Captain America: Brave New World Review: Nothing New

Brave New World deviates from the Marvel template and takes a route of a paranoid thriller with a politically charged narrative, observes Mayur Sanap.

A new Marvel movie with yet another attempt to revive the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Isn't it becoming an increasingly standard affair?

Captain America: Brave New World, with its elaborate title, almost tricks you in believing that it may have something fresh or bold to offer.

If last year's Deadpool & Wolverine breathed a much-needed shot of frolic energy to MCU, this latest entrant continues the endeavour of dry sequels led by characters that just don't feel exciting enough.

Anthony Mackie is Sam Wilson, who was first introduced in MCU with Chris Evans-Scarlett Johansson's Captain America: Winter Soldier. He is now his own new version of Captain America, as he continues to carry forward Steve Rogers' legacy.

Wilson is invited to the White House by President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) who wants the new Captain America to campaign for the politically important Adamantium Treaty that seeks stronger ties with various global leaders.

During the global summit, an unknown group of assailants fire up an attack on Ross. Wilson's friend Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) gets framed and arrested, and Wilson is fired by President Ross.

A dejected Wilson, along with close associate Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), begins to investigate the attack and discovers that Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), a megalomaniac scientist, orchestrated the deadly attack as part of a personal vendetta against Ross.

Most Marvel flicks would settle for thrilling set pieces and mayhem, in service of a functional plot. But for better or worse, Brave New World deviates from the Marvel template and takes a route of a paranoid thriller with a politically charged narrative.

It introduces never-seen-before themes of war and geopolitics in MCU (including an Indian leader modelled on you know who), but the political commentary remains mostly superficial and then conveniently forgotten about by the time the third act arrives.

Director and co-writer Julius Onah steers the dense plot with a focus on themes and characters rather than the typical fan servicing, but it is only fitfully engaging.

There are ample of cheesy throwback elements from earlier Marvel flicks, such as the Celestial Island from Eternals and a couple of fan-favourite characters, which remind us that this still a MCU realm.

But the jarring mismatched of two diverse tones ends up sticking out like a sour thumb to no good results.

Then are the embarrassing production values with awkwardly rendered VFX that makes The Incredible Hulk (2008) look like a masterpiece in comparison.

Speaking of The Hulk, the promotional material had us believing that this is also a mega Red Hulk offering.

But the awful bit of those portions culminate in a dampener without any discernible sense of fun.

And that, once again, pretty sums up the current state of MCU.