Captain America: Brave New World – A Rushed but Decent Entry
Captain America: Brave New World has strong performances and moments of greatness, but rushed storytelling and weak CGI hold it back from being a standout MCU film.
Captain America: Brave New World Delivers Great Moments but Feels Rushed
Captain America: Brave New World falls somewhere toward the bottom of the MCU, sitting on par with (or maybe slightly above) Thor: The Dark World. While the movie has strong character moments and a great lead in Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, it struggles with a rushed narrative, sloppy CGI, and an underwhelming finale.
At this point in the Multiverse Saga, how many more times are we going to have to complain about rushed CGI? Marvel Studios continues to push out projects too fast, and the results show. The effects in this movie are rough—distractingly so in certain scenes.
Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres Shine
The strongest part of Captain America: Brave New World is easily the dynamic between Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres. These two are fantastic together, bringing some much-needed chemistry and energy to the film. Sam is really coming into his own as Captain America, establishing a unique identity that separates him from Steve Rogers.
Sam not having taken the super-soldier serum is one of the more compelling elements of his character, making him a more grounded and relatable hero. He’s a Captain America that everyday people can look up to, and this film does a great job of emphasizing that. Mackie delivers a strong performance, proving once again that he is Captain America.
A Jumbled Story with Signs of Heavy Reshoots
One of the biggest problems with Captain America: Brave New World is its inconsistent storytelling. It’s obvious that the film underwent major reshoots because some scenes just don’t feel right—almost like they were patched together to meet a deadline rather than serve the story.
At times, the film struggles with pacing, cramming too much into a relatively short runtime. It introduces interesting ideas but doesn’t always follow through on them in a meaningful way. The final battle, for example, feels half-baked, ending abruptly without the impact it should have had.
The Leader and Harrison Ford’s Ross
The Leader was… interesting. His mission and overarching impact on the story were executed well, but his scenes felt dull, and his character design was uninspired. As someone with such a good comic book history, he deserved more. He wasn’t necessarily a bad villain, but he wasn’t as compelling as he should have been, making him feel more like a plot device than a fully fleshed-out antagonist.
On the flip side, Harrison Ford absolutely crushes it as Thunderbolt Ross. Every scene he’s in carries weight, and he brings a level of dominance and intensity that fits the character perfectly. Red Hulk’s design is well done—one of the better CGI elements in the movie—but his action sequences don’t fully live up to expectations. The CGI during these moments is inconsistent, making the big battle feel underwhelming when it should have been a highlight.
Final Thoughts on Captain America: Brave New World
Captain America: Brave New World had the potential to be a great film, but it ultimately suffers from being rushed. The character work—especially between Sam and Joaquin—is fantastic, and Anthony Mackie proves once again that he’s more than worthy of wielding the shield. However, the sloppy CGI, jumbled storytelling, and underwhelming action sequences prevent it from reaching its full potential.
I really wanted to love this movie because Mackie is an excellent Captain America, but in the end, I walked away feeling like it was just okay. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t fully deliver on what it could have been. For die-hard MCU fans, there’s still enjoyment to be found, but Brave New World feels more like another rushed entry in a franchise that needs to slow down and focus on quality again.
