Captain America: Brave new world // by Julius Onah. With Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford and Danny Ramirez.
And I finally saw Captain America: Brave New World. I waited for the last session of my cinema and took my courage in both hands. The latest Marvel films were not great successes or immense successes like a time was. For the brand new adventures of the new Captain AmericaDisney called on Julius Onah to whom we owe the very nice The Cloverfield Paradox. I do not know what this director was done in this marked galley which clearly does not allow him to express anything on the screen if not reproducing the same drum as Marvel and Disney have been used for years (with a few exceptions).
Shortly after meeting the new president of the United States Thaddeus Ross, Sam Wilson finds himself plunged into the heart of a gigantic international incident. In a fierce fight against the clock, he finds himself forced to discover the reason for this infamous conspiracy before the real brain of the operation soon puts the whole world on fire and blood …
With the arrival of Captain America: Brave New Worldthe Marvel cinematographic universe continues its post-Endgame. This new opus marks an important step: that of Sam Wilson’s assertion in the iconic costume of Captain America. However, despite an interesting potential, the film seems to have trouble finding its own path. More than an adventure centered on his main hero, the feature film is more like a bridge to other projects. And this direction leaves an unfinished taste.
From the first minutes, a feeling of confusion settled. The film is struggling to establish a clear narrative line. Between references to The incredible hulk from 2008, winks to the series Falcon and the winter soldierand primers of new arcs (such as the appearance of Red Hulk or the introduction of a mysterious Israeli fighter), the story gives the impression of wanting to do too much, without really deepening anything. The narrative elements pile up on each other without real coherence, which makes the whole difficult to follow. Some characters seem to arise without real introduction or development. Others, however promising, are relegated to the background.
The result is a film where the issues seem unimportant, and the threats, quite impersonal. Sam Wilson was to be at the heart of this new era. Yet, Brave New World does nothing really new about it. For those who saw the Disney+series, the film does not offer real progression in the evolution of the character. The scenario does not explore its doubts, its moral positioning, or its adaptation to its new role. A missed opportunity, especially when you consider the potential richness of such a relay. Anthony Mackie, despite everything, delivers a sincere performance. His investment is obvious and gives a little soul to a role that deserves more consistent writing.
His duet with Joaquin Torres, embodied by Danny Ramírez, works well on the screen, revealing an interesting dynamic for the future. Among the new faces, few manage to mark permanently. Most lack thickness, and some even seem to have been added at the last minute. The character of Sidewinder, for example, makes a late and not very justified appearance, which gives the impression of an addition of the last minute badly integrated. Harrison Ford, in the role of Thunderbolt Ross, offers a performance that divides. If his presence on the screen brings a certain weight, we feel that he is not completely comfortable in such a physical role.
-The character of the Red Hulk, however rich in narrative possibilities, is barely touched. Again, we feel a desire to keep cards for future films, without really offering a material in it. As for Ruth Bat-Seraph, interpreted by Shira Haas, the character seems caricatural, almost forced. The idea of a strong woman is not the problem, but the treatment lacks credibility and balance. Result: a performance that sounds false, not because of the actress, but rather because of a badly written character.
Action side, Brave New World makes the expected minimum. The sequences are well choreographed, sometimes spectacular, but rarely surprising. The final offers a correct confrontation, even if it is struggling to generate a real suspense or a striking tension. The whole remains effective, without however reaching the intensity of a Winter soldier or even a Civil War. The assembly is more problematic. Several scenes seem to have been picked up without fluidity, which harms the readability of certain sequences. A defect that could be explained by the many rumors of late reshoots and rewritings.
The general feeling by leaving the room is that of a film which is used more to prepare the field than to tell an autonomous story. Brave New World seems to be an episode of transition between the current phase of the MCU and future projects as Thunderbolts. In this logic, the important elements for the development of Sam Wilson pass in the background. This choice to favor the establishment of future narrative arches at the expense of the present is not new to Marvel, but here it becomes particularly obvious.
By dint of building bridges towards tomorrow, the studio seems to forget to build something solid for today. Despite his faults, Captain America: Brave New World is not an unpleasant film. He remains viewable, especially if we agree to take it for what he is: an average action film, with a few successful scenes and an honest performance of his main actor. But for those who hoped for a new breath for the Captain America franchise, the disappointment is real.
Expectations may have been too high, especially after films like The winter soldier or Civil Warwhich had been able to combine political issues, narrative tensions and memorable action scenes. Captain America: Brave New World illustrates the difficulties that Marvel has encountered since the end ofEndgame. The extended universe no longer seems to know what direction to take, and each new release gives the impression of looking for a compass. The film is neither a disaster nor a success. He simply occupies a space, without really leaving his mark there.
Note : 5/10. In short, Despite the attachment to the character of Sam Wilson and the good will of his interpreters, Brave New World cannot impose itself as a significant chapter of the Marvel universe. For the moment, there is still a transitional film, pleasant at times, but quickly forgotten once the lights are turned on. It remains to be hoped that the next productions will offer a clearer and more daring vision.
Released on February 12, 2025 in the cinema
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