Fort Kent Cinema Blog
Right at the outset, I’ll be honest. Chris Evans will always be Captain America. Nothing against Anthony Mackie, an outstanding actor in his own right and a worthy successor to Evans.
But I think the folks at Marvel should have retired the character. After all, Mackie was an established MCU presence before Evans passed him the crown—er, shield—in “Avengers: Endgame.”
But corporate synergy is the DNA of the Marvel Universe and I am sure there were some heated discussions in the boardroom over what to do with Captain America after Evans left the series.
So now we have Mackie’s Sam Wilson as Captain America in a role that also gives him wings. So right away he has one-upped his fellow castmate in a role that allows him to defy gravity (sorry, Wicked).
The film is, in a sense, a sequel to the Disney+ TV series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” in which the transfer of the name Captain America became official.
Unfortunately, Mackie’s Cap is often overshadowed in a narrative centered around President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by cinematic icon Harrison Ford. Ross faces a geopolitical event that inevitably reveals his dark, angry side.
And whoa, his rage unleashes his inner Hulk, or more accurately The Red Hulk. (This really can’t be a spoiler because all the teasers and TV ads focus on this mad transformation.)
The folks at Marvel hope the new iteration of a Hulk character will prove to be box office gold, because this new chapter of the Marvel Multiverse, comprised of several movies, so far hasn’t lived up to expectations.
We’re now 35 MCU movie projects in and this movie breaks little new ground in terms of story. But Mackie saves the day with a street-level fighting spirit that Chris Evans could only dream of. His smackdowns work because he also has the advantage of aerial combat.
“Brave New World” is the first of three new Marvel films that will debut in 2025.
Let’s hope the studio can create some unique magic before fans finally grow tired of re-treads.