Captain America: Brave New World (4K UHD Steelbook Review)
As the new year dawned, it was time for a new phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This could be a cause for commotion for some movie fans and a cause for a yawn for others. If you, like me are suffering from superhero fatigue you could be experiencing a curiosity and a cautionary feeling at the same time. Captain America: Brave New World brought the new phase into motion. For me, it feels like a soft launch. In general, how did the movie land? Did it soar above expectations like our new Falcon Captain America, or land with a thud?
Film 
In Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) – who now wields the shield of Captain America after events in “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” – meets with newly elected U.S. president Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) and soon finds himself in the middle of an international incident. In a race against time, Sam must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
The idea of a new Captain America emerging after the events of Avengers: Endgameseemed a bit impossible. Emerging from the strong yet inconsistent Falcon and the Winter Soldier series was the strong Sam Wilson, played with guts by Anthony Mackie. His performance gave me confidence that a new Captain America could be possible.
That possibility would only be feasible with a good storyline. With the addition of a president who may have some shady under dealings and some shadowy mastermind pulling the strings is very intriguing. How it’s all pulled off on-screen is what makes the film. In this case, I will come out with it quickly – The events fall flat. While the main characters of Sam and President Thaddeus Ross are well developed and well played by Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, the story and motive are what is flat.
Adamantium, a name I love for no particular reason, is the motive. On a fictional island, Adamantium is discovered, and its indestructible ability is dividing nations and making each one want to take the land for themselves. President Ross of course wants to be first, and for reasons unexplained, has already rubbed Japan the wrong way. We then find out more. But we’ll have to backtrack a bit.
Thaddeus Ross has a MCU past. We remember him differently though. He used to look a little different. More like, William Hurt perhaps. And he was in a different superhero’s wake then. Maybe, Iron Man? Are we catching on? Because I had to remember that before I could catch on. Thaddeus, before his presidential glow-up has been holding one Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) in a prison for years. He is something of a supe, with his brain on the outside, performing experiments. But why hold him? We learn that Ross was dying, and Sterns had the miracle drug to keep him well. The drug keeps him going, so Sterns remains Ross’s hostage. But what Ross doesn’t know, but we do is that Sterns’ drug also alters Ross’s mind.
Sterns is in control from his jail cell, and he also dispatches a black ops soldier named Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) to do some dirty deeds on the outside for him. Sterns has also piped in some mind control on others to try to assassinate world leaders and pin it on President Ross. So, is Ross the villain? We are left asking that question until the climax of the film that was so heavily advertised in the trailer. Yes, the president as Red Hulk sequence.
So no, it’s not a spoiler. Thaddeus Ross becomes Red Hulk. His life-saving miracle drug also turns him into Red Hulk once he becomes uncontrollably angry. Who wouldn’t be overcome with anger when his country can’t get control of Celestial Island and all the Adamantium? I’d be big mad too! This is all happening with Wilson trying to keep things calm along with his sidekick Falcon (Danny Ramirez) and Ross’s head of security Ruth (Shira Bat-Seraph).
For me, Captain America: Brave New World does not set the new phase on fire. It’s a small candle being lit. The film feels more like a 2-episode limited series that is strung together to make a 2-hour film. The acting and production value are both on point. The story and the pacing fall flat. There are decent action sequences here, but they feel generic when compared to the heights that we know the MCU can and has reached.
The biggest head scratcher for me is that the climax is what was so hyped. A ten-minute sequence with questionable CGI and an actor who is having a renaissance in his 80’s. It goes nowhere in the end, and yet it was so hyped and so anticipated it had to be refined before it was officially released. The scene should’ve been re-done to make it feel more necessary. I guess there was some bad blood at some point between Wilson, the original Captain America and President Ross, although I looked for an explanation I never received during the movie.
For this to be what opened the 5th phase of the MCU, I’m not super hopeful for the next films. I’m happy to see a lot of love being shown for Thunderbolts* as it currently rakes in the bucks at the theater. I just hope that love translates to that film being good. This one is merely OK.
