Captain America: Brave New World Rotten Tomatoes Score Ranks Near the Bottom of the MCU

The newly released Marvel film, “Captain America: Brave New World,” isn’t breaking any records in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as suggested by the initial reviews that surfaced online this Wednesday. Despite a generally positive response from attendees at Tuesday’s red carpet premiere on social media, professional critics have given “Captain America 4” a relatively low Rotten Tomatoes score compared to other MCU movies: As of now, “Brave New World” has a 47% “rotten” rating on the review aggregator.

As more reviews pour in, the score for the film is expected to change, but it seems that initial feedback suggests a challenging trend that even Captain America might struggle to conquer, given that scores below 60% are generally regarded as poor. This puts “Brave New World” on par with the lowest-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie of 2021, “Eternals”, which held the record at 47% until it was surpassed by “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in 2023, scoring a low 46%.

On Metacritic, the latest Captain movie after nearly a decade has a combined score of 44, suggesting it’s received mixed or average reviews. For contrast, Marvel Studios’ 2018 release, Black Panther, continues to hold the top spot with a staggering 96% rating. Previous Captain America films, such as The Winter Soldier (2014) and Civil War (2016), were particularly well-liked by critics, both earning a 90% approval rating. Even earlier, The First Avenger (2011), the film that introduced Chris Evans as Captain America during World War II, received an 80% score.

Movie reviewer Evan Valentine gave the movie “Captain America: Brave New World” a 3.5-star rating, stating in his review, “What stood out most about Captain America: Brave New World was how it managed to hold its own against the shadow of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. While there are some humorous scenes, for the most part, this movie is quite serious and explores its more mature themes thoroughly. Unlike previous installments, the multiverse and wisecracking characters have been replaced with a more down-to-earth approach that benefits the film.

The review from Observer states that Brave New World fits into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s neither exceptionally good nor bad; it’s just another typical Marvel film. On the other hand, Empire Magazine finds Brave New World to be fast-paced and intense, though it doesn’t quite reach the quality of The Winter Soldier. Nevertheless, it serves as a reminder that good people can still fight for America when their government falls short.

Associated Press compares the Valentine’s Day release to a “guilt-inducing, sugary snack” that offers thrilling action but is criticized for its weak script and quieter scenes. However, Entertainment Weekly highlights the debut of 82-year-old Harrison Ford as the Red Hulk as the main attraction, even though they describe the MCU movie in which he appears as a disjointed mix — partly due to its five credited screenwriters.

In simpler terms, “The Film Verdict” states that “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” which is a Disney+ Marvel series, sometimes resembles a movie in its quality, while “Brave New World” often seems like a TV show being played on a large screen. On the other hand, Variety found the 35th MCU movie to be enjoyable, describing it as an amusing distraction that fits well into the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s plan for rebooting the Avengers team. However, nothing about it is particularly original or fresh; it’s just entertaining enough once more.

As a passionate cinephile, I must express my profound disappointment with the latest adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.” In his review for RogerEbert.com, Robert Daniels rightly points out that the film attempts to cash in on the concept of Black excellence, yet does so in a shallow and insincere manner.

The story seems to have made hasty, last-minute gestures towards addressing weighty issues such as the struggle for representation and the fight to claim a seat at the table. However, these efforts feel more like tokenism than genuine attempts at exploration and understanding.

Regrettably, the film’s protagonist is turned into a Magical Negro, a troubling trope that has long been criticized in cinema. This character, who is intended to represent Black excellence, is asked to grin and dance off-screen, essentially catering to white America’s anger and hurt, rather than challenging or enlightening them.

Even the inclusion of Kendrick Lamar’s “I” anthem from his masterpiece album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” which was meant to evoke joy, feels out of place and leaves a bitter aftertaste. It’s as if the filmmakers are trying to convince us that this is our Black Captain America, our piece of the pie – but it falls far short of being brave or revolutionary.

Instead, “Brave New World” emerges as the most feckless and spineless blockbuster of the last decade. It lacks the courage to dismantle the old world before daring to imagine a new one. This film needs to be burned down before it can hope to rise from its ashes and offer something meaningful.

Under the guidance of director Julius Onah, featuring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford, Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: Brave New World” takes flight in cinemas this coming Friday.

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2025-02-12 22:48