Review by K G Kline
"Welcome back. I always could spot a friend."
It's reboot season in Marveland. Disney is preparing to reboot the Avengers franchise with an all-new cast, which means over the next few years we will be seeing a lot of new superhero "origin" movies as they introduce us to the new cast members.
Starting off with Captain America just makes sense. The name isn't a character so much as a title. Chris Evans has laid down his red, white and blue shield, and beginning with Brave New World, it's Anthony Mackie's to hurl at bad guys.
Mackie is a good choice. He's not a newcomer to audiences, and he certainly has the look. With the passing of Chadwick Boseman, and Disney's decision not to recast Black Panther, Mackie may be intended to serve double duty and both the Cap. as well as Marvel's lone black superhero. It's not a bad move on Disney's part, since it puts Mackie front-and-center in forthcoming Avengers films. Captain America was always a more visible Avenger than Black Panther.
Like all superhero origins movies, the focus here is on Captain America, and Mackie's performance. The villain is always somewhat weak in these films, and this one is no exception. When he finally makes his appearance in the second act it's anticlimactic. Expect no Thanos here.
This is one Marvel film that might have been better served without any villain at all. It's also one with a sharp learning curve - sharper than most. Disney always finds ways to reward loyal Marvel fans while still making stand-alone films, but I would be hard pressed to call Brave New World a stand-alone film. Going in, you're required to know Thaddius "Thunderbolt" Ross like he's been your next-door neighbor since you were both kids.
Ross is a fixture in the Hulk franchise and first appeared as both the creator of the Hulk and his arch nemesis in the very first Hulk comic way back in 1962. He's also no stranger to the MCU. Ross was first played by Sam Elliot in the original Hulk film (2003) and later by William Hurt in the MCU films. This time Disney reaches for cinema gold by casting Harrison Ford as President Ross. He could have, and perhaps SHOULD have, been the film's villain, but Ross is more complicated than that, and Ford is too expensive to limit his performance to such a two-dimensional role.
Ross is not a moral compass by any means, but rather a character in search of an exit with dignity. Disney knows Ford may be the big draw here and rewards him with nearly as much screen time as Mackie. Perhaps too much for a character who may not return.
The Cap. has always had a trusted young sidekick through whose eyes we experience the Captain's adventures. Much more than simply Robin to Batman, Cap's sidekick is more like a Doctor Who companion. Chris Evans' Cap. had Bucky, who became an important character in his own right as the MCU expanded. Mackie's Captain gets Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) as the Falcon. A young, Hispanic computer expert still in training to become Cap's. sidekick. He does a credible job but soon gets left behind amid the scenes between Mackie and Ford.
Saying any more would spoil things, so I'll stop there. Mackie is believable as the beloved Cap. He's not as "Superman" as Evan's take, and more Human in some ways. Ford is great as Ross. Watch for references to the much-maligned Eternals film, some air combat scenes that would have had Tom Clancy drooling, and a very welcome (if my audience is any indicator) cameo to tie the new cast to the old, and don't forget to stay for a lone easter egg at credit's end.
And remember to have fun. That's what these films are all about