After taking a year off from theaters, the “Sacred Timeline” of the MCU is back with Captain America: Brave New World, the first of three new Marvel movies hitting the big screen in 2025. Anthony Mackie stars as Sam Wilson, who now fills the titular role, while Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut taking over the part of Thunderbolt Ross as the character turns into Red Hulk. The first reviews of this 35th feature installment of the franchise are mixed, with most praising Mackie’s performance but noting disappointment with various other franchise problems.
Here’s what critics are saying about Captain America: Brave New World:
Is it worth seeing?
Captain America: Brave New World is a reasonably diverting time filler that feels like what it is: a pit stop in the MCU’s rebooting-the-Avengers strategy… Just fun enough.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Captain America: Brave New World surprised me by not being what I thought it would be…. by holding to likable stories and strong, relatable themes to give a good superhero movie experience.
— Julian Lytle, The Beat
The majority of Brave New World hits more often than it misses.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven
It exceeded all of my expectations. Sure, it might not be perfect, it might not even be great, but it is not bad.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
I felt that Captain America: Brave New World is a satisfactory addition to the MCU. It’s got a few things going for it.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
To damn it with faint praise, Captain America: Brave New World is serviceable, both in terms of its set pieces but also to the wider MCU, which is also the main problem holding it back.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
It has nothing to say about the world, or about its characters, and it’s never even fun.
— Siddhant Adlakha, JoySauce.com
How does it compare to other MCU installments?
It’s one of the better post-Endgame MCU theater entries.
— Julian Lytle, The Beat
It is a pretty darn good and solid entry in the MCU.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Captain America: Brave New World is a strong and compelling entry in the MCU.
— Linda Marric, HeyUGuys
Captain America: Brave New World is another solid political thriller in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
For folks who have felt the MCU has gotten too far from its origins and too cumbersome to enjoy, Brave New World will feel like a breath of fresh air.
— Dominic Griffin, Looper.com
It’s similar to 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier in its paranoia-infused storyline involving shady government machinations and Manchurian Candidate-style brainwashing that turns people into ruthless assassins.
— Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
This film series wants normalcy, to be everything for everybody… (which) makes this latest installment in cinema’s longest-running soap opera its most out of touch yet.
— Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
Does it work as a more serious Marvel movie?
It’s that very earthbound quality that roots Brave New World, a movie that takes its tone from Mackie’s tough, taut, slightly downbeat cool-cat presence.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
It’s, perhaps by necessity, a stripped down affair that plays like a purposeful rhyming piece with the Russo brothers’ work on Winter Soldier.
— Dominic Griffin, Looper.com
The film plays with the conspiracy thriller genre story much like Captain America: The Winter Soldier did eleven years ago and, for the most part, does a decent job with it just as that film did.
— Julian Lytle, The Beat
To say that the political and emotional stakes are high would not be an understatement.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
If the plot was wackier or even less serious, (its script problems) might not matter as much, but this is a Marvel film that is taking itself seriously.
— Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool
Fans of the MCU’s grounded, espionage-driven stories, as well as those interested in character-driven narratives, will find much to enjoy and discuss.
— Linda Marric, HeyUGuys
Unfortunately, “mostly grounded” doesn’t mean “particularly compelling.”
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
Do we need to be fully caught up on the MCU to enjoy it?
It does feel like The Incredible Hulk 2… There is quite a bit of exposition in here, making it feel like they were thinking people will have seen The Incredible Hulk and that some viewers will be dropped into this as their first Marvel movie.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
With so much backstory, including the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, now woven into the Avengers saga, Brave New World is a movie you may go into wondering if you’ve done enough homework.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Those who have long been watching MCU films will appreciate the incorporation of previously-seen characters from The Incredible Hulk and Eternals but may be disappointed that the film doesn’t stretch much further in terms of the greater universe.
— Abe Friedtanzer, Awards Buzz
If you have no memory of those films, don’t fret: neither the superpowered Eternals nor the green and formerly rageful Hulk actually appear, and the movie’s connections to them are explained in excruciating detail via expository dialogue no real person would think to speak.
— Siddhant Adlakha, JoySauce.com
You won’t feel like you need to do homework, such as rewatching The Incredible Hulk (which is conveniently recapped in a pre-title newsreel), to follow along.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
Does it feel fresh?
It’s superhero meatloaf and potatoes served with just enough competence and dash not to feel like reheated leftovers.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
It is refreshing jolt to see a Marvel entry embracing and adhering to continuity rather than splintering it just for kicks.
— Don Shanahan, Film Obsessive
Instead of pushing forward, they’re scrambling back to the only thing that ever really worked: the OG formula. Watching Brave New World isn’t just a case of weird, “seeing red” déjà vu — it’s an end-stage ouroboros.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
Captain America: Brave New World will leave you with a feeling of “been there, seen that.”
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
How is the action?
When it comes to the fight sequences, they were one of the biggest standouts for me. I love a good action scene and Captain America: Brave New World delivers on that front. There are some fantastic wing and shield combinations.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
The only saving grace of Onah’s film is the intermittently sturdy, well-crafted action. Onah actually likes seeing limber, muscular bodies moving through space, appreciating the palpability of the human form.
— Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
The action… represents some of the most coherently mounted of any Marvel film to date.
— Jake Cole, Slant Magazine
There are some decent action scenes, and the team clearly put in the work to make sure Sam’s fighting style is very different from Steve’s.
— Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool
The film’s best tenet is showing Sam in killer action. He’s a beatdown hurricane crushing anyone who stands in his way… Mackie delivers excruciating punishment in blistering fight scenes.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
There will be MCU fans – or even just casual blockbuster fans – that won’t care about Brave New World‘s story and just come for the big-screen action. The movie delivers on that up to a point, keeping the set pieces coming at a snappy pace with enough grounded, shield-throwing fights to satisfy.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
Several action beats recall previous Steve Rogers-centric movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier but don’t have even a fraction of the intensity or panache.
— Siddhant Adlakha, JoySauce.com
What about the visual effects?
The visual effects and performance capture work supervised by Alessandro Ongaro for the big showdown do not disappoint.
— Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
The CGI is impeccable.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
The VFX here are actually pretty stellar.
— Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
The Red Hulk showdown looks good enough. The CGI suffices in context and serves the plot as it should.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
Does Anthony Mackie live up to the lead role?
Anthony Mackie is phenomenal as Captain America.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
Mackie shoulders the responsibility strongly without losing an ounce of his jovial charm.
— Don Shanahan, Film Obsessive
Mackie has enough personality and charm to give him Steve Rogers-esque stories and use them as launchpads for exploration.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven
Mackie is still as awesome as Wilson… It’s terrific to see an ordinary man try to fit into the shoes of an extraordinary Super Soldier, and Mackie excels in that area as he continues to make Wilson relatable and endearing.
— Julian Lytle, The Beat
Mackie operates in degrees of letdown. He delivers just-barely-minimum charisma, remains mostly humorless, and never quite escapes the wooden stiffness I’ve come to associate him with.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
Mackie’s reliable charisma doesn’t seem much in evidence. You feel bad for him; finally given the chance to prove he can fill the shoes of Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, he’s let down by the writers.
— Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
How is Harrison Ford in his MCU debut?
You know what really saved this movie for me as I was coming in expecting disappointment – Harrison Ford. Harrison Ford brings all his charisma here as Thunderbolt Ross.
— Julian Lytle, The Beat
Harrison Ford is having the best time Brave New World. He gives the role of President Thaddeus Ross his all. Every single time he is on screen, you cannot help but smile. He goes hard – especially in the final act.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Ford is certainly capable at threading the needle between being angry and intimidating and being pitiful and sad.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven
The real highlight is Ford… There is a gravitas, weariness, and emotional depth to his Ross, which makes it feel like an upgrade from the departed William Hurt.
— Lauren LaMagna, Next Best Picture
Ford’s take on the character is the closest thing Brave New World has to a fully-formed, compelling human presence.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
Does the movie have a villain problem?
Tim Blake Nelson gooses the camp dastardliness of a villain who’s like the Phantom of the MCU.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
It was welcome to see Tim Blake Nelson back as Samuel Sterns… He brings the right amount of menace to his scenes on the screen and works as a great foil for Ross, more so than even Cap here.
— Julian Lytle, The Beat
Nelson seems to be having fun covered in CGI and makeup… It’s painfully evident his plot is going to bear fruit down the line, but he works.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven
Giancarlo Esposito and Tim Blake Nelson report for duty as the film’s main villains but the script doesn’t give them much to work with, playing up their scenery chewing but muddling their motivations and endgames, which lead to considerable pointless collateral damage and death.
— Abe Friedtanzer, Awards Buzz
As someone who loves a good villain, I was a little disappointed at how underused they both are in this film.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
How is the pacing?
No down beats in a swift run time.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
While the pacing and structure might be wonky, it doesn’t overstay its welcome and clocks in at under two hours.
— Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool
While the political intrigue is consistently engaging, there are moments where the pacing feels slightly uneven, hindering the overall flow of the narrative.
— Linda Marric, HeyUGuys
No MCU movie has felt as long as Brave New World.
— Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
Can we feel the reported reshoots?
While many have speculated about its reshoots, the result doesn’t so much feel overstuffed as it does like an undercooked first draft.
— Siddhant Adlakha, JoySauce.com
Brave New World is a stitched-together collection of the best bits. You can tell where the reshoots took place. Some scenes don’t quite flow together seamlessly. This isn’t an unforgivable sin, because the overall story doesn’t suffer from noticeable edits.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
Extensive reshoots plagued this production, and you can feel the cracks and creases throughout.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
Numerous rewrites and reshoots create a disjointed plot, with several characters feeling underdeveloped.
— Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool
How does it leave us feeling about the future of the MCU?
This movie feels like a return to form for Marvel and that has me excited for the future.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Following the epic showdown, I’ll be curious to see what happens between now and the next Avengers movie.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
It’s a shame that Sam didn’t get the ball further down the field, and six years after Endgame, the MCU is still running in circles.
— Dominic Griffin, Looper.com
Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025.
Thumbnail image by ©Marvel Studios
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