Captain America: Brave New World
Captain America: Brave New World is playing in theaters at the time of writing. Rated PG-13. Common Sense says 12+.
Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, finds himself in the middle of an international incident and must discover the motive behind a nefarious global plan.
STORY: D
The new world may be brave, but the script lacks imagination.
Five writers are credited for this movie, and you can tell. It feels like a film made by committee: formulaic and predictable.
Marvel movies are great because they’re exciting, surprising, and fun. This story isn’t exciting, it’s got little to no surprise, and most unforgivable of all, isn’t much fun.
PEOPLE: C
Anthony Mackie is great, but he can’t do it alone.
To make a basketball analogy, Mackie isn’t LeBron James. Le Bron can take an average team to the title. There are plenty of high level NBA players who can’t do that, and that doesn’t mean they’re not superstars.
Mackie doesn’t get much support. Not even from Harrison Ford, who played an incredible president in Air Force One many years ago. When he’s not the Red Hulk (which is amazing, by the way), he lacks the fiery bluster necessary for his role.
FILM NERD STUFF: D
The cinematography does nothing to help the film’s lackluster vibe.
Nearly every shot in this movie is at eye-level. It’s a low energy angle. Directors use it when characters are talking, sharing important information with the audience.
High and low angle shots create emotion. Point the camera up, and people look bigger, dangerous, heroic. Point the camera down, and people seem scared, weak, desperate. Point the camera flat, and people seem, well, flat.
This is a script that needs all the emotion it can get. The camera could have provided some, but it doesn’t.
ONE BIG LESSON: D-
Apparently, cherry blossoms hold the key to world peace.
I’m kidding. They don’t. Honestly, this movie doesn’t do much to increase our understanding of the human condition.
You may be thinking, “Dude this is a Marvel movie. No one comes for the life lessons.”
That’s a vary fair point, but I will say that most Marvel movies do have some thematic resonance. This is pretty weak, even for a Marvel flick.
FINAL COMMENTS:
It may be unfair to compare things to the past, but I think we should expect much more from Marvel movies than what Brave New World gives us. I know Marvel has lots of balls to juggle. Every film needs to introduce new characters. It needs to tie in plot points from previous films. It needs to set up narrative structure for the future. It’s a lot, and it’s not easy.
But they can’t afford to ignore the things that made them great in the first place. Crackling energy. Witty repartee. Stunning reveals. Meaningful stakes.
Creating the intertwined MCU is one of the most amazing feats in movie history, but it was only possible because Marvel spent its early years entertaining the ever-loving business out of us. It’s time to remember that.