Captain America: Brave New World – Film Review

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford, Liv Tyler

Director: Julius Onah

Synopsis: After an attempt is made on the life of the President of the United States Thaddeus Ross (Ford), Captain America must investigate a conspiracy which threatens to have major international ramifications…

Review: It has been quite the journey for Sam Wilson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since we were first introduced to him as Steve Rogers’ jogging buddy in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Since then, he helped to confront and Steve the nefarious HYRDA, took his friend’s side as the Avengers went to war with themselves, fought in the war against a mad Titan with the fate of the entire universe at stake. It all culminated in the passing of the torch shield to becoming his friend’s successor as Captain America. A mantle he momentarily relinquished before reclaiming what was rightfully his. Now in the wake of the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson is ready to take flight for his first mission, in a film which sadly fails to soar and reach the lofty heights of its predecessors.

It has been a few years since Sam fought with Bucky Barnes to take down the Flag Smashers, and in that time, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross has been elected as President of the United States. Despite having had their differences in the past, the new man in the Oval Office tasks Cap and the new Falcon Joaquin Torres (Ramirez) to foil an illegal arms deal in the first step of a more collaborative relationship. Ross later informs Sam he wants his help to rebuild the Avengers. During a summit at the White House concerning the emergence of Celestial Island and a rare new material, an attempt is made on the President’s life by veteran super soldier Isiah Bradley (Lumbly). With the US on the brink of a major global conflict, Sam must find out who was behind the attempted assassination of the President and uncover the truth behind this global conspiracy and clear Bradley’s name.

It is no exaggeration to say that in 2025, the world is a fraught and sometimes scary place, with entrenched and bitter political divides showing no signs of easing. In such times, making a tense spy-political thriller is a brave and dangerous move as the film has to navigate such a fraught political metaphorical minefield. However, it is not entirely without precedent, as the Russo brothers and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely successfully tackled similar themes with spectacular success The Winter Soldier and its sequel Civil War. Whether or not you feel the MCU has lost its way since the high of Avengers: Endgame is beside the point, as it was always going to be a tall order for Brave New World to follow in the footsteps of its predecessors.

“You may be Captain America, but you’re not Steve Rogers”, the President scornfully tells Sam after the foiled assassination attempt. “You’re right, I’m not”, Sam sharply retorts. It is a highlight in a film which doesn’t offer many, but also a statement of intent for the new star-spangled man with the shield that he will forge his own legacy as the iconic superhero. In his seventh big screen appearance in this role. Mackie is once again superb. He is fully aware that the legacy of the title he now has comes with an enormous responsibility, at one point grappling with the dilemma as to whether he should have taken the super soldier serum, but this is what makes him more than worthy of that shield. When you have gone up against what he has armed with just a wingsuit, what does he have to fear, especially since now he has the welcome addition of a vibranium shield, and the new Falcon by his side. Although, despite being one of the more interesting parts of the miniseries, Isiah Bradley is once again frustratingly forced to sit in a jail cell, when he really deserves a chance to show what he can do.

The irony is that this script, written by Onah and four other credited writers, could have benefited from some script serum to enhance it and give it some additional polish. One can only speculate, but given certain events that occurred in 2024, it seems that the political themes of the film may have been diluted due to the current state of world politics. In addition to continuing the story established in the preceding miniseries, the film serves as a sequel to both Eternals (good to see this underappreciated film get acknowledged) and The Incredible Hulk, as the villain is a character that audiences may have nearly forgotten. Portraying a role that was successfully played by someone for many years is never an easy task, but Ford does an excellent job as Ross, succeeding the late William Hurt. Along with his signature gruffness, Ross is grappling with the daunting challenge of leading a country on the brink of major conflict while also battling his own internal struggles and trying to reconnect with his daughter, Betty (Tyler). Given the current state of US presidents, especially now, you’d take Ross’s leadership any day of the week.

Despite Ford’s impressive portrayal of Ross and his complex (and possibly red) inner demons, the film’s action, while undeniably slick and well-crafted, fails to bring anything new or memorable to the MCU. It frustratingly adheres to a formulaic structure, which feels like a significant missed opportunity for what could have been a gripping political thriller, similar to its predecessors. The 35th entry into the MCU could have marked a bold new direction for both the star-spangled hero and the wider universe. Instead, it feels tired and stale, as if our titular hero’s wings have been clipped, leaving him unable to rise above this uninspiring and frankly bland story.

Despite stellar performances from Mackie and Ford, with the former more than proving himself worthy of the shield, Brave New World is a political thriller that seems too afraid to go for the jugular in these politically fraught times, while also lacking in thrills.

Ad Astra – Film Review

Cast: Brad Pitt, Liv Tyler, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Donald Sutherland

Director: James Gray

Synopsis: After the Earth experiences deadly power surges, astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) is recruited for a top secret space mission, in the belief that the events may be connected to his father’s own space mission that blasted off several years prior…

Review: Ever since humanity first blasted off into space back in 1961, there’s always been something of a fascination with what’s out there in the great chasm that is space, and the solar system. Indeed it is a subject that has inspired many filmmakers to try and approach this fascinating, and at the same time, terrifying void of eternal emptiness. Through all the space films that have graced the big screen over the years, one thing is crystal clear: being an astronaut takes some very serious guts.

Like his father before him, Roy McBride is an astronaut, and a damn good one at that too. When some unnatural power surges start to cause some problems back on Earth, a top secret briefing leads Roy back to the mission that his father Clifford (Jones) departed for several decades ago. Believing that said mission could pose some extremely serious risks to the survival of humanity, Roy must venture deep into the unforgiving world of space in the pursuit of his seemingly long lost father, and the answers to some essential questions that NASA believe Clifford possesses, that could be integral to humanity’s survival.

Given that the majority of the film features his character’s crucial mission, the entire movie is resting on Brad Pitt’s shoulders. It’s a responsibility he carries faultlessly as he turns in a very subdued, sombre, but yet extremely powerful performance. Though regrettably, the fact that Roy’s main mission is the focus for the majority of the film, it means that pretty much every other member of this cast is severely underutilised. None of them have enough screen time to make you care about their plight, which is frustrating as there definitely was potential for a further exploration of some of the other characters’s stories. This is especially frustrating when considering the talent of some of these actors and this is best exemplified by a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her performance from Roy’s distant wife, played by Liv Tyler.

After going on an interstellar journey with Christopher Nolan, Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography gives the film a rich visual majesty that perfectly captures the beauty and the terror that is space in equal measure. The production design and visual effects are so meticulously crafted, it makes it feel like the cast and crew actually went to the Moon and to the other planets beyond to film. James Gray’s screenplay, co-written with Ethan Gross, is cognitive and thoughtful. There are one or two action set pieces to get the pulses racing, but the film’s pacing is patient and methodical. There’s been no shortage of space films that have had awe-inspiring, heart-pounding intense scores, but Max Richter’s haunting, powerful score is right up there with the very best of them.

Though the film is not, and was never intending to be, an enthralling action spectacle set in the deepest depths of space. The film’s deliberately slowed-down pacing may begin to test the patience of the audience, particularly once the third act has come into view. Though not bereft of drama, the screenplay has some thought-provoking and bold ideas behind it. However. it doesn’t come nearly as close as other recent films of this genre in crafting something that has resonated as strongly as previous space films. Though if anyone was scared of space beforehand, after watching this, it will only reinforce their perspective that space is absolutely, completely terrifying.

Like astronauts themselves, the story’s extremely ambitious. However, even with an excellent performance from Brad Pitt, and some striking visuals, this thought-provoking adventure aims for the stars, but only just falls short.