Based on what Deadpool said in Deadpool and Wolverine, it seems like Marvel and Disney are painfully aware with how people feel about the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They know fans have started to look down on this once glorious movie franchise and they need something to bring them back into the fold.

Now, the question we have to ask is if Captain America: Brave New World the movie to signal to fans that Marvel and Disney have learned their lesson? Well, I just watched the movie and the sort answer is a solid “kinda.”

But before we get to the nitty-gritty of the review, I do have to give out the obligatory mention that this review will be SPOILER FREE. Captain America: Brave New World just released in the Philippines but I’m well-aware it’s not going to be available everywhere until Friday. So, yeah. If you want some more details, I won’t be revealing any plot points as this is a SPOILER FREE review.

As the trailer doesn’t reveal much of the plot for Captain America: Brave New World, this initial summary will be pretty vague. After a failed assassination attempt on President “Thunderbolt” Ross leads to the arrest of Isaiah Bradley, Sam Wilson AKA the new Captain America, goes against the President’s orders and investigates the matter in the hopes of clearing his friend’s name. In the process, Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres, AKA the new Falcon, uncover a conspiracy that may plunge the world into war.

The first thing I would like to mention is I really like the overall tone of Brave New World. One of the many complaints levelled on the Marvel Cinematic Universe is how they try to inject too much humor into their movies. Brave New World seems like a return to form for the MCU as, in the past, their movies were basically genre films with a superhero twist. Brave New World comes off like a conspiracy thriller film like how the previous Captain America films, namely Winter Soldier and Civil War, felt. There are some jokes but it’s never used to break the tension to add some levity to the serious moments.

Unfortunately, one of my biggest issues is how the movie shows all of its cards right at the start of the movie. One of the neat things about a good conspiracy thriller is the reveal of who the mastermind behind the nefarious plot. Brave New World basically announces who the mastermind during the opening minutes! Even if this is a SPOILER FREE review, I’m betting fans who have been watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe will immediately put together who’s the leader pulling the strings in background. It’s weird because, like I said, the trailers do an incredible job of keeping it a secret but the movie itself makes it blatantly obvious who it’s going to be. Side note: do not look for the movie’s credits as, if you do, you might be able to figure out who it is.

I will say the performances, overall, is pretty good, Anthony Mackie definitely had some big shoes to fill as the new Captain America but the movie does a good job in making him feel like a superhero in his own right. He comes of as conflicted with his standing as Captain America and he manages to carry the burden of being a symbol well. Anthony Mackie was given a lot of leeway to feel like a new hero that can stand out here and I can appreciate that. Harrison Ford now takes over the role of “Thunderbolt” Ross after William Hurt‘s passing and I will say I did like his performance here as well. Danny Ramirez, who plays Joaquin Torres/Falcon, gives off some good youthful energy. Not exactly cocky but more like how he wants to prove himself worthy of being the next Falcon. I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley as he comes off a very down to earth despite him feeling wronged by his country.

Despite the performances being good, there were some moments where I was brought out of my immersion because of some really wonky lines they had to act out. Maybe I’m being too hypercritical about it but some of the things they said felt like exposition or they were written in to remind longtime viewers about past events. It’s not exactly the “As You Know Bob” trope as they do refer to events that transpired in the “bad” Marvel Cinematic Universe entries such as The Incredible Hulk and Eternals. Some fans may have skipped these movies so I understand the need to give a brief explanation. Still, they do feel forced and awkward.

The action scenes were pretty decent but they do feel a little, shall we say, anti-climatic. The fight choreography in the scenes were good but, besides the first one and the dogfight scene, didn’t make it seem like Sam Wilson nor the new Falcon were in any real danger. Heck, there were times when Sam Wilson would take a serious life-threatening hit and then shrug it off as if nothing happened in the next scene. That’s pretty amazing for someone who didn’t take any Super Serum to enhance his metabolism! The ending battle also was very unsatisfying to me and they should’ve milked the fight a little bit more.

While it does seem like I’m ragging quite a bit on Captain America: Brave New World, I still do think it’s a good movie. I never felt bored throughout the film’s 118-minute runtime and it does seem like Marvel and Disney are looking back on what worked for them during Phase 1 and Phase 2, which is putting together genre movies with superheroes. However, I wouldn’t exactly say you have to rush out and go see Captain America: Brave New World as soon as you can. I do think it’s a step in the right direction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it still doesn’t come off like a must watch.

Have you seen Captain America: Brave New World? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments section below!