After the disappointing year which saw several Marvel superhero films crash and burn the brave new world of their latest film Captain America Brave New World is something of a double meaning as the studio attempts to reclaim their box office behemoths. With Steve rogers having stepped down and gone back in time the role is now held by Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) helped along by eager sidekick/ protégé Joaquin Torroes aka Falcon and both in turn go training in the dojo going toe to toe with war veteran and original supersoldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) still smarting from his own unjust imprisonment.
Ex General Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) now turned President Ross originally deeply distrustful of the Avengers but there’s now an uneasy alliance between Ross and Wilson. Yet it soon all goes bent at a Whitehouse reception the President holds for world leaders to discuss the ownership of Adamantium – not some sort of bitcoin from the early Eighties stripe faced, pirate prancing pop star but a powerful mineral that’s risen up from the depths of the oceans.
When catastrophe hits all bets are off when the US and Japan edge close to all out war orchestrated behind the scenes by Samuel Sterns ( Tim Blake Nelson) with an ulterior reason for revenge.
With so many Marvel films and TV series there’s a lot of back references here the most notable being the throwback to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk ( the Edward Norton incarnation). Mackie is as reliable as ever and given the opportunity to step up to the plate he fills the boots, wings and shield well but is let down by a slightly lacklustre script. It’s Harrison Ford taking over from the late William Hurt who is given much of the screen time revelling in the CGI transformation where his red Hulk incarnation still has him identifiable as Ford. Joining the throng is Giancarlo Esposito in a cracking scene as Sidewinder trying to off Wilson in his car and Carl Lumbly is terrific too and hopefully future films will feature far more of him.
But ultimately Captain America Brave New World despite the occasional moment doesn’t fly as much as might be hoped and this is very much at the lower rage of mid-level Marvel films.
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related feature : The cast of Black Panther at the European premiere in London
We chat to Carl Lumbly about his role in the film….
Here’s the Captain America Brave New World ……
