Phil Roberts 
Captain America: Brave New World is a thrilling mix of incredible highs and disappointing lows. Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford deliver SENSATIONAL performances, but they can’t hide the Hulk-sized bumps in the road.
It’s time for our first MCU adventure of the year in Captain America: Brave New World. After Deadpool & Wolverine was left to fly the flag for the franchise last year, 2025 is slipping back into gear with three MCU projects heading our way – and what better way to kick-start our Marvel year than with a new Captain America movie? With Chris Evans passing the torch to Anthony Mackie, all eyes are on the new Captain America to hit the ground running and return us to the glory days of the Marvel Universe. But can Sam Wilson genuinely emerge from the shadow of Steve Rogers and deliver the adventure we are hoping for? Or is Brave New World our first disappointment of the year?
REVIEW
Well, Marvel fans, I’m sorry to report that Captain America: Brave New World is a thrilling mixed bag of incredible highs and disappointing lows. Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford deliver SENSATIONAL performances but can’t hide the Hulk-sized bumps in the road. Some characters are criminally undercooked, while others dazzle in their limited screen time. The action is crisp, epic, and fun, the score is disappointing and lacks the familiar brilliance of Henry Jackman, and the CGI both dazzles and disappoints. In the end, it’s a fun but flawed Marvel popcorn movie.
SUPERHERO FATIGUE?
I’ve never been one to subscribe to the term “superhero fatigue,” but the landscape of the MCU has definitely changed in the years since Avengers Endgame. As fans, we are accustomed to great adventures coming together to deliver an epic crescendo that raises the bar for everything that follows. Sadly, Endgame raised the bar so high that everything that followed paled in comparison. Marvel obviously recognized this trend and opted to push the pause button in 2024 in favor of righting the ship and pivoting back to the days of solid storytelling.
With Brave New World kick-starting this next phase of the MCU, fans will expect great things from its narrative, and for the most part, it has solid foundations. The plot feels hauntingly familiar to the previous Captain America movies but lacks the depth to reach their standards. However, unlike the recent Marvel releases, this adventure picks up the breadcrumbs left in The Incredible Hulk, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and The Eternals to form the first chapter in a bigger adventure.
THE BIG PICTURE
Picking up the unresolved plot threads from past movies and expanding the sandbox gives Sam Wilson’s first solo outing a solid foundation – and he deserves no less. After playing sidekick to Steve Rogers for five movies, Sam finally emerged as a hero in his own right and took over the mantle of Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. But here, Mackie finally grabs the bull by the horns and emerges as the true hero he was destined to be. Stepping up to the plate would be daunting for some, but Mackie’s charisma makes this transition seamless. Mackie truly embodies the spirit of Captain America, and he fills Chris Evans’ boots with relative ease.
Helping Mackie reach for the brass ring and hammer home the win is the always-reliable Harrison Ford. After the tragic passing of William Hurt, the future of Thaddeus Ross in the MCU was uncertain. But when an actor of Ford’s caliber steps up to fill the role, the decision to continue his story arc is a no-brainer, and Ford delivers another masterclass here. Ford transforms into Thaddeus Ross in front of our eyes and adds new levels of depth to the character. Ford imbues Ross with a vulnerable quality that makes him relatable, even when he becomes the President of the United States.
HARRISON FORD
Ford’s charisma aligns perfectly with Mackie’s; their interactions crackle with energy that practically leaps off the screen. These two actors complement one another beautifully, bringing out the best in each other, and when they engage in a battle of wits, the chemistry is nothing short of electric. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast doesn’t shine quite as brightly—many of them are sadly underutilized, missing the opportunity to fully demonstrate their talents.
The first character to take a hit is Seth Voelker / Sidewinder. Bringing Giancarlo Esposito into the MCU is a big score for the studio, and you’d think they’d make use of his talent. Instead, he ends up in a pretty limited role, even though he’s one of the best parts of the film. Sidewinder is a perfect match for Cap, and their showdowns feel just as intense as those between Steve Rogers and the Winter Soldier. They really complement each other, and if this is only the start of their battles, let’s hope we get to see a lot more of them.
