There is no denying that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been in a strange place since “Avengers: Endgame.” While some projects like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” have managed to be exciting, others like “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “Eternals” have felt aimless, stuck in a cycle of diminishing returns.

“Captain America: Brave New World,” is a film that carries the weight of introducing Sam Wilson’s Captain America in a leading role while also attempting to bring political intrigue back to the MCU.

The result? A film that has its moments but ultimately struggles under its own ambition.

Anthony Mackie has long been a charismatic presence in the MCU, but unfortunately, “Brave New World” doesn’t give him the material to shine the way he should’ve. Mackie’s version of Captain America lacks the emotional weight and ideological conflict that made Steve Rogers’ journey compelling.

While the film tries to establish Wilson’s own leadership style and not just his struggle of stepping into Rogers’ shoes, it barely scratches the surface. Instead of giving us a layered character study, the movie often falls back on generic action sequences and weak political drama.

As a whole, this movie felt unfinished, as if a bunch of ideas were thrown together without a deep enough explanation. In the same way “Endgame” had multiple movies leading up to it, this movie was a stepping stone to the next “Endgame,” per se.

One of the biggest missed opportunities is the lack of a truly personal conflict for Wilson. The best Captain America stories, such as “The Winter Soldier” and “Civil War,” worked because they challenged the protagonist on a deeply personal level. Here, Wilson’s role feels more reactionary; he’s forced into situations rather than actively driving the narrative forward.

One of the biggest draws of “Brave New World” was the introduction of Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a recast following the passing of William Hurt. Ford brings a natural authority to the role, and his scenes inject the film with a weight that is often lacking elsewhere.

While the trailer hinted at heavy political intrigue, Ross’ role remained disappointingly surface-level. His transformation into the Red Hulk was a moment that should have been shocking and consequential but instead felt more like a last minute addition for spectacle rather than a natural evolution of his character. Although his transformation was hinted at throughout the movie, it still felt sporadic and unnecessary.

Red Hulk should have been a game-changer for the MCU, but instead he comes off as just another third-act monster to fight, and you can’t even call him a traditional bad guy, which makes me question the purpose of Red Hulk at all. There’s little emotional weight behind his transformation, and his motivations feel shallow.

For a Captain America movie, one expects intense, well-choreographed action. While there are some solid set pieces — especially in an early fight sequence involving Sam taking on multiple enemies — none of it feels particularly innovative. “The Winter Soldier” set a high bar for grounded, visceral combat, but “Brave New World” feels more like a standard MCU action flick rather than a uniquely thrilling MCU movie.

At its core, “Captain America: Brave New World” is not a bad movie, but it is an underwhelming one. I am hoping that this movie is going to be used to set up many other — much better — movies, as there are quite a few Marvel films set to release from this March to May 2027.

This movie had the potential to be a strong, politically driven thriller that redefined Sam Wilson’s role as Captain America. Instead, it settled for mediocrity, delivering a film that is watchable but ultimately forgettable. 

If you’re a die-hard Marvel fan, there’s enough here to enjoy. Mackie is still a solid lead, Ford brings presence and there are a few fun moments. But if you were hoping for a return to the high-quality storytelling of “The Winter Soldier,” you’ll likely leave the theater feeling underwhelmed.

My overall rating is a five out of 10.

Reach Riley Paling at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @rileypaling.