'Captain America: Brave New World' has flaws but still entertaining

The merger between Marvel and Disney studios during the Infinity Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe yielded immediate and dominating success. From 2008 to 2019, there was no way to prevent the Marvel/Disney machine from breaking box-office records, attaining the No. 1 spot, and no other competition came close in terms of building fan excitement with its projects.

The culmination of an 11-year build-up to "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Endgame" came to its intense and emotional conclusion. After the release of "Endgame," from a fan's perspective, Marvel's path became significantly disjointed compared to its organized approach in 2008. That is not to say its cinematic outings afterward were abysmal or did not have any redeeming qualities. Simply put, apart from, say, "Spider-Man: No Way Home," "Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness" and "Deadpool and Wolverine," Marvel appeared to focus more on quantity rather than quality storytelling.

"Captain America: Brave New World" had widely documented issues behind the scenes with extensive rewrites and reshoots. Eventually the whole film went into the stage of being reshot with a confirmed shorter runtime, important plot points removed and prominent actors initially confirmed to have larger roles becoming dramatically reduced. Anthony Mackie reprises his role as Sam Wilson/Falcon, who is carrying on the mantle of Captain America after receiving the shield from Steve Rogers in "Endgame."

"Brave New World" explores the concept of sinister forces within the United States government infiltrating important sects. The government also is working with other countries after obtaining a mysterious material from Celestial Island referencing the eventual arrival of mutants into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A mysterious benefactor emerges from the shadows seeking personal retribution against newly elected President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, adding more to the chaos of the circumstances.

Included in the cast with Mackie are Harrison Ford, Carl Lumby, Danny Ramirez, Giancarlo Esposito and Samuel Sterns. The extra plot points add more to the complicated narrative with a contrasting of tones. Captain America's universal tone does not necessarily mesh well when the exploration of celestials is included. Any theme with Captain America works best kept within the confines of a more grounded, realistic approach. Mackie, taking over the role of Captain America, performs the character exceptionally well, considering how well received Christopher Evans' performance was as Captain America. It was refreshing watching Mackie avoid attempting to replicate what made Evans memorable.

He brings more of a humanistic approach to the character since Sam Wilson is not an enhanced super soldier thrust into chaotic circumstances where his skills, strength and knowledge have obvious limitations. The biggest surprise for me personally came from Ford's performance. As of late, he was only taking roles for monetary purposes rather than sincere passion for the project. His acting as Ross was a highlight, as he engaged in intense, enthusiastic and cathartic humor with Mackie. He puts in the work transitioning from reserved, political and simmering to explosive rage with remarkable ease.

The problem "Captain America: Brave New World" runs into is its inconsistency in what kind of film it wants to be. The writing is formulaic and predictable, with outcomes not having the impact required for its initial consequential stakes and its approach into exploration of the celestial concept intertwined with espionage.

Where the film absolutely shines is when its themes remain within the mysterious world of sinister espionage. Keeping it grounded in the complicated web of top-secret missions, cold benefactors and small-scale inner government questions and turmoil creates a far better and more cohesive story. It is one of the major reasons "Captain America: Winter Soldier" remains at the top of the list as my favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe film.

There are dynamics I would have removed from "Brave New World." I would not have included the snarky, arrogant sidekick, increased Esposito's performance contributions, not brought in any references to celestials and maintained more of an espionage-like Winter Soldier and Civil War. Is that to say "Brave New World" is a bad film? No. It is entertaining, fun and exciting, and while it does not break any new territorial ground, I found it very serviceable and have no regrets watching it in a theatrical setting.

The action is high octane and suspenseful. While Red Hulk only appears for about five to seven minutes, his action sequences make for exciting and memorable moments. If anything, "Brave New World" would have served better as a Hulk solo film/sequel rather than a Captain America story. I do appreciate the exploration of Wilson's struggle in living up to Steve Roger's legacy, referencing/including the story of the first African American Super Soldier, and the revelation of the mysterious benefactor kept the story from becoming abysmal.

Despite the flaws, it is nowhere near as horrendous as my expectations were fearing. There is and was room for massive improvements. I do not plan to rush to purchase it for my collection or desire to watch it again in theaters. However, I will state without regret it is worth a view in a theatrical setting. Unfortunately, it does not have the lightning-in-the-bottle magic that previous Marvel cinematic outings contained.

In the end, I still enjoyed "Brave New World" and found myself entertained. I give it a solid 6 to 7/10. As I stated, there are no regrets on my end watching the film, and I do not view it as a waste of my time. It is serviceable and accomplishes what it needs on an entertaining spectrum.

To watch Isaiah Ridley's movie reviews online, find him @Izzy's Cinematic Escape on YouTube.