Movie Review: Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Captain America: Brave New World (2025) directed by Julius Onah

Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) has been elected President of the United States of America and makes a great speech about how he wants to unite the country. Turns out, it's not just the country he wants to unite.  With the discovery of adamantium, a metal potentially more valuable than vibranium, most developed countries want to stake a claim, maybe the only claim, to the resource discovered in the Indian Ocean. He's brokering an international deal but the situation is perilized when a high-tech criminal group led by Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), has stolen a sample en route to Japan. He's selling to a mysterious bidder and they are supposed to meet in an isolated Mexican church. The new Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), is sent to retrieve the lost item. Of course, he wants to rescue the hostages too. The mission is successful but opens a big can of worms for Ross, who seems to have some ulterior motives and background resources involved in the situation. Since Sam's long history with Ross is full of conflict, the mistrust between the two men threatens to make things worse. The possibility of an international incident drives them both into difficult situations.

The movie builds an intriguing political thriller with superheroes in it. As layer after layer of the conspiracy is peeled back, the tension increases. Some bits are far-fetched but overall the plot is very satisfying and gets to the final showdown (which is spoiled by every piece of marketing), an exciting battle between unmatched opponents. While not as great as Winter Soldier or Black Panther, this is solid entertainment and what fans come to Marvel movies for. It's exciting, has some good humor, and is reasonably intelligent.

Recommended, especially if you have been disappointed by a lot of the post-Endgame material.

Book Review: Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers by R. Hudlin

Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers written by Reginald Hudlin and illustrated by Denys Cowan

It's World War II and the Nazis need vibranium to make a missile that will land on FDR's lap in Washington, D.C. The first squad sent to Wakanda has not reported back, so Hitler sends an elite squad headed by the Red Skull to get the metal they need. The Allies have some vague intel about the mission but they, like the Nazis, think its a primitive backwater African nation. They send Captain America and the Howling Commandos (headed by Nick Fury) to foil the Nazi plot. Both the Americans and the Germans discover the heads of the first squad impaled on sticks at the Wakandan border. Perhaps a more potent force is inside?

This book does a great job of capturing the World War II era. The art is reminiscent of the times and the dialog is nicely reminiscent of World War II action films. A main character is an African-American soldier who was hand-picked by Nick Fury. The story nods its head to racial issues without becoming about them. It's a fun action yarn with a little extra thrown in. The relationship between Cap and Black Panther grows naturally. By the end, the Wakandas still aren't ready to enter the world stage but the seed has been sown.

Recommended for some fun WWII superhero action.

Book Review: Captain America: Winter Soldier by E. Brubaker et al.

Captain America: Winter Soldier written by Ed Brubaker, art by Steve Epting, Michael Lark, and John Paul Leon

The Red Skull is accumulating resources to recreate the Cosmic Cube, a device that allows the owner to will things into existence. This present-day Cube has almost no power. Red Skull orchestrates a mass killing that will make the Cube usable. Being Red Skull, he also wants to stick it to Captain America at the same time. He doesn't get to execute his plan because the Russians he is working with double cross Red Skull, killing him and taking the Cube for their own nefarious purposes.

While Cap is unraveling the Skull's plans with the help of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Russians are hatching their own plot, which includes their own bit of revenge on Captain America. Cap has some weird dreams and flashback to World War II events. They are weird because they come at inopportune times (like in the middle of fights) and don't seem to match the historical record. And Cap's WWII buddy, Bucky Barnes, is wrapped up in the intriguing nightmares and the modern day activity.

Anyone who has seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier knows that part of the story. The story in the book was written before the movie and clearly the filmmakers borrowed quite a bit from here. But the two stories are quite different and equally enjoyable. Brubaker's writing has lots of character depth if not character growth. The main mystery/conspiracy is intriguing and ends quite well.

Highly recommended.

Movie Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Captain America: Civil War (2016) directed by Anthony and Joe Russo

The Avengers face their greatest foe yet--government bureaucracy! After another battle on foreign soil has unintended civilian deaths, the U.S. government, in conjunction with the United Nations, is demanding that the Avengers and all other superheroes come under direct supervision of a government committee. The "agreement" is called the Sokovia Accords and the heroes are expected to sign it. Tony Stark/Iron Man is all in favor because he knows the cost in human lives of their actions. Steve Rogers/Captain America is against it because he has seen government agencies fail. As the nations gather to sign the accords, a terrorist attack interrupts. Video footage shows James "Bucky" Barnes/the Winter Soldier was responsible. Among the dead are the King of Wakanda, leaving his son Prince T'Challa in charge and vengeful. He has his own super suit and secret identity--the Black Panther. Steve wants to save his friend Bucky, but that means fighting both Black Panther and Iron Man. Things get further out of control as the movie goes along.

