Critics Are Slamming Captain America: Brave New Wo...

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World is not the best movie in the hero’s Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. In fact, I think it is the worst. However, that does not make it nearly as bad as the negative reviews make the film look. Captain America is my favorite MCU hero, which means I’ve spent countless hours rewatching Chris Evans’ Captain America trilogy. I was sad to see Steve Rogers go in Avengers: Endgame, but I felt his ending was sweet, though I wish some things had been done differently.

That said, I never had a problem with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson being chosen to replace Steve as Captain America in future MCU movies. I always felt Sam made more sense than Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. That is why I was so excited about his first film as the lead, and I was surprised by Captain America: Brave New World‘s negative reviews. The film holds a 49% Tomatometer score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. While it could have been better, the Captain America movie is not as bad as it is said to be.

I Agree That Chris Evans’ Captain America Trilogy Is Better Than Brave New World

It Is The MCU’s Best Trilogy

I think it is unfair to say that Brave New World is a bad movie simply because it ranks last in the Captain America franchise. The 2025 film simply had too high a bar to reach, as Chris Evans’ Captain America trilogy is regarded by many as the MCU’s best for good reason. I love every single one of Evans’ Captain America movies. The First Avenger was the perfect Steve Rogers origin and visually stunning war epic, while The Winter Soldier defined grounded thrillers for the MCU, and Civil War was an Avengers movie with Captain America as the star.

One of the easiest ways to compare Evans’ Captain America trilogy to Mackie’s Brave New World is through the movie that inspired the MCU’s latest Captain America entry. 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier set the tone for what grounded thrillers should be like in the MCU, with political intrigue, hard-hitting action, and high stakes. It was repeated in many interviews that Captain America: Brave New World was inspired by The Winter Soldier, and it is clear that the film went for the same tone. However, I never found it as exciting or profound as Evans’ second Captain America movie.

Captain America: Brave New World Shows Just How Worthy Sam Wilson Is Of His MCU Title

The MCU’s New Captain America Shines In The Film

I understand some of the criticism surrounding Captain America: Brave New World, as I too felt there were too many subplots, with characters like the Serpent Society not playing much of a role, the dialogue carried too much exposition, and the Leader was not the most exciting villain. However, I refuse to believe the movie is on the same level as Iron Man 2 and other such entries commonly ranked at the bottom of the MCU, no matter how much its negative reviews believe that to be accurate. Sam Wilson shines in Captain America: Brave New World.

Wilson cements himself as Captain America in Brave New World, and I absolutely loved how Marvel did not shy away from the Steve Rogers comparisons. It was important to address to movie audiences how Sam could be Captain America without taking the super-soldier serum. As Bucky put it in his surprising cameo, Sam’s true power lies in his humanity, being able to show kindness and help those in need. That point was hit home in the fight against Red Hulk. Sam tries his best but can’t beat him, so he uses his experience and reasons with him, making Ross stop.

The MCU’s First Movie Of 2025 Sets Up So Much For The Franchise’s Future

The Multiverse Saga And Beyond Can Thrive Off Captain America: Brave New World’s Setups

Another positive aspect of Captain America: Brave New World is how much it puts in motion for future MCU releases. I never felt like the film’s story suffered from the teases of what could go on to happen in other Marvel projects. Instead, I was excited about the potential some of them have. The biggest tease relates to Sam Wilson, as Captain America decides that he will restart the Avengers, not working under Thaddeus Ross, but separately from the government once again. The Leader’s speech also set up the events of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, which I didn’t expect.

MCU Captain America Movies
Release Year

Captain America: The First Avenger
2011

Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014

Captain America: Civil War
2016

Captain America: Brave New World
2025

I loved how one of the film’s biggest teases for the future of the MCU played such a key role in Captain America: Brave New World. The film introduced Adamantium, a metal stronger than Vibranium that can be found on Celestial Island — the dead Celestial Tiamut seen in Eternals — and is connected to Wolverine and the X-Men. Other teases, like Bucky becoming a congressman and Red Hulk ending up in the Raft, where he could eventually be recruited for the Thunderbolts, were also exciting. All in all, Captain America: Brave New World is an enjoyable movie with a great lead.