The term “reshoots”, ie “after-speed”, has developed into one of the trigger words par excellence for film fans on the Internet in recent years: Hardly any other word gives people so excited and presses a film so much before it is published Stamp on. And mostly regardless of the fact that “Additional Photography”, according to the somewhat more neutral English -language technical term, actually belongs to a certain size at almost every film. From the beginning, this is also planned to iron out smaller and bigger problems, which sometimes only reveal themselves when the film was cut.
Also “Captain America: Brave New World“It is one of those projects in which new subsequent shoots felt and can be read every week. How much of it is actually true and how strong Marvel the solo film debut of Anthony Mackie as Captain America has really revised and changed again, we may never find out with the last certainty. What is certain, however, is that the whole excitement in fan circles was largely unnecessary in advance. Despite minor weaknesses, “Captain America: Brave New World” has become a rather round overall package.
“Captain America: Brave New World” certainly feels like a political thriller again and again.
In a mission in Mexico, Captain America (Anthony Mackie) not only saves a few hostages from the violence of the unscrupulous mercenary Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) and his Serpent Society, but also ensures an Adamantium cargo. It is an even stronger metal as a vibranium that was taken from the gigantic Celestial, which is hatched from the Indian Ocean in the film “Eternals”. As a thank you, CAP will be invited to an event in the White House together with his colleague Joaquin Torres (after “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” gives a likeable McU feature film debut: Danny Ramirez), in which a contract for the common international use of Adamantium should be brought.
However, some participants in the event try to murder US President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). Including the super soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), which had been locked up by the US government for years, which Sam absolutely wanted at the event. Although the assassins were apparently under control of thought in their act, Bradley is now threatening the death penalty. But Captain America wants to prevent this at all costs and makes research together with Torres. Just like Ross' security consultant Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), the duo finds out that a dangerous power in the background seems to pull the threads …
The MCU is a curse and a blessing at the same time
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) now comprises 35 films and 14 series (some with several seasons). And even if the (marketing) managers emphasize every time that you do not have to see all the previous titles: of course, the MCU now carries a certain history (or a certain narrative ballast). In “Brave New World” this is particularly evident in the fairly awkward start, in which a news program briefly summarizes the plot of important predecessors such as “The Incredible Hulk”, “Eternals” and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”.
At the same time, in unnatural -sounding dialogues, the repository of the figure Thaddeus Ross, which was originally played by William Hurt, who was originally died in 2022, is also explained. In other moments, for example with an MCU-Cameo, which is as successful as it was coherent in the course of the film or the review of the events from “Eternals”, which has long been required by fans, the integration into the 17-year MCU history turns out to be an advantage . Director Julius Onah (“The Cloverfield Paradox”) can capitalize here from embedding into the big picture – and at the latest in the first action scenes, the bumpy start is largely forgotten anyway.
Action & action go hand in hand
In “Brave New World” it is central about Sam Wilson still struggling with his role as Captain America. After all, as a superhero without superpowers in a world full of overwhelming threats, he has to step into the very big footsteps of Steve Rogers. This focus on the top of a total of five authors not only takes up in some strongly written monologues and dialogues, but also in the action scenes. CAP has to overcome his adversary alone with combat skills and willpower and always put it in a lot.
Often the iconic Captain-America sign is used, but above all, Sam Wilson, Joaquin Torres or the ex-black-widow Ruth Bat-Seraph wrestle their opponents in a number of well-choreographed mappet fights with all conceivable martial arts -T means. This is very handsome, even if the level of the MCU predecessor “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is not fully reached in this regard.
Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) and Captain America (Anthony Mackie) are going to act.
A duel between Sam Wilson and Sidewinder also turns out to be successful because it is reminiscent of the highway action scene from “The Return of the First Avenger”-anyway, the second “Captain America” part with its political thriller Bonds A clear model for “Brave New World”. A gripping air fight, in which cap and torres in the sky over the Celestial statue have to turn off some fighter jets, even turns out to be the highlight of the film after almost two thirds. Not only is the action good, additional voltage also arises because Thaddeus Ross is more and more threatened to change into the iconic Red Hulk.
Anyway, the occupation of Harrison Ford proves to be one of the strengths of “Captain America 4”: On the one hand, Ford is recognizable to the performance of his late colleague William Hurt, but also gains the figure in five MCU films, but also his own, surprisingly emotional facets away. In spite of all the global crises, the US President of all global crises wishes that his daughter Betty (Liv Tyler will give him her McU comeback 17 years after “The Incredible Hulk”), Ford is enough to credible to credible to bring over.
So the inevitable duel between Cap and Red Hulk already indicated in the trailers also gets a slightly different note that goes beyond the pure blockbuster riot. And the other two antagonists of “Brave New World” are definitely among the better Marvel evil weights of the younger MCU history. In his few scenes, “Breaking Bad” Baddy Giancarlo Esposito plays his diabolic charm as usual, while the third villain in the group (only so much: another MCU returnee) gets enough background story to get it from the interchangeable villains of the To withdraw the past.
The Red Hulk is red, but at least as badly in a bad mood as the green variant.
On the other hand, it does not really want to succeed in clearly lifting “Captain America 4” from the rest of the MCU and thus giving it his own identity. A lot has already been seen in the Avengers Universe-and sometimes better: be it the Captain-America problem (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”), the Martial Arts-Action (“Shang-Chi “), The political thriller bonds (” Captain America 2 “) or the Hulk duel, the greatest special feature of which is the” Brave New World “in the fact that the Wüterich is red instead of green.
So there is a feeling that “Captain America 4” is simply “only” another MCU film, which is a bit of the event character, for example from “Avengame”, “Deadpool & Wolverine” or also the upcoming “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”. If you don't mind, you get more than solid Marvel entertainment with “Brave New World”.
Conclusion: action scenes, figures, plot and topic in “Captain America: Brave New World” are harmonizing. Overall, director Julius Onah rarely ventures into content, narrative or staging new territory.