“But, there were other effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside. So, good becomes great. Bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows compassion.”
“Thanks. I think.”
“Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.”
– Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
In the second Captain America standalone film, The Winter Soldier (2014), arguably one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe films to-date, the character of Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) was introduced as a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served as pararescueman and currently worked as a counselor of fellow vets. His introduction to the series would be echoed in the iconic final battle in Endgame (2019), but “on your left” is only a small piece of who Sam is and would overshadow the sensitivity and people-first mentality that would propel the character into audience’s hearts. Despite all of the wild things that occurred since the introduction of the character, Sam remained someone who preferred to talk than fight, always trying to find a peaceful resolution to conflict. Without a super soldier serum, he is the “good man” that Dr. Erskine looked for, which is what makes him the best person to receive the mantle of Captain America from Steve. Now in his first leading role in the MCU, Mackie’s Captain America: Brave New World doubles-down on this, exploring the notions of legacy (the road traveled and the road yet to be paved) in a narrative that’s nowhere near as thrilling as it wants to be yet is no less thoughtful. On digital now, Brave New World offers fans two featurettes, three deleted scenes, a gag reel, and a commentary track to expand the cinematic experience.
Anthony Mackie behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo Credit: Eli Adé. © 2024 MARVEL.
After the events of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson has fully-accepted the mantle and role of Captain America and is once more working with the American military. After a successful mission to recover a stolen item, Sam is invited to the White House by newly-elected President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) for a special event convening several world leaders on a larger project involving Celestial Island. But as the presentation is underway, Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), guest of Sam and former super soldier serum recipient, attacks Ross and sets into motion a series of events that place the entire world on the verge of war. Facing his first major threat as Captain America, Sam must determine the source of the threat and quell it before the world runs red with rage and violence.
Before moving forward, let’s address the proverbial elephant in the room — The Incredible Hulk (2008), the second film to be released in the MCU. At first, it may seem strange to create such a direct connection to this film in Brave New World, a back-door sequel as it may be viewed, except the plot of Hulk is inextricably tied to the background of Brave New World. This isn’t a reference to Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, a.k.a. The Leader, or even Ross, but to Steve himself and the project that created the super soldier serum. If one remembers that these films are tied together by a shared universe (a la the serial structure that comic books are so frequently utilizing until some special event resets the timeline), it’s not hard to see the connection. The program that Bruce Banner (Ed Norton and then Mark Ruffalo) was working on, for Ross, was an attempt to recreate the serum that created Captain America. A serum that audiences learn was in development so long that the U.S. government executed a Tuskegee Airmen-like program which gave Bradley his abilities and then they locked him away. This is the legacy of the U.S. government in trying to replace Steve Rogers, believed dead while in the act of stopping Red Skull (Hugo Weaving). So while some might see Brave New World as a strange place to revisit the questions left by the 2008 tale, you cannot explore the legacy of Captain America without looking back at them and the monsters made in the wake of seeking answers. One can understand why it might feel strange at first to see Sam’s Captain America going toe-to-toe with a Hulk with only a Wakandan suit and shield as protection, and it may seem ineffectual to have that battle be solved with words and not fists, but (a) that’s who Sam is — the communicator, the counselor, and (b) it’s making manifest the confrontation of the super soldier legacy and that of Captain America in terms of what it represents now. A great deal of arguments can be made about whether or not the choices made within the film are effective in achieving this goal (more shortly), but one cannot deny that an exploration of the mantle of Captain American cannot happen without looking into the gamma program run by Ross.
