This film is a direct sequel to “The Incredible Hulk,” and has some of the most forgettable characters brought back into the fold in the hope of future riches
Captain America: Brave New World
Film: Captain America: Brave New World
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Harrison Ford, Shira Haas, Xosha
Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson
Director: Julius Onah
Rating: 2.5/5
Runtime: 119 min.
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The fourth standalone ‘Captain America’ film, directed by Julius Onah, is the first to feature Mackie in the title role and also has Harrison Ford in a pivotal role as the president of the United States who loses control of himself, morphs into the powerful Red Hulk and proceeds to destroy Washington, D.C.
After 2019’s Avengers Endgame, Disney’s grand design has been disastrous to say the least. After 35 movies and several series, the MCU appears to have lost the plot. This lackluster Marvel entry with its complicated storyline doesn’t seem inspired enough to give the audience a good time.
Sam Wilson is the new Captain America,who has to discover the motive behind a nefarious global plan. Sam Wilson, is in fact tasked by President Ross, with rebuilding the Avengers in order to defend the world from extraterrestrial shenanigans. But there’s an internal threat looming large too. The newly elected President of the United States an egotist with self-serving goals, is most hated for his unfeeling ruthlessness. Even his own daughter doesn’t love him. His ability to transform into a monster at will puts the country's infrastructure at risk. It’s hard to imagine that Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, ascended to commander-in-chief on the bogey of fighting off an ongoing alien threat.
All hell breaks loose after Sam brings his sidekick Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) and former super soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), to the White House for an international reception. Isaiah suddenly attempts to shoot the president, one in a series of events, as part of the global plot engineered by scientist Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), last seen in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
Mayhem ensues, when Captain America and Torres battle it out with several fighter jets - with the villainous Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) spicing it up. Meanwhile, President Ross is pining for his estranged daughter (Liv Tyler) and Ross’ badass female security chief (Shira Haas) also gets into action.
This film is a direct sequel to “The Incredible Hulk,” and has some of the most forgettable characters brought back into the fold in the hope of future riches. The movie is politically befuddled, creatively torpid and just plain stupid. It’s neither good nor bad, it’s just indifferent to the needs of a new age audience. Though topical (as you may well have realised) the film is listless and unengaging. “Brave New World” fails to live up to expectations as it tries too hard to recapture past glory. And in a deja vu moment Anthony Mackie’s Captain America fights off a CGI villain in a climactic fight scene that looks eerily familiar.
The lead character’s lack of depth is a sore point and it’s a real pity that the new generation of Marvel characters fail to live up to the illustrious legacy they inherited.
