Is the Brave New World Film a Worthy Captain America Story?

Just as importantly, does the Brave New World film do justice to the Captain America comics that inspired it?

Inheriting a superhero’s mantle comes with a particular kind of pressure.

The dilemma is twofold: It is one thing to wear the costume, wield the weapon, and stand before a crowd of people who need saving. It is another to convince them that the person beneath the costume deserves to be there.

New material in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) inevitably comes with scrutiny, but Captain America: Brave New World has a little more to prove than most.

Naturally, fans have questions. Can Sam carry the responsibility once defined by Steve Rogers?

And perhaps just as importantly, does the Brave New World film do justice to the Captain America comics that inspired it?

Sam has to establish himself as a compelling successor without imitating Steve Rogers. At the same time, Marvel must adapt the character in a way that’s befitting for the title and legacy.

So, let’s talk about it.

Sam Wilson Has the Shield, Now What?

The handover at the end of Avengers: Endgame was a significant moment for the MCU.

After years of fighting alongside Steve Rogers, Sam was finally entrusted with the shield. However, receiving the shield and becoming Captain America are not necessarily the same thing.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was centered on this distinction. Sam struggled with the decision to take up the mantle and faced the complicated history attached to it.

He questioned whether the symbol could mean something different in someone like him.

His encounters with Isaiah Bradley, a Black super-soldier betrayed by the American government, forced him to reckon with the distance between the ideals Captain America represents and the country itself.

By the end of the series, Sam had made his choice. He would become Captain America. The Brave New World film therefore arrives with groundwork already in place.

Instead, it needs to demonstrate what makes his Captain America distinct.

Thoughtful Criticism

One of the most frustrating things about Brave New World is that the film introduces several promising ideas without fully committing to any.

Is it a political thriller about a new Captain America navigating a complicated relationship with the American government? A spy mystery involving a conspiracy that reaches the White House? A continuation of The Incredible Hulk (2008)? Or a character study about a former general struggling with his past as he assumes the presidency?

Unfortunately, the elements don’t always come together satisfyingly.

Its political intrigue rarely develops into a genuinely thought-provoking examination of power, its mystery lacks the suspense necessary to keep audiences guessing, and its central conflict increasingly revolves around Ross rather than Sam.

It also feels like the film focuses more on other characters and not the hero. Mackie does fulfill his role as Captain America, and he deserves credit for working with what he was given.

The film opens with Thaddeus Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford, announced as the President of the United States.

Ross’ alter ego, Red Hulk, also appears for the first time in the MCU in the third act of the film. Ross is on the verge of signing a treaty with Japan and neighboring nations for the US to control its mining and distribution. Regrettably, an attack on his life throws negotiations into chaos, and trust in others balances on the point of a needle.

It’s up to Sam as the new Captain America to prevent a new world war from breaking out and unite everyone once again.

Captain America Without the Super-Soldier Serum

One of the film’s greatest strengths is Anthony Mackie.

His casting as Captain America makes sense, and he brings an approachable, grounded energy to Sam Wilson that distinguishes him from Steve Rogers.

Unlike Steve Rogers, Sam has not undergone a physical transformation that makes him stronger, faster, or more durable than an ordinary human.

His wings, vibranium equipment, and combat training help him compete with enhanced opponents, but they don’t make him invulnerable.

In the comics, Sam’s background as Falcon has always given him a distinctive place among Marvel’s heroes.

His ability to fly, his connection with birds in earlier stories, and his partnership with Steve made him valuable long before he inherited the shield. Becoming Captain America simply adds another dimension to his character.

Thoughtful Criticism

The problem is that the screenplay does not give him enough meaningful influence over the story.

Much of the central conflict stems from Ross’s past, the Leader’s revenge, and a conspiracy Sam gradually uncovers.

He often feels like he’s reacting to the plot rather than shaping it. Perhaps the film’s most significant structural problem is its relationship with the Hulk franchise.

Ross and Red Hulk all have deep connections to the Hulk corner of Marvel Comics.

Their inclusion naturally gives Brave New World the atmosphere of a continuation of The Incredible Hulk, particularly for viewers who have been waiting years for those characters and their storylines to return.

There is nothing inherently wrong with revisiting older MCU plotlines. In fact, connecting seemingly forgotten stories can make a shared universe feel more coherent.

The problem is that these connections dominate a film meant to establish Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. That is a strange position for the protagonist of a franchise’s fourth instalment.

Imagine if Marvel had developed this story as a dedicated Hulk sequel. Bruce Banner’s history with Ross and Sterns could have formed the foundation of the conflict, while Red Hulk’s emergence would have directly challenged Bruce’s understanding of his own condition.

Instead, Sam inherits a story whose most important relationships and antagonists belong to another superhero’s mythology.

A Missed Opportunity for a Different Captain America

Sam’s fighting style should be one of the film’s distinguishing features.

He approaches fights tactically, prioritizing de-escalation, rescue, and strategic positioning over lethal or aggressive engagement.

In addition, the Wakandan equipment he receives offers a particularly interesting opportunity. His vibranium-enhanced suit allows him to operate at a different level, combining aerial combat with defensive and offensive capabilities.

Some of the aerial sequences and shield work are entertaining, and the contrast between Sam’s mobility and Red Hulk’s overwhelming strength provides a useful foundation for the final confrontation.

Elsewhere, the action can feel less distinctive than the premise promises.

When a hero has specialised equipment that should fundamentally change how he fights, watching him rely on conventional hand-to-hand combat for extended stretches can make the choreography feel oddly disconnected from his abilities.

Worthy or not?

Anthony Mackie brings the right qualities to Sam Wilson: a grounded presence, a believable sense of responsibility, and a style of heroism that differs from Steve Rogers without diminishing the shield’s importance.

The Brave New World film also draws from recognisable comic-book material, including Sam’s tenure as Captain America, the political themes associated with the character, and Ross’s transformation into Red Hulk.

However, its execution does not always match the potential of those ideas.

That does not make Sam the wrong choice for Captain America; it makes the film an incomplete introduction to what he could become.

Sam Wilson has already demonstrated that he understands that responsibility.

The comics have established his place in Captain America’s history, and the MCU has spent years building towards his arrival.

Now the films need to catch up.