Unfortunately, the script by Rob Edwards (The Princess and the Frog), Malcolm Spellman (Our Family Wedding), Dalan Musson (Iron Sky: The Coming Race), director Julius Onah (Luce), and Peter Glanz (The Longest Week) feels like it was written by too many voices as it attempts to replicate the intrigue that The Winter Soldier so brilliantly pumps through every single scene. The cold open finds Sam in a mission against several mercs lead by Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), including a brief face-off against a physically larger opponent that’s a lesser echo of Steve’s fight against Georges Batroc (Georges St-Pierre); Sam’s given his own sidekick with a similar-though-different energy to how Sam appeared in his initial MCU outing; and the overall plot involves political intrigue as world leaders are manipulated from the shadows by a nefarious individual. With all of this going on, not only does Brave New World come off as a lesser The Winter Soldier, but it fails to really dig into the material that serves as its basis. Audiences who didn’t watch the Disney+ series that preceded this are given just enough to understand Bradley’s significance, yet the script moves past the implications of the U.S. government as orchestrators of a science experiment that jailed its subject because it viewed them as a lesser individual. Or, at least from the bits we get from Ross’s arc, it was an issue of “the greater good.” Except, rarely does “the greater good” actually serve the people or maintain its purity when born out of blood and pain. We can’t expect a comic book film, specifically one within the MCU, to litigate such important issues with any kind of depth, but why use the material if not to spend time on it? One deleted scene does show Ross, pre-incident, speaking with Bradley and both offering an apology for Bradley’s treatment and extending an invitation to chat after the presentation — a moment that would go a long way in at least acknowledging the wrong-doing by the in-universe government as something would be better than the mostly nothingburger that the film manages. By using Bradley’s past but not spending time on it, audiences are more likely to miss the connection between the serum, Ross, and Sam, and only see the Ross arc as the primary focus.
That said, what they do with Ross is not only impressive as a means to humanize the character that William Hurt (The Incredible Hulk; Dark City) originated in the MCU in 2008 and repeated four more times with Captain America: Civil War (2016), Infinity War (2018), Endgame (2019), and Black Widow (2021), they manage to create a tale that utilizes the best aspect of Sam as a hero: his compassion. Now, Hurt may not have been a massive presence, yet a clear arc was crafted starting with the inclusion of a heart attack that began his change of persona which would culminate in what we see in Brave New World. This is a character who is trying the only way he knows how to make something good out of a lifetime’s worth of mistakes, so it’s, of course, rooted in human rights violations. This is what makes The Leader as the true villain someone whom we struggle to despise in the same way that Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl) was endeared to audiences, having some good points, out of line or not. Rather than receiving punishment for helping an individual believed to be on the run and getting treatment for his gamma radiation infusion, Sterns was subjected to testing and repeated gamma treatments *by Ross* in order to further Ross’s career. Sterns is akin to Bradley as an individual incarcerated for the main crime of being super-powered, a man made a victim and then tossed aside. Quick aside, but this is something else that audiences forget when looking at Sterns as they expected something more comic accurate in appearance of The Leader, suggested by the last look of Nelson in Hulk. Sterns has been routinely subjected to gamma treatments for close to two decades. His grotesque features and deformed skin are not the result of a single exposure, but repeated forced exposures that have given him less the robust green skin and enhanced cranium and more a sickly, eradiated form. He’s meant to look different than his comic book counter-part because the character’s been tortured by Ross. Does this mean that Ross deserves to be transformed against his will into Red Hulk? It’s poetic, to be sure, and the kind of revenge that makes sense in a The Count of Monte Cristo way, but it’s still tragic for all involved. And how does one stop a Hulk? Unless they’re Jennifer Walters, you either give them time or compassion, and that’s why this version of Captain America makes the most sense to introduce the Red Hulk. Sam will always fall back on talking things through, whether he has the upper-hand or not. It’s by talking things out, grounding Ross despite his rage that, ultimately, Ross is able to get his transformation under control. It’s Sam working with a dysregulated veteran, echoing what we observed when we first met Sam as he led a veteran support group in The Winter Soldier. This is the new legacy of Captain America — someone who strives to do the right thing, not just by fighting for the little guy but by communicating with them and for them, too. It would just be nice if the total film worked as well or was as engaging as it seeks to be.
