presence in the broader MCU, one we saw skimming and do shady sh*t that would have us doubt his “Together” campaign slogan and given even more weight to his arc.

Now, let’s talk about Ruth (played by Shira Haas). She’s tiny, with an almost childlike figure, but somehow she absolutely owns her action scenes. Here’s where I get a little conflicted. Going into this movie, I was so worried about how it would turn out. There’s been so much pressure on this film to be more than just a good political thriller with superhero themes, it feels like it has to be a groundbreaking masterpiece, or else it’s labeled as a failure. And honestly, that pressure kind of dampened my enjoyment. I found myself over-analyzing every scene, wondering if this was part of the reshoots or if that plot point was changed last minute. Knowing about the behind-the-scenes chaos made me hyper-aware of the seams, and that’s not really fair to the movie itself.

And then there’s the CGI. Oh boy. There’s a particular scene near the end involving Sam and Ross that just… doesn’t look great in the wide shots. It’s the scorpion king in The Mummy Returns levels of bad, and it’s definitely noticeable, especially in a movie that nailed the Red Hulk’s visual effects. It’s a shame because it pulls you out of what should be a climactic moment. Red Hulk looks good but his surrounding looks like sh*t.

All in all, Captain America: Brave New World is a decent entry in the Marvel universe. It’s got a solid story, some great action, and a few standout performances. But it’s missing that emotional core that makes you really care about what’s happening. It’s a good political thriller with superhero elements, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights set for it by some. If you go in with tempered expectations, you’ll probably enjoy it – just don’t expect it to blow your mind.

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Rating: 7 out of 10.

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