*** Caution. Spoilers ahead***
Captain America: Brave New World has finally landed in theaters, and it did not disappoint. Marvel Studio’s latest film sees Anthony Mackie lead his first feature in the Marvel Universe as the superhero Sam Wilson sporting the stars and stripes.
In this action-packed movie, Captain America faces off against a manipulative Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), known as the Leader in the comic books. Determined to destroy the legacy of President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) after feeling betrayed by him, Sterns uses mind manipulation tactics to wreak havoc, ultimately creating and unleashing Ross’ Red Hulk onto the world. Nelson reprises his role as Sterns, which he originally played in The Incredible Hulk in 2008.
Like Steve Rogers had his Falcon in Sam Wilson, Wilson now has an ally in Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) as his Falcon. Wilson is training Torres, and together, the duo teams up to stop Sterns and all the chaos he has unleashed.
Mackie and Ramirez make a great team on screen. Ramirez’s Falcon has a young, eager, fun, and overly confident personality, which balances Mackie’s Captain America, whose more reserved and serious personality is a natural result of inheriting the major responsibility of being the American superhero and face of the country. His doubts about his ability to be Captain America, first seen in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, continue playing out in this film.
Even with Mackie and Ramirez as protagonists in the story, it is Ford who really takes center stage. His performance was so good it was hard not to focus on him. Thaddeus Ross and the Red Hulk were just so much fun to watch.
Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, and Giancarlo Esposito join this stellar cast and give great performances, too. Liv Tyler makes a short appearance as Ross’ daughter Betty, a character she originally played in The Incredible Hulk, like Nelson, coming full circle.
One piece of information we get in this film that is worth noting, which had me super excited, is the revelation that the metal adamantium has been discovered inside the celestial being that the Eternals blocked from emerging in their film. Could this be the first clue we are getting for the new X-Men? I hope so!
This movie is entertaining and has a good pace, so it doesn’t feel too long. Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters now.
