Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * *

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Hass, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Xosha Roquemore, Jóhannes Hauker Jóhannesson, William Mark McCullough, Takehiro Hira, Harsh Nayyar, Rick Espaillat, Todd Allen Durkin, Dustin Lewis, Rachael Kubacki, Alan Boell, Ava Hill, Marissa Chanel Hampton, Katerina Eichenberger, Mark Pettit, John Mark Bowman, Katina Rankin, John Cihangir, Eric Mbanda, Koji Nishiyama, Davis Atkinson, John N. Dixon, Josh Robin, Sharon Tazewell, Pete Burris, Sebastian Stan.

There will obviously be comparisons between the two men who have inhabited the role, and that is to be understood, after all Captain America is an ideal, a symbol, not a passed down torch built on diversity; but in modern times we need to recognise the changing face and attitudes of society, and whilst Steve Rogers, whilst out of time, was the face of possibility in the post war world, the reality is that Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie, is the epitome of realisation and truth that the world is a place where we cannot even trust presidents to show their true face to the public.

Captain America: Brave New World could be seen a precursor to the next huge Marvel crossover event, however, unlike the build up to Infinity War and End Game, the film itself lacks the gravitas, it lacks the punch of importance, it flounders against the ghost of Civil War or The Winter Soldier, and in the end, no matter how intense and dramatic Anthony Mackie is as Captain America, he fails to hold the attention of the audience, until, crucially, he finally comes face to face with Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader.

The idea of introducing new characters is paramount to keeping a franchise alive, and yet too many at once can be detrimental to the film on show, and by leading the audience with a new partner for Sam Wilson, a new villain in Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder, and Shira Haas’ Ruth Bat-Seraph all filling the screen with unknown qualities or ties to any previous storyline; it overwhelms the future with no sense of cohesive control.

The film also marks another moment when a leading character is replaced, this time due to the untimely passing of William Hurt in the role of Thaddius ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, and whilst it could be seen as an stimulating replacement, two great actors inhabiting an iconic role, Harrison Ford does not inspire in the part, he no longer has the viability as an actor to bring positivity to the scenes he is in, and when the minutes add up, when almost every exposition depends on the situational set up, the fact is there are other performers who could have added a fierceness and anger that didn’t feel forced.

In the end Captain America: Brave New World has the feel of a film and storyline stitched together with low expectations; a sense of continuance that needs to be arrested soon lest the MCU becomes an irrelevance.

Ian D. Hall