Directed by: Julius Onah
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, Harrison Ford, Shira Haas, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito
The Marvel universe has lost its mojo. It's all "been there, done that" to the point that Captain America: Brave New World has a "Red Hulk" and the action scenes are a blur. Brave New World feels defeated even before it starts. If you recall the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, Captain America (Chris Evans) bequeathed his shield to "The Falcon" Sam Wilson. It made logical sense for Wilson to accept the role. Brave New World is Anthony Mackie's first movie holding the shield, but he didn't take the serum which made the previous Cap ageless and nearly impervious to pain. He can chuck the shield with the best of them, but he bleeds and bruises.
Captain America is summoned to the White House by his (and the Avengers') on-again, off-again ally Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (Ford), who was recently elected President. The president wants to reform the Avengers, citing the error of his ways from previous Marvel films where he broke them up for fear they will grow too powerful. Captain America is skeptical, but he's the President after all. Shortly after, Cap's longtime friend and the first "Super Soldier" (I missed where in the series that happened) Isaiah Bradley (Lumbly) is triggered by a song on his cell phone and attempts to assassinate Ross. Bradley is soon captured, remembering nothing of the incident, and wastes away in jail awaiting trial while Sam tries to find out who set up Bradley and why.
You're likely wondering how Ross soon morphs into the Red Hulk in the final thirty minutes. It turns out Dr. Sam Stearns (Nelson) gave Ross pills to cure his ailing heart without informing him that the medication contains gamma radiation which triggers the inner hulk of Ross when he's enraged, which occurs often in this film, although not enough to transform him into the big red monster whose pants miraculously stay on even when he changes from average-sized man to a twenty-foot tall Hulk. Then again, I recall Watchmen (2009) where the antagonist is a giant blue guy with his schlong hanging out for all to see.
The action is by rote. Mackie tries his best, but his Captain America is bland and through most of the movie. Ford is supposed to be Trump-like in his ability to spin out of control with anger. Cap is joined by a new Falcon Joaquin Torres (Ramirez), who is sidekick material and as virtuous as Captain America with a little wisenheimer thrown in. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) makes a cameo appearance, but none of the other Avengers are present. I think of the meme which shows an Avenger sleeping with a caption reading, "When the world is in danger, but it's not that Avenger's movie." Where exactly is Ant Man or the original green hulk when Captain America is battling the Japanese fleet in order to save the world? The meme makes a brilliant point.
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