PG-13 | 1h 58m | Action, Superheros | 2025
The following summary of the “The Incredible Hulk” (2008), isn’t really crucial to understanding “Captain America: Brave New World,” but possibly helpful:
Bruce Banner (The Hulk, played by Edward Norton) seeks for a cure for his steroidal, purple-pants-splitting, green-rage transformational anger issues. He gets help from maverick scientist Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson).
Gen. Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) is opposed to their collaboration because Banner is dating his daughter Betty (Liv Tyler). He'd like to see the “gamma tech” that created The Hulk, create another behemoth that can smash him.
This New Hulking MCU Update
Opening 17 years later, “Captain America: Brave New World,” directed by Julius Onah, features Ross (Harrison Ford) as the current POTUS.President Ross is working on a global treaty whereby the world’s nations can share adamantium, a powerful metal that’s just as strong as Wakanda’s metal—vibranium. This “celestial mass” of adamantium sits in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The Japanese, the Indians, the French—everybody wants a piece.
The celestial island is actually the body of an ancient, deceased “god.” This particular narrative is getting hauled to the surface from way, way down in the Marvel Comics Universe (MCU) historical minutia, so no point getting into it now. But the narrative clashes with the adamantium-is-scientific narrative from the mutant movies. For example, Wolverine’s bones are made of adamantium. Mutants have been showing up in the MCU movies since 2022, so it’s safe to say we'll be seeing more of that happening now, once the writers reconcile the god-science disparity.
Ross’ skeptical ally is Sam Wilson, a.k.a. the former Falcon, and current Captain America (Anthony Mackie). Wilson now carries the weight of the Captain America legacy. “Brave New World” shows Wilson coming to terms with both the Captain America mantle, and the global challenges and responsibilities that come with it. Wilson, in turn, has handed down his Falcon wings to one Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez).
Connecting the Dots
The writing team had their work cut out for them, connecting the dots with the 2008 Hulk. They also had to sell Wilson as Captain America, who was previously played by Chris Evans. This was, after all, a major Hollywood DEI switcheroo that may not go over well with long-time fans of the Caucasian Captain. Most likely nobody will care, since all but the most diehard MCU moviegoers have long grown bored with the mediocrity of the long-winded, interminable MCU sequelitis. The identity-swapping of Ford for Hurt as the former general, now President Ross isn’t that big of a deal, because who can remember 2008, really?
With the disbanding of the Avengers and strong characters gone missing, such as Steve Rogers and Iron Man, the MCU has been devoid of strong plots for a while. “Captain America: Brave New World” has precious little to offer in terms of novelty.
There’s no gasp-inducing action sequence, and the suspense over the big reveal is anticlimactic. As is expected from MCU films, seeds are planted for future developments, albeit in one of the most boring post-credit-role scenes to date.
This new Captain America covers several major topics that will affect the MCU moving forward. It even serves as a sequel to earlier projects, and ties up loose ends that were ignored for much of the Multiverse saga. Again, these are things only hardcore fans will have an inkling about.
