This New Blockbuster Movie Is a Surprising Conspiracy Thriller—and a Must-Watch

I didn’t know what to think heading into my showing of Captain America: Brave New World. My introduction to the Captain America storyline came in 2011, and for nearly a decade, he was played by a fellow named Chris Evans. While I’ve seen every Marvel movie, I, admittedly, have never kept up with their many different television series, which have, ultimately, ended up being connected to the movies. This has required some piecing together over the years when it comes to understanding the overall timeline, and with not being caught up, so to speak, I didn’t know if Brave New World would be digestible, or even understandable.

After all, this film is a continuation of the television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which I…didn’t watch, and if I went by the tough critic reviews, I probably wouldn’t have watched this movie at all.

In a Marvel Cinematic Universe that contains Avengers: Endgame, Black Panther and others, Brave New World is top five in my list, and that’s because it takes a totally different route than even the trailer presents.

Surprisingly, the film is a full-blown conspiracy thriller—so different from what has become typical in the MCU that you can almost separate it completely. Perhaps this was deliberate on the part of director Julius Onah, as many people (myself included) are “superheroed out,” and this was the perfect way to slowly reel those of us in this category back in.

You only see Captain America in his suit a handful of times, and the action scenes are quite minimal compared to other Marvel films, which is certainly a departure from what I'm used to. What surprised me the most, however, was the depth of the acting showcased in this film. I know some comic/MCU enthusiasts might disagree with me here, but Brave New World has a serious case for being the most well-acted in the entire universe.

I’m not kidding, this is a brilliantly acted film, which should come as no surprise when you see the names involved: Harrison Ford, Giancarlo Esposito, Carl Lumbly and, of course, Anthony Mackie, who plays the titular Sam Wilson, aka Captain America. There’s plenty of drama, twists and turns and even tears (genuinely believable tears, at that) as Captain America investigates a global conspiracy surrounding President Thaddeus Ross (Ford) in the attempt to clear the name of his longterm mentor who gets caught in the middle.

If you’ve been wondering whether or not you should go to the theater to see Brave New World, I highly recommend doing so. You may find yourself enjoying it way more than you expected.

Stay up-to-date on every entertainment story by subscribing to our mailing list here.