“Brave New World” is none of those things.

In the years since "Avengers: Endgame," The Marvel Cinematic Universe has struggled. None of the movies have reached the highs, and some have been the worst of the MCU. After taking a year off, the MCU is back, and we are getting a proper look at the new Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie).

When Issian Bradley (Carl Lumbly) takes a shot at President Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam must uncover what really happened to save his friend and stop a war from starting.

My biggest issue is that "Captain America: Brave New World" doesn't do anything interesting. The movie plays it safe with every decision it makes. That leads to this movie leading nowhere and not advancing any story. All it manages to do a speed run of the other "Captain America" movies, making the movie feel disjointed.

One thing I liked was Harrison Ford's portrayal of Thaddeus Ross. This is a role that was played by William Hurt until his death in 2022. Ford is a great replacement. As an Army General, this is a Ross who is so used to being the blunt instrument. As President, he needs to use diplomacy to get things done. Ford is able to show this struggle that Ross goes through. Sometimes, he wants to use threats and brute force but has to tread lightly to ensure the treaty goes through.

I wanted this to be a return to form for the MCU. The story of Sam taking on the mantle of Captain America is interesting in the comics. As a Black man, Sam is not as easily accepted as Steve Rogers was. The story deals with racism and how he deals with it. The frustrating "Falcon and the Winter Soldier " Disney+ series briefly and poorly covered this. This movie could have done that, but it chose to be a sequel to the 2008 "The Incredible Hulk" instead.

5/10

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action and some strong language

1h 58m