Captain America: Brave New World

By Joanna Langfield

This one gets the job done. As long as all you’re asking is to move the story along and set us up for yet more of the franchise.

I do like Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the effective but somewhat reluctant Captain America. I mean, who wouldn’t feel ambivalent? The President wants him to lead a task force and reunite the disbanded superheroes. Plus there’s, of course, the obligatory international crisis which could lead to World War. But Sam’s loyalty isn’t just to America, it’s also to an old friend who’s having, shall we say, issues. And to his apprentice pal, Joaquin, nicely played by Danny Ramirez. And, in his spare moments, Sam does worry he’s not up to all this.

Maybe the movie should have had some of those same concerns. Biting off quite a bit, the production looks nowhere near as sharp as its predecessors. And some of the plot points feel abbreviated, bringing up some pretty potent stuff and then quickly on to the next. Take, for example, the introduction of Sabra, the Israeli now in charge of security at the White House. The game Shira Haas gets to kick up some dust, but not enough to make her a whole character. And here’s quite the zinger: the President of the United States is being controlled by a brilliant techno wizard. Which had my heart pounding even when it all kind of fizzled into the same old same old.

But hey, that President is played by Harrison Ford who, into his 80’s, is showing up all over the place and reminding us of what a treat it is to watch him. What he does here doesn’t touch his charm offensive in Shrinking, or gravitas in that Jeep commercial, but he grabs the camera in every scene he’s in, recognizable or not.