UNDERCOOKED CHARACTERS
Frustratingly, even Samuel Sterns/The Leader ends up on the sidelines for most of the film. Bringing Tim Blake Nelson back to pick up Sterns’s storyline from The Incredible Hulk added a much-needed dose of intrigue to the film, especially for the fans. However, while we learn about his journey over the years, his character feels underdeveloped. His motivations come across as a little weak, his powers are toned down, and he doesn’t quite capture the essence of the comic character we know and love.
The only character to duck the trend is Danny Ramirez who reprises his role as Joaquin Torres / Falcon. Picking up where he left off in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Ramirez grows into the role of Falcon and gets to take flight in all his glory. The actor feels at home in the MCU and delivers many of the best lines in the film. In truth, his energy is infectious, and he serves as our window into the story. Like us, the fans, Ramirez is a fanboy living his dream of becoming a superhero, and this eager energy makes him instantly relatable.
LESS THAN SUPER CGI
I mentioned at the top of this review that the cast’s performances weren’t necessarily an issue. Instead, the ropey CGI proved to be the film’s Achilles heel, and sadly, the effects let the film down. Luckily, these issues are mostly found in the flying and action scenes, but when they pop up, it really pulls you out of the movie. One of the most obvious examples is when Sam Wilson surfs on a missile—yeah, that actually happens! But the bad CGI makes the scene feel cheap and superficial.
At the other end of the spectrum is the masterful animation used to bring Red Hulk to life. I’m deliberately keeping plot points about the character to a minimum to preserve your viewing experience. But let’s say the long wait to see the big red monster is well worth the time invested. Although his screen time is criminally limited, the effects used to transform Harrison Ford into the hulking monster are exceptional. Ford famously hated wearing the motion capture apparatus for the film, but it certainly doesn’t show. His transformation is glorious, and once fully transformed, the likeness to Ford is incredibly detailed. The animation here is flawless and puts the rest of the film to shame.
POOR SCORE
Speaking of shame, those of us hoping to hear Henry Jackman’s familiar music will be disappointed. After his impressive scores for the previous two Captain America films and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it’s only natural to expect him to return and build on that continuity. Unfortunately, Jackman isn’t back for this installment. Instead, series newcomer Laura Karpman, who scored The Marvels, takes the helm for this soundtrack. Regrettably, the result is a noticeable step-down. While Karpman’s score has an energetic and vibrant feel, it ultimately seems out of sync with the events on screen, leading to the dismissal of Jackman’s brilliant themes in favor of a fresh sound that doesn’t quite fit.
It’s a massive shame, and the film’s tone suffers as a result. Jackman’s themes have been a massive part of Sam’s journey in the MCU, so it feels strange that his first solo outing completely abandons those elements to start fresh. I get that Marvel wants to shake things up, but it seems weird to change the formula when it is already working well.
VERDICT
Overall, Captain America: Brave New World does a great job of bringing back that classic MCU vibe with its gripping storyline, fantastic action scenes, and exciting spectacle. However, it doesn’t quite hit the same level as some of the earlier movies. While Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford elevate the film with their larger-than-life performances, the supporting characters are criminally undercooked and are banished to the sidelines. The CGI is exceptional in places while being horrendous in others, and the score is a bitter disappointment.
While the film does revert the Marvel formula to its glory days, its failings undo a lot of the effort that went into it. Ultimately, it’s a fun ride, but it doesn’t give us anything new, especially when you compare it to Marvel’s big hitters. While Captain America: Brave New World isn’t the worst in the MCU, it doesn’t meet earlier films’ standards. But with Cap and Red Hulk in glorious form, it’s a fun but disposable popcorn movie that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen you can find.
It’s great to have Cap back…I just expected more.
Captain America: Brave New World explodes into cinemas everywhere on February 14th.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
