“Captain America: Brave New World” might be just the kind of thing segments of our polarized US citizens are railing against yet this may give the other side a reason for hope. Anthony Mackie certainly rises to the challenge as the new Captain America and director Julius Onah takes advantage of his soulful brown eyes although the screenplay doesn’t always serve the actors well.

The screenplay was done by committee: Rob Edwards (“Treasure Planet” and “The Princess and the Frog”), Malcolm Spellman (“Empire” and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”), Dalan Musson (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”), Onah and Peter Glanz. 

Mackie first appeared as the Falcon in the 2014 “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” A former USAF pararescueman, Sam Wilson has acquired a Falcon wingpack and helps Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) in his battle against Hydra.  Rogers’ former best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is the titular Winter Soldier. Although presumed dead, Bucky Barnes had actually been brainwashed to work for Hydra. 

Rogers and Wilson decide to rescue Barnes. Barnes’ story continues in “Captain American: Civil War” where Tony Stark discovers that Barnes killed his parents and destroys Barnes’ robotic arm, but Rogers disables Stark’s Iron Man armor and takes Barnes to safety.  In the mid-credits scene for “Captain America: Civil War,” Barnes is granted asylum in Wakanda and is put into cryogenic sleep until his brainwashing can be erased.

Mackie’s Sam Wilson appears in:

• “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015)
• “Ant-Man” (2015)
• “Captain America: Civil War” (2016)
• “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
• “Avengers: Endgame” (2019)

Wilson’s friendship with Bucky builds in the 2021 TV series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” in which they team up to fight anti-patriots (the Flag Smashers) who believe the world was better during the Blip. It’s during this time that Mackie’s Wilson must contend with John Walker/Captain America (Wyatt Russell) who was chosen by the US government to replace Steve Rogers because the government did not want a Black man to be Captain America. However, Rogers passed the shield to Wilson in “Endgame.”

Eventually, Walker is found to be unworthy and becomes US Agent under the supervision of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine  (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Wilson takes up the shield and learns how to use it with his Falcon backpack. 

The series also introduces Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) and Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez). Bradley, a Korean War veteran was a Black super soldier, who after taking the super serum was imprisoned by the federal government and experimented on for 30 years. Torres, in turn, is a chatty guy who is learning how to be Falcon. Because of Wilson, Torres comes under the tutelage of Bradley. 

Under the direction of Kari Skogland, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” TV series is well-paced with well-choreographed action segments. The antagonism between the Falcon and the Winter Soldier is defrosted while the bromance between Wilson and Torres is developed. There’s a lot of joy in this series, but the focus on male heroes is balanced by the focus on family. We meet Wilson’s family and Barnes is welcomed into their lives. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is currently streaming on Disney+ and was nominated for five Primetime Emmys. Mackie won Best Hero and Mackie and Stan won Best Duo awards at the 2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards. 

Captain America: Brave New World

You don’t need to have seen “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” to understand what’s happening in Mackie’s first feature film outing as Captain America. “Captain America: Brave New World” might have played as more of a cartoon in another era, but now it seems more like a metaphor given the current presidential administration and the chaos that has rolled out and roiled the US and the world. 

People growling against DEI (Diversity Equity Inclusion) might find this as just more to grumble and growl about. They will miss or want to dismiss the significance of Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley. Bradley reminds us of two significant issues: The desegregation of the US military forces started with the Korean War and affected mainly Black soldiers since Chinese American and Filipino American soldiers were not limited to segregated units during World War II. Lumbly’s African American soldier also reminds us of the horror of US-led medical experimentation, most infamously on Black men (Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis Study from 1932 to 1972) but also on prisoners (Ohio Penitentiary), military forces (Operation Whitecoat) and people in foreign countries (Guatemala).  

Yet with all the diversity that this film presents with the bromance of Mackie’s Captain America and Ramirez’ Torres, the film begins with our eyes on a White man: Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Harrison Ford replaces William Hurt (1950-2022) who played the character in the MCU from 2008 to 2021. 

• “The Incredible Hulk” (2008)
• “Captain America: Civil War” (2016)
• “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
• “Avengers: Endgame” (2019)
• “Black Widow” (2021)

In “The Incredible Hulk,” Hurt’s Ross was a general. His daughter, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) was Bruce Banner’s ex-girlfriend who works as a cellular biologist. Banner (played by Edward Norton but later replaced by Mark Ruffalo in later MCU outings) broke up with her because of his condition.