The movie does a good job balancing the serious drama and the action/adventure fun of a summer super-hero movie. The characters' discussions of who should be responsible are interesting and have nuance. The action scenes are exciting and give the chance for every character to shine. The movie also keeps a good sense of humor, lightening the mood.

The movie is a very enjoyable start to the summer blockbuster season!

Movie Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) directed by Anthony and Joe Russo

Captain America as a character doesn't quite fit in modern culture. He's a flag-wearing patriot who believes in following the chain of command and doing what's best for the country he loves. Perhaps this attitude was a lot easier in World War II 1940s when issues looked so clear. Nazis and the Axis countries were bad; America and the Allies were good. Modern culture doesn't allow for such neat divisions into moral categories. What's a super-soldier to do?

At the beginning of this movie, Captain America is working for S.H.I.E.L.D., a highly resourced and highly effective intelligence agency. One of their ships in the Indian Ocean is raided by pirates intent on ransoming the crew and the scientists on board. Cap leads a rescue mission. In addition to regular S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Black Widow is on the team. After securing the boat, Cap discovers her taking information from the ship's computers, an assignment she had from Nick Fury, head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Cap knew nothing about it and is frustrated that Fury didn't let him in on it. As he and Fury discuss it, Fury acknowledges that Cap wouldn't have gone on the mission if Black Widow's assignment had been the primary goal, but she is willing to do things he isn't. Cap doubts he's working for the right people if information is more important than lives. Fury shows Cap a new S.H.E.I.L.D. initiative that will enable them to kill bad guys even before they are going to commit crimes. It's a combination of low-orbit weapons and high-tech surveillance. Cap bristles even more at this project. Following the chain of command and doing what's best for the country he loves comes into conflict.

A mysterious figure (later identified as the Winter Soldier) tries to kill Fury. Fury goes to Cap's home and tells him not to trust anyone. Things with the project are fishy and he gives Cap the USB drive with the ship's information. Fury is taken off to the hospital and Cap comes into conflict with Fury's superior (played well by Robert Redford), who wants to know what Fury told him. Cap is accused of withholding information S.H.I.E.L.D. needs and has to go on the run. Black Widow joins him, presumably because she's used to trusting no one. Events spiral out of control.

So in addition to the usual comic book film action sequences, which are plentiful and exciting, the film has an elaborate conspiracy plot that keeps viewers' brains engaged. I was a little worried when Cap and Black Widow went on the run they'd be shoe-horned into a romantic relationship but they kept it professional (and Black Widow wasn't treated as eye-candy the way she was at the beginning of The Avengers). The unraveling of the plot is well paced, heightening the drama and providing plenty of opportunities for action. It's a fun film that moves the Marvel universe forward in interesting ways.

Quick Review: Captain America (2011)

To celebrate the Fourth of July, we watched Captain America: The First Avenger, which was one of my Father's Day presents. It was a fun action film with a lot of heart in it.

The story is about Steve Rogers, a young New Yorker in 1942 who wants to sign up to fight in World War II. The problem is he's a 90-pound weakling with health problems, i.e. 4F material, more so than even George Bailey. He winds up in a special secret U.S. Army unit that is working on a super-soldier serum. He is selected to take the serum which turns him into a lean, sleek, taller fighting man. Of course an enemy spy sneaks in and blow up the equipment and shoots the head scientist, so Rogers is the only one of his kind. He fights against the Nazis and their special secret unit, Hydra, that has its own plans for world domination.

The movie hits all the WWII tropes: liberating POW camps, jumping motorcycles, flying fortresses, attacking a train in motion, assaulting secluded mountain hideaways, moving plastic pieces on a giant table map, parachuting behind enemy lines, drinking in smoky bars, etc. etc. They come off not so much as cliches but as homages to the great WWII flicks that came before.

Chris Evans gives a great performance as Steve Rogers. He communicates the decency and honesty of the character and is as convincing emotionally as physically. Hugo Weaving as The Red Skull gives a good performance though I couldn't shake the feeling his German accent was an imitation of Werner Herzog. The rest of the cast is convincing and enjoyable.

It's not a perfect film but it is a ton of fun and surprisingly patriotic and heart-warming without being ham-fisted or overly melodramatic.



p.s. As I post this, the Amazon price of the DVD is $17.76, which can't really be an accident, can it?