‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Draws Mixed First Reactions, Some Praising as an ‘Absolute Blast’ and Others Saying its ‘Slightly Empty’

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The upcoming Marvel movie “Captain America: A New World” has been previewed to film critics, and initial responses suggest it’s not receiving overwhelming praise, but rather a more moderate reception.

As a cinephile, I can’t help but sing praises for “Brave New World” after watching it on X. This production is nothing short of an exhilarating ride! It’s fully immersed in its narrative, hitting all the right notes that resonated deeply with me. It felt as if I was watching a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie again, where each project carries significance instead of being just another cog in the machine. The cohesion between scenes and characters is remarkable.

Other critics, including Film Critic Cris Parker, found that the movie didn’t reach the emotional and storytelling peaks they had anticipated. They adored Anthony Mackie as Captain America, and they enjoyed the film’s somber atmosphere, but they felt it lacked substance.

The movie didn’t live up to the emotional and story expectations some critics had set. They liked Anthony Mackie as Captain America and appreciated the serious tone of the movie, but they thought it was missing something important.

Movie reviewer Emmanuel Noisette shared a similar perspective as Parker in his write-up on X, stating that “Brave New World” was “well-founded, engaging, and succinct.” He praised the film’s “strong action sequences and subtle twists,” singled out Red Hulk’s performance, and noted that it seemed to “deliver numerous political jabs.” It was unclear if the promotional material revealed too much or if the movie itself lacked additional depth. Ultimately, he described it as an “average” production.

In a similar vein, Chris Gallardo, an entertainment writer, concurred with Scribner’s viewpoint. He pens, “[Brave New World] demonstrates that Anthony Mackie truly DESERVES the part of Captain America. He delivers a compelling performance as Sam Wilson, and his acting alongside Danny Ramirez is superb! Harrison Ford portrays President Ross/Red Hulk with charm, and the action sequences are thrilling when they unfold.

In “Captain America: Brave New World”, Anthony Mackie takes on his first leading role in a Marvel film, having first appeared as Sam Wilson/Falcon in 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”. He shared the screen with Chris Evans, portraying Captain America. Steve Rogers handed over the Captain America shield to Sam at the end of “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, positioning Mackie as one of the main faces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” from 2021 saw Sam grappling with the implications of becoming Captain America and whether or not he should accept the shield. In the end, he decided against it, paving the way for “Captain America: Brave New World”.

In the latest movie, Sam finds himself needing to set aside his past conflicts with President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (now played by Harrison Ford, replacing the late William Hurt) in order to explore a suspicious theory linked to an assassination attempt and the worldwide struggle over adamantium control. The film features Danny Ramirez as the new Falcon, Giancarlo Esposito as the antagonist Sidewinder, and Shira Haas as American government operative Sabra.

“Captain America: Brave New World” opens in theaters Feb. 14 from Disney and Marvel Studios.

Check out more reactions below.

Experience #CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld on the largest screen available! It delivers as promised and offers thrilling blockbuster action. Anthony Mackie shines as Captain America. I thoroughly enjoyed it. An excellent addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kudos to Laura Karpman for an impressive score.” – Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt)

I’m really loving the pairing of Anthony Mackie and Danny Ramirez, and I can’t wait for more Harrison Ford in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Maybe I should think about dressing up as Red Hulk for Halloween, since it seems to be calling for a bit of exercise!” – Marc Malkin (@marcmalkin)

John Flickinger (@theFLICKpick) finds #CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld dull and unengaging, similar to watching an old TV episode. He feels that the characters are underutilized, the action is lackluster and fails to create excitement, and the introduction of Red Hulk doesn’t live up to expectations. As the 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), he believes it plays it too safe.

#CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld” is packed with various elements: some impressive, others acceptable. It’s thrilling, delivers a meaningful message in these contentious times, marks a comeback to the conventional Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) following a series of letdowns, and is among the initial ones to advance the MCU narrative itself post-“Endgame”, as pointed out by Ben Kendrick (@benkendrick).

Joseph Deckelmeier (@joedeckelmeier) found #CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld quite enjoyable. He initially had concerns that the film might appear pieced together haphazardly, but he was pleasantly surprised by its smooth flow. He’s eagerly anticipating Anthony Mackie assembling the New Avengers. This new installment serves as a fitting continuation from ‘The Falcon & Winter Soldier’ and ‘The Incredible Hulk.’

Brittany Patrice (@BB18180) stated that the film was acceptable but had significant flaws. It seemed to focus more on other characters rather than Sam as he assumed the role of Cap, which is disappointing considering it failed to leverage its strengths effectively. This left her feeling unimpressed.

Jeff Nelson (@SirJeffNelson) states that #CaptainAmerica/#CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld isn’t particularly brave in the sense of being impressive or courageous. Instead, it offers a simple political thriller with inconsistent emotional impact, reused plot elements, and an uninteresting trajectory. Unfortunately, its villain also falls flat.

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2025-02-12 08:47