“Captain America: Brave New World,” directed by Julius Onah, hit theaters in the U.S. on Feb. 14, 2025. This movie sets the stage for the new phase of Marvel, serving as a soft reset, but is it enough to have a comeback? The company has had recent box office bombs and has come under fire for participating in cash grabs while producing multiple series on Disney+ that just fell flat. This new Captain America movie is no exception to criticism. 

The movie is a continuation of the series “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” where we see Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie, take up the shield to carry on the legacy of Captain America after the loss of Steve Rogers, previously played by Chris Evans. 

In “Brave New World,” we find Wilson in the middle of an international incident after meeting with the newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford. Sam must discover the reason behind a corrupt global plot before the true villain has the entire world under his control.

“Brave New World” wasn’t the worst Marvel movie, but it certainly wasn’t the best. The film has some genuine fun and well-done action scenes with a good political thriller buried in an overstuffed plot. The movie’s promotion emphasized the plot twist so much that it took away the excitement of being in the unknown during the film. Overall, it serves as a good plot filler to serve us up with the new Avengers, but it did not have to be presented at the box office. In my opinion, it would’ve served so much better as a second season of “The Falcon” and “The Winter Soldier.” This would have given the studio so much more opportunity to expand on the details of the plot and get the perspective of the Winter Soldier. 

Instead, fans got phony cameos for a couple of seconds and some new last-minute add-on characters. For example, the new introduction of an ex-widow spy named Sabra, played by Shira Haas. 

Despite the criticism of the plot, I greatly appreciate Mackie as the new Captain America, and he has done a wonderful job filling the shoes so far. Many fans tear down this movie, saying that the choice to make Mackie Captain America was just for the sake of inclusion, but it represents so much more than that. A black man wearing the stars and stripes of America is crucial for black culture, giving the community a positive, although fictional, superhero role model. The introduction of a Mexican American superhero played by Danny Ramirez also emphasizes the motive to represent a more diverse roster of superheroes. 

Overall, the movie was just another stepping stone in the Marvel universe to continue the legacy of these iconic heroes. Though the movie was not done well, let’s not let it diminish the spectacular job Mackie is doing as the new Captain America. He is breaking down barriers in the superhero world and providing a refreshing face to the stars and stripes. 

Paws: 3/5