Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

New Shield. New Suit. Same Problem: Everyone’s Still Yelling “Cap!” Every Five Seconds.

In this latest installment of America’s favorite shield-based morality franchise, we follow Sam Wilson, a former Air Force pararescueman and part-time bird-themed Avenger, as he tries to figure out what it means to be Captain America in a world where the word “freedom” now comes with a user agreement and a monthly subscription fee.

This is not your grandfather’s Cap. This Cap has drones, emotional nuance, and a helmet with built-in Bluetooth. He’s trying to lead in a world that’s constantly on fire—both literally and on Twitter. The “Brave New World” part probably refers to the fact that nothing works anymore and the bad guys wear suits now.

There’s a new villain, possibly a shadowy figure from the government, a think tank, or a YouTube comment section. He delivers menacing lines like, “You don’t understand the cost of peace,” while standing in front of a map that’s mostly red. At some point, someone will say “this wasn’t the plan,” which is Marvel-speak for “Things exploded faster than expected.”

Expect the following:

A long tracking shot of the American flag waving while a single cello plays a sad note Sam having a brief, respectful disagreement with someone before throwing them out of a helicopter At least one moral speech delivered in the rain, probably while holding the shield A villain who says “We’re not so different, you and I,” then immediately tries to stab him

Also returning is Harrison Ford, replacing General Thunderbolt Ross, and looking like a man who agreed to this movie after being promised a chair and not having to run.

The shield, as always, defies physics by bouncing off six objects and returning to the hand like it’s emotionally co-dependent. There’s also a new suit, which is presumably 40% nanotech and 60% symbolism.

In conclusion, this film promises action, commentary, airborne ethics debates, and at least one moment where Sam stares at the shield like it just told him his credit score.

I give it 4 out of 5 unnecessarily serious slow-motion salutes, with bonus points if someone actually asks, “Do you even want to be America’s metaphor?”