Movie Review: Captain America: Brave New World

The mind-control plot driving "Captain America: Brave New World" (Disney), the fourth film in the current series about the Marvel Comics character, drains it of any suspense. Whether that's a drawback, of course, depends on what viewers expect from such a movie.

If the pure spectacle of noisy, balletic action sequences, abundant gunfire, fighter jets in combat, an international arms race, heavy doses of gamma radiation, a winged supersuit and, needless to say, that indestructible red, white and blue shield, constitute diverting entertainment – and, for some at least, they always seem to – that’s sufficient.

It’s just that every evil and murderous rampage by anyone is the result of him or her having been programmed, Manchurian Candidate-style, by the very warped cellular biologist Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson). Sterns can grant people immense power, but at a fatal price.

Practically no one except Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie), his sidekick, Joaquin Torres/Falcon (Danny Ramirez), and Israeli Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas) has any agency. Everyone else is susceptible to being a robotic pawn of Sterns. Thus there's no room left for guessing.

As directed by Julius Onah, who co-wrote the script with Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson and Peter Glanz, there is, however, just enough dialogue to explain what's going on – and a merciful absence of long speeches.

Former general Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), now president of the United States, wants to negotiate an international trade pact over the metal adamantium, found on the mysterious "celestial island" in the Indian Ocean. After one successful test mission, Ross tells Wilson he wants to bring back, and control, the Avengers.

Havoc ensues for the rest of the film. Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a former "super soldier" freed from prison, where he had been the victim of various experiments for decades, turns out to be the first character Sterns controls, and he tries to assassinate the chief executive.

After this, Wilson and Torres alternately cooperate and bicker with Bat-Seraph to learn the truth about Sterns and his plot to control the world, if he doesn’t destroy it first. It turns out that Ross, too, is in Sterns' thrall, having made a Faustian bargain to reach the presidency. Another whopping dose of gamma rays, though, and he’s hulking around, Bruce Banner-style.

Marvel fans will savor every detail. Others may feel mere indifference.

The film contains pervasive gun and physical violence, fleeting rough language and a couple of profanities. The OSV News classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.