From “Captain America: Civil War” to “Black Widow,” Ross is the Secretary of State.

Now, at the very beginning of “Captain America; Brave New World,” Ross has just been elected president and is about to go on stage to give his acceptance speech. Ross asks, “Anything from Betty, my daughter?” But apparently, Betty was a no-show during his campaign and doesn’t call to offer congratulations.

Ross tells the crowd and the cameras that “tonight America has spoken” and while he mentions the Blip, he also notes that “the threats we face show no sign of slowing down.” 

Five month later, Captain America is on a mission in Oaxaca, Mexico. He’s after a mysterious package, but there are hostages. Although he’s only authorized to retrieve the package, would he even be a super hero if he left hostages, particularly when its helpless priests and nuns? Sending Torres as Falcon after the package, Captain America saves the hostages.

Yet the adversary he meets here, the Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), is just the kind of think you’d want for the Year of the Snake, but why release it on Valentine’s Day unless we want to start the male equivalent to Galentine. 

Back to our film. The package is something pilfered from the Japanese government. Since the US can’t break the tight hold Wakanda has on the nearly indestructible vibranium, the US and other nations are interested in the rare adamantium found on the Celestial Island which is in the seas of Asia. 

Note: The Celestial Island looks creepily like a humanoid form. 

In any case, Captain America is invited by President Ross to the White House because Ross believe the world needs the Avengers. Disney does, too. Damn those Sokovia Accords (United Nations legal documents that supposedly regulate the activities of “enhanced” individuals that you and I know as super heroes. See the 2016 “Captain America: Civil War” for more on that). 

Wilson brings Torres and Isaiah Bradley to the White House. Wilson takes a selfie of these three amigos, but when Torres attempts to send it to Bradley, something goes wrong. More goes wrong, with the three go into a room to sit amongst various diplomats and other politicians as Ross opens up the Celestial Island World Summit. Here the audience learns about the Celestial Island and admantium. But Bradley and a few others bring the proceedings to a close by shooting at the president who was luckily behind glass.

Wilson manages to prevent the police and security guards from killing Bradley who seems disoriented. Soon Wilson with the help of computer wiz Torres learns that Bradley was under some type of mind control. 

The goal then becomes discovering who is behind the mind control and what is their ultimate goal while preventing warfare from breaking out between the US and Japan.

Of course, Wilson will have to battle with his demons because people tell him he’s not Steve Rogers. Surprises await him at Camp Echo One.

Considering the times, there seems to be a slight demonization of statistical information and science which I wished where somehow balanced against good scientist and science. There are a few questionable moments where I wondered why cherry blossoms have become the necessary signal that the scene has changed to Japan unless we’re in DC. Does the production designer really think that water lilies (typically June to September) bloom at the same time as cherry blossoms (March to mid-April in Japan) in Tokyo? 

Other things I wondered: Why does Japan not have its own superhero? Why does Japan, like South Korea (Black Panther), have to be saved by American super heroes? 

Moreover, there was a White House speech where I thought the flags were US, France, Italy and Japan. I wondered why. 

While some criticized the line: “If we can’t see the good in each other, then we’ve already lost the fight,” I thought this was a particularly good point for these times. Toward the end, as the middle sagged a bit and we were waiting for the well-advertised appearance of Red Hulk, I could not help thinking: What if the people at Marvel had decided to go with orange instead of red, imagine how this film would play. 

In any case, “Captain America: Brave New World” is a solid action film that delivers good entertainment and diversity, particularly for Black and Latino Americans. I love looking at Mackie’s face and Onah gives us lots of close ups. As I mentioned, the story falters a bit in the middle and you’d think more could have been done with Betty Ross, but ends well. The dialogue is fun, but could be wittier. Mackie has good chemistry with both Stan and Ramirez. So I look forward to more movies with either bromance. If you can, watch the TV series before you go. Stay for the post-credits scene. 

“Captain America: Brave New World” premiered on 11 February 2025 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood (Los Angeles), California. This Phase Five of the MCU will be released on 14 February 2025.