For quite a lot of completely different causes, I used to be not in a position to catch Captain America: Courageous New World in theaters, which is uncommon for me with Marvel motion pictures. Although I didn’t skip out on the 2025 film due to the unfavorable important response (CinemaBlend gave it two out of 5 stars in our official assessment), I admit there weren’t lots of people singing the movie’s praises. I used to be led to consider that this wasn’t one of many greatest Marvel motion pictures, however as a substitute one thing unhealthy, messy, and unlucky. Whereas a kind of issues could also be true, I’ve to say that this wasn’t a foul or unlucky film. Fairly the opposite…
I lastly bought round to watching Captain America: Courageous New World, and it shortly grew to become one among my favourite latest MCU motion pictures. Certain, it didn’t have a top-tier Marvel story, it was messy at occasions, and it felt like a continuation of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, however it was an entire lot of enjoyable and was significantly better than I anticipated. Let me clarify…
Although Captain America: Courageous New World Is A Messy Film, It By no means Dragged Or Wore Out Its Welcome
I’ll admit that Courageous New World is messy at occasions – one among my colleagues beforehand identified points with the Serpent Society, however not like plenty of different Marvel motion pictures from the previous 5 or so years, the film by no means dragged or wore out its welcome. One of many shorter MCU titles (two minutes shy of two hours, together with the post-credits stuff), I used to be together with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) from begin to end, and the story by no means misplaced my consideration.
Whether or not it was digging deep into conspiracies involving unsuspecting folks (like Carl Lumbly’s tremendous soldier Isaiah Bradley) being managed like winter troopers to tug of some loopy stuff, or specializing in Cap kicking all types of butt, I used to be vibing with the film the entire approach by way of.
The Motion Sequences, Particularly The Battle With Pink Hulk, Had been Outrageously Enjoyable
I got here into this movie anticipating some nice motion set items, and the film greater than delivered on this class. With a number of scenes the place the brand new Cap takes on small teams of armed henchmen or troopers, an explosive run-in between the US and Japan over the celestial stays from The Eternals that sees Sam Wilson save the day simply earlier than a World Conflict III destroys the planet, or the assassination try on the White Home, there was a lot to like right here.
However, the sequence that I dug essentially the most, one which was featured closely in all of the trailers, was the battle between Captain America and Pink Hulk in Washington, D.C. With out giving something away to those that are even later than me attending to this film, this huge and extremely damaging battle is without doubt one of the coolest one-on-one fights I’ve seen within the MCU since Iron Man and Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron. We’ve bought Cap flying, Pink Hulk destroying every part in his path, and cherry blossoms all around the nation’s capital. I’m right here for all of it…
The Conspiracy Thriller Vibes Of Earlier Captain America Films Had been As soon as Once more On Level
Once more, I’m not going to present something away, however I’ve to level out that issues aren’t as they appear in Courageous New World. As teased shortly earlier than the movie’s February 2025 launch, there’s extra to the villain facet of issues than was let on, leading to an enormous conspiracy that entangles just about everybody launched. This facet of the film makes it really feel proper at residence with the earlier Captain America titles, as every of these featured some type of conspiracy in a single type or one other.
I’m not saying this will get on the extent of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (a top-tier MCU film), however the steadiness between superhero film and gritty conspiracy/revenge thriller makes for a enjoyable and fascinating expertise. Add in all of the tensions between world leaders, and I used to be a cheerful camper with this one.
This Is Fairly A lot A Sequel To The Unimaginable Hulk Performing Like A Captain America Film, However I am Not Mad
I’ve come to phrases with the truth that we’ll most likely by no means get a correct sequel to 2008’s The Unimaginable Hulk for quite a lot of causes, however Courageous New World just about scratched that itch. I’d even go as far as to say that that is basically the sequel we by no means bought.
With just about each character not named Bruce Banner displaying up, the film picked up plenty of the themes of the MCU’s second function movie and expanded upon them, particularly when it got here to the strained relationship between President Ross and his daughter, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). Hell, even the villain’s motivation stems from stuff that occurred approach again on the MCU timeline.
Fact be advised, I’d like to get a correct film with Bruce Banner one among lately, however I’m not mad within the slightest that the most recent Cap film can also be a Hulk film (simply with out Mark Ruffalo’s character).
It Took Me A Few Scenes To Alter, However Harrison Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross Was Nice
Contemplating the late William Damage, who performed Thunderbolt Ross in each MCU film up thus far, died in March 2022, the character needed to be recast right here. Though Harrison Ford is one among my favourite actors and somebody I by no means get uninterested in watching, I used to be initially apprehensive about him stepping in a decade and a half after Ross was first launched.
Whereas it did take me a number of scenes to regulate to Ford’s tackle the character, to not point out a scarcity of signature mustache, I ultimately got here round and totally loved watching the Star Wars and Indiana Jones lead trigger all types of mayhem. I’ve to confess that seeing Ford play a president once more and be on Air Drive One (albeit briefly) in any case these years was additionally fairly amusing.
So, do I feel Captain America: Courageous New World is the most effective MCU film of the previous 5 years? No, probably not. Is it the worst? Completely not. The ethical of the story must be: don’t at all times write off a film as a result of the critics hate it, since you is likely to be pleasantly shocked.