Captain American: Brave New World is ostensibly a sequel to Captain America: Civil War, and the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. At least, that's what one would assume. But in reality, it's also a sequel to 2003's The Incredible Hulk, which you may not remember since it came out over twenty years ago and didn't star Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk; it starred Edward Norton.
I may not be up on all Marvel Cinematic Universe lore, but I feel like I know enough to be confused by this decision, especially since the villain from that film also returns, and I'm sorry, as much as I may like Tim Blake Nelson, Samuel Sterns (AKA The Leader), at least as depicted in these two movies, is a boring villain! Also, very gross. Gross and boring do not a charismatic villain make!
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is now officially Captain America, passing his Falcon wings down to Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez). This Captain America is not a super soldier, which one would assume would be a detriment, and it is.
I can't believe at one time I complained about these Marvel movies having too many superheroes per movie because Brave New World feels empty with only one, especially one that could more easily die in any fight he's in.
For the majority of the movie, we also only have one villain, and this lack is only barely helped by the arrival of the Red Hulk, since that doesn't happen until the film's last fifteen minutes. (I'd say spoiler alert but it's on the poster. It ain't a surprise.) The overarching plot is also a snooze, centered on newly elected President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford, taking over the role from the late William Hurt) and his efforts to garner a treaty centered on the Celestial Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean that you probably don't know about unless you saw Eternals (which I have, and I barely remembered it).
As this is a Marvel movie, there are plenty of action sequences and fight scenes, but aside from some ridiculous monumental destruction near the film's end, none are particularly memorable. (Also, the theater I saw the movie in was so loud I began to dread any scene that wasn't just characters talking.)
I appreciate the idea of a Black Captain America, but the issue of this Black man fighting in the name of a country that has historically not championed Black Americans is pretty much ignored. Perhaps they figured since it had been covered a bit in the TV series, it didn't need mentioning. But that decision ultimately makes this already hollow movie feel practically cavernous.
Let's move on to a movie franchise that has yet to have a misfire: the Paddington movies! Paddington in Peru is the third film in the Paddington series, and while this one is a departure in many ways. with a new director, a new location, and, in some cases, a new cast, it's still got the same Paddington, and is therefore a delight.
Paddington the bear still loves his marmalade, still lives with the Brown family, and is still liable to stir up some misguided mischief. When he learns that his beloved aunt Lucy has gone missing from the Home for Retired Bears in Peru, Paddington and the Browns venture to his homeland to find her, and, as it turns out, possibly find the lost city of El Dorado along the way.
Hugh Bonneville is back as Mr. Brown, but Mrs. Brown is now played by Emily Mortimer, replacing Sally Hawkins. Most importantly, Ben Whishaw continues to voice Paddington, because any changes in that sweet and calming voice would surely be the death of the franchise. The best addition to the cast this time around is Olivia Colman who is hilarious as the Reverend Mother at the Home for Retired Bears. She's a nun with some secrets.
Paddington 2 was one of the rare sequels that was actually better than the film it follows, and while Paddington in Peru doesn't quite reach that level, it still manages to carry on the series in a utterly satisfying way. (And fans of Paddington 2 should definitely stick around for the credits for a little cameo at the end.)
No comments:
Post a Comment