It is fitting, for a variety of reasons, in these current political times that we have a new film installment of a superhero with a long history of fighting against fascism and Nazis. While Sam Wilson has had the Captain America mantle for some time now—with a Disney+ streaming series—this will be the world’s first chance to see him in a solo movie on the big screen. The result is an action-packed journey with plenty of political espionage that lays an excellent foundation for higher-stakes stories in the future. The film isn’t a masterpiece, but doesn’t need to be. It introduces the world to Wilson’s Captain America in a grounded and relevant way while providing plenty of excitement and teasing of what’s to come.
Captain America: Brave New World is a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Sam Wilson/Captain America. It is the fourth installment in the Captain America film series, a continuation of the television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Directed by Julius Onah from a screenplay by Rob Edwards, the new film finds Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) trying to prevent the world from entering WWIII despite conflicting loyalties and underhanded political dealings behind the scenes. He is attempting to have a working relationship with the newly elected President of the United States, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, with whom he has a rocky relationship, given their past altercations around their ideologies for protecting the United States and the role of superheroes. When a visit to the White House goes dangerously bad, Sam races against the clock to figure out who may be trying to bring about an all-out war. Everything isn’t what it seems, making for an intriguing political thriller with a superhero flare.
Captain America: Brave New World has a number of elements working in its favor. The action stays high with some impressive stunts and choreography. As the new Captain America, Mackie does well in establishing Sam Wilson as his own person, not necessarily in the shadow of his predecessor, Steve Rogers. Rogers may have been a super soldier with enhanced strength and abilities, but Wilson is a regular human with lots of passion and heart. The fights establish that while he may not have supernatural strength—thus vulnerable to plenty of injuries—he can still hold his own. Wilson’s human perseverance is at the film’s heart and a fitting theme throughout the movie.
The film’s main story is also able to stand on its own. This is important for those who may come into the movie without having watched every single piece of the MCU franchise. A few plot points are tied to previous stories, but for the most part, audiences won’t be totally lost. There are a few instances where past happenings are referenced that may feel hollow for those unfamiliar with the films and series in which they originally happened, but that is not too distracting. However, this critic would recommend watching The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to have an even deeper understanding of Sam’s journey to becoming Captain America and some of the relationships he formed along the way. If not, you may feel at times that you’re coming into the middle of a conversation instead of the beginning of it with some of the dialogue.
As far as standout performances go, Harrison Ford as morally grey President Ross and Carl Lumbly as jaded former super soldier Isaiah Bradley steal all the scenes they’re in. These veteran actors give even more depth to their already complex characters, and watching them work is a highlight. A notable mention is Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Sam’s sidekick, who has the makings of a leading man with his exuberant charisma. Mackie has no shortage of quality co-stars to share the screen within this fast-paced thriller.
Themes of loyalty in the face of corruption, finding common ground with those you disagree with, and navigating between peace and battle play significant parts in the film’s story. And while these are good additions to the movie, there are times when they feel a bit surface-level.
Perhaps this was done so as not to alienate specific segments of the potential audience, but there’s a sharp socio-political bite that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier had that Brave New World is somewhat lacking. This is a shame, given how the show and the legacy of Captain America always seemed to face certain political commentary head-on.
For example, Isaiah is a Black veteran who served his country and became a super soldier but was then betrayed by those in power who experimented on him for years. This is addressed in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, which did not shy away from the racial connotations and real-life history in the United States. And with the Captain America comics in general, there were constant themes of political division, corruption in leadership, and where true heroes stand.
Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson have a history of pointing out their loyalty to justice and the ideals of America rather than any one person in power. For this history alone, and the potential new stories that can be told, it’s great that we’re getting a new installment of Captain America. In our current political climate, the question of what to do about Nazism, fascism, and corrupt politicians is top of mind for many. If nothing else, bringing this superhero back onto the big screen will get viewers to read the past stories in which they touched upon those dangers to democracy and freedom.
Sam Wilson’s role as Captain America is symbolic in itself, as he is a Black man representing a country with a very nuanced and layered past—a good amount of it not pretty—when it comes to race. And to be frank, there is a certain segment of viewers who will never fully accept Sam as the new Captain America. Unfortunately, they’ll claim it’s DEI or “woke,” as they are willfully ignorant that he’s been Captain America in the main comics since 2014. Or, on a more insidious note, they know this history but hope others do not so that they can secure clicks and views for their outrage articles and YouTube videos. The creatives at Marvel Studios seem aware of this, as they had Sam say in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series: “I’m a Black man carrying the stars and stripes, what don’t I understand? Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are gonna be millions of people out there who hate me for it.”
In reality, Sam Wilson has been an important character since 1969, becoming one of the first major Black comic book heroes. He has fought alongside Rogers’ Captain American for decades against foes of mankind, including Hydra—the Nazi terrorist organization that seeks to establish a fascist world order—in Marvel comics.
With all of this in mind, it is this critic’s hope that future Captain America movies lean more into this bold form of storytelling, digging deeper while grappling with the tough questions we face as a society. Brave New World lays the groundwork for this but only scratches the surface.
Viewers will be happy to know they were not completely spoiled if they watched the trailers for the movie. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout this thriller.
If you’re already a fan of the MCU and are interested in seeing Sam Wilson’s continuing journey, you won’t be disappointed. Like other Marvel superhero solo movies before this, the first installment of his cinematic saga does just enough to introduce the character to the wider audience. While some first solo MCU movies have amazed us out of the gate—Black Panther (2018) and Iron Man (2008) come to mind—most others have mostly been solid starting points that only get better from there. Captain America: Brave New World follows in that tradition.
Captain America: Brave New World is out in theaters on Feb. 14, 2025.
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