This home release review is based on a digital edition provided by Marvel Studios. As such, we have no way to discuss the technical aspects of the picture and sound (as we typically do) because both of those are restricted to the way that Apple TV or MoviesAnywhere compresses and presents the film. What can be stated is that there appears to be no difference between which bonus features are available on digital and which are on the physical editions, of which there are several options. Physical owners can opt for the typical DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD standard edition; a Wal-Mart Blu-ray edition with pop-up (yes, a pop-up) cover; a 4K UHD steelbook edition; or a four-film collection. So pick your style.
L-R: Director Julius Onah and actors Xosha Roquemore and Anthony Mackie behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo Credit: Eli Adé. © 2024 MARVEL.
In terms of the bonus features, they are slim but somewhat informative. Those of us who enjoy a deep dive into the making of a film will likely find the two featurettes lacking for what they don’t explore even as they seek to tackle a great deal within them. In the first, “Assuming the Mantle,” we’re given a look at Mackie’s journey into and through the MCU, including information on how he joined, as well as what Mackie thinks about the depowered hero as a “real person” compared to the enhanced colleagues Sam fights alongside. This featurette also talks about the new suit, the shooting of the film, the ideas within the narrative, and a tiny spotlight on Danny Ramirez’s Joaquín Torres who makes his MCU debut as the new Falcon. Likewise, “Old Scores, New Scars,” seeks to provide insight into the inclusion of Esposito’s Sidewinder, the return of Nelson’s Sterns, and Ford’s take on Ross. By splitting this single featurette across three characters in under 10 minutes, there’s not really enough time spent to feel more than a cursory awareness of the actors’ respective experiences and their thoughts on the roles. Given what the film seeks to do, a spotlight featurette would be far more informative and valuable to home viewers. At the very least, the three deleted scenes provide a little more depth into character relationships, specifically Sam with Secret Service Agent Taylor (Xosha Roquemore), and Ross and Agent Taylor, which would’ve enhanced Brave New World by virtue of making it more about the characters than about getting to the next action set piece. At the very least, the gag reel is a good time as we watch the cast get silly, whether using mocap, flubbing a sequence, or just generally bouncing off their castmates. Finally, and a bit of a rarity, there’s a feature-length commentary track with director Onah and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau (Creed II) which will provide the most information on the making of the film, especially compared to what’s provided.
Brave New World is a fine film in the sense that what it does is merely that, fine. Mackie is as convincing as ever as Sam, baring the weight of legacy with grace and humor; Ford is an excellent addition to the MCU, making Ross someone we can feel for even as we learn about the truly shady things he’s done in the name of “the greater good;” and Nelson gives Sterns a necessary gravitas that makes it easy to see the character’s perspective. The stunt sequences are fun and the final reveal, though spoiled in the trailers, of Red Hulk and the confrontation that follows does possess more weight than the usual end-of-film slugfest. But the inability to do more with the subtext of the narrative is what weakens it on the whole as it strives to maintain that MCU aloofness that’s made so much of the titles since Endgame harder for audiences to love. The rinse-repeat elements of each film have made audiences expectant and desiring something else, which Brave New World gets close to when it starts to interrogate the legacy of the super solider program and Sam’s place within it; yet, by falling back on the tried-and-true, Brave New World ultimately establishes the same structure that’s operated within these films since 2008’s Iron Man. It’s why there’s no excitement or anticipation from the Sterns cutscene and, ultimately, why this film is a fine entertainment and little more than a stepping stone to the next story. For a first-time solo outing, Mackie deserved better.
Captain American: Brave New World Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with Director Julius Onah and Director of Photography Kramer Morgenthau (1:58:25)
- Assuming the Mantle (11:09)
- Old Scores, New Scars (9:46)
- Gag Reel (2:13)
- Three (3) Deleted Scenes (4:49)
Available on digital April 15th, 2025.
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD May 13th 2025.
Available on Disney+ May 28th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Marvel Studios Captain America: Brave New World webpage.
Final Score: 3 out of 5.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming
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