Video
Encoding: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: 2160p
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
HDR: Dolby Vision
Layers: BD-66
Clarity/Detail: Captain America: Brave New World boards the physical media train with an excellent looking 4K transfer. Of course, we wouldn’t expect a modern film to look anything less than exceptional, and this new disc is no slouch. Clarity is perfect with colors popping and clothing and set detailing being near perfect as it should be. The digital capture leaves no grain to be seen.
Depth: Lensing for the film is always with great attention to focus. No blurring is evident with camera movement unless it’s a stylistic choice. Action sequences move with intention and sequences filmed in the dark look as they should, with movements not getting lost or looking muddy.
Black Levels: Blacks are perfect here without issue or crushing.
Color Reproduction: Colors lean on the primary side, but they all have a nice pop to them. They are elevated by the HDR grade, with nice accuracy with the reds and blues of Cap’s shield and suit. The Red Hulk is VERY red, and the browns and sandy yellows we see also look very natural. Cherry Blossoms have a nice pink pop in the climax.
Flesh Tones: Skin tones are perfect throughout.
Noise/Artifacts: Clean.
Audio
Audio Format(s): English Dolby Atmos, English DTS-HD MA 7.1, Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Dynamics: Captain America: Brave New World has a Dolby Atmos mix that has punch and plenty of surround activity! Dialogue is easy to hear and no volume issues in sight! Bass is present and accounted for, so overall, the Atmos track is a near flawless victory.
Height: Height speakers are in a static formation. While there isn’t dynamic movement, there is plenty to hear up top. From flyovers, aircrafts, Washington D.C. destruction, and some gun fights among other things, we have a lot to take in from the height channels.
Low Frequency Extension: Bass booms for score, fight and actions scenes and the occasional explosion.
Surround Sound Presentation: Surrounds are used as they should be for all the action on screen. Ambience is heard in quieter moments.
Dialogue: Dialogue is reproduced perfectly throughout.
Extras
Extras are of the standard variety for a typical MCU physical release. Captain America: Brave New World arrives on 4K UHD Blu-ray in a few varieties. There is a standard slipcover edition. We also have a steelbook that goes well with the other ones you may have in your collection already. There is also a Walmart exclusive that has a pop-up slipcover. Choose your own adventure! The release is a 4K/Blu-ray/Digital Code combo. For my review, Disney was kind enough to send the steelbook and I found it to be very nice looking overall. The red, white and blue imagery fit the general aesthetic of the character and the theme of the film, so it worked for me! Bonus features are all on the Blu-ray, with the commentary being the only item included on both discs.
Bonus Features:
- Assuming the Mantle (HD; 11:08) a short feature about the production with a little backstory on how Sam Wilson becomes Captain America just in case you may not have known already.
- Old Scores, New Scars (HD; 9:46) Villains and their unfinished business are discussed here.
- Gag Reel (HD; 2:12)
- Deleted Scenes (HD; 4:45)
- Audio Commentary by Julius Onah and Kramer Morgenthau
Summary
While it may not have lit my fire, I’ve no doubt that Captain America: Brave New World has amassed a fine set of fans from its theatrical run. I found the film to be another in a long line of disappointing Marvel properties. The film feels like something that began as a set of decent ideas that didn’t come together with enough to feel like a complete film. At the end of the day, the movie falls into a more TV friendly piece that doesn’t feel very cinematic at all. Here’s hoping that we’re in for something at least a little better with the next things coming from Marvel. In the meantime, completists and fans of the film have at least got a excellenr looking and sounding new disc for their collections. Fans should proceed without hesitation. If you’re curious, find a way to see the film first.
Get a copy of Captain America: Brave New World HERE
Get the Brave New World Steelbook HERE
Adam Toroni-Byrne
Adam is a lifelong physical media collector. His love of collecting began with a My First Sony radio and his parent's cassette collection. Since the age of 3, Adam has collected music on vinyl, tape and CD and films on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray. Adam likes to think of himself as the queer voice of Whysoblu. Outside of his work as a writer at Whysoblu, Adam teaches preschool and trains to be a boxer although admittedly, he's not very good.
