Ivan Radford | On 28, May 2025

Director: Julius Onah
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Tim Blake Nelson, Carl Lumbly
Certificate: 12

It’s been 18 years since Harrison Ford last played a US President in Air Force One. Captain America: Brave New World sees Ford step back into the White House, this time as General Thaddeus Ross – a long-time supporting character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who is the father of estranged scientist daughter Betty (Liv Tyler), the partner of Bruce Banner. It’s a role that comes with a Hulk-shaped shadow, and anyone who’s seen a trailer for this outing will already have an idea of the super-sized development that comes halfway through. That will either give you reason to tune in and tune out, accordingly.

We pick things up in the wake of The Falcon the Winter Soldier, the ill-conceived Disney+ series that should either have been a film in its own right or just a story not told at all. The best thing about it – Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a Korean war veteran who was experimented upon with super-soldier serum – gladly makes a welcome appearance her, and sets the scene for a thoughtful interrogation of Captain America the man vs Captain America the role, laced with questions of identity, race and privilege. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has embraced his status as the new Captain America, but is still working out what makes his Cap different to that of Steve Rogers before him. As he works out that, he’s also mentoring his sidekick, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), who is itching to be the new Falcon alongside him.

All these strands collide when a White House reception goes explosively awry, leading Cap and President Ross to call a bitter truce as they attempt to work out who’s trying to spark an international war. All the while, Tim Blake Nelson turns it up to 11 as the slippery scientist Samuel Sterns, who may or may not have nefarious plans for and knowledge of Ross’ past.

The result is brimming with political potential, and the best moments owe a lot to the MCU post-Black Panther and post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Director Julius Onah throws in some striking visuals and set pieces amid the CGI-heavy spectacle, including one enjoyable press briefing gone wrong. But for every promising character moment or dash of conspiratorial intrigue, there’s a wider MCU tie-in – hello to an Adamantium subplot, setting up the future arrival of The X-Men – or a competing narrative thread, with nothing given the space or time to breathe. Sterns is the worst part of this, his villain simultaneously unsubtle in his plotting and distractingly illogical in going about it.

And so it falls to the cast to keep us entertained. Anthony Mackie is as charismatic as ever as the dedicated Sam – although the decision to give him more colourful language than Steve Rogers is a curious way to try and distinguish them apart. Carl Lumbly, meanwhile, repeatedly steals scenes as the hurt and overlooked Isaiah. And Harrison Ford doesn’t disappoint, elevating things several notches by digging into Ross’ undercurrent of regret and guilt – and relishing the chance to go big or go home when it comes. If you already broadly know what’s coming, which is part of the film’s appeal in the first place, then you’ll likely be satisfied on a certain level. But either way, it’s hard not to be disappointed by the lack of substance and focus. This is a new world, populated by promising new characters, but you wish this Captain America sequel was braver too.

Add to Watchlist