Captain America: Brave New World Review

 

A slight detour from my usual content here, so bear with me. Today I want to talk about my initial thoughts having seen Captain America: Brave New World last night. Marvel Studios latest entry in their Marvel Cinematic Universe offers up a paranoid thriller with the usual customary superhero trappings courtesy of director Julias Onah. Not satisfied to merely deliver a reheated version of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, this film explores themes of growth and change along with challenging perceptions both of ourselves and others.

 

With President Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross’ first 100 days in office coming to a close, he is desperate for his Adamantium Treaty to be finalized so he can cement his legacy and redefine public perception and, more personally, win back the approval of his long-absent daughter, Betty. However, unseen forces are conspiring to ensure the whole world learns the unsettling truth behind the President’s rise to power and tip the world into chaos and war. The new Captain America, Sam Wilson works to uncover the truth and free his framed friend, former solider and unjustly imprisoned Super Soldier Isaiah Bradley. With so much at stake, can Sam prove himself worthy of the shield and save the day with the President of United States against him?

 

Julias Onah evokes political thrillers such as All The President’s Men and Day of the Jackal in tone and the reverence for the genre is on display right from the movie’s earliest scenes. With the future President framed from behind bulletproof glass for his public addresses and the use of gloom and low-lit scenes to remind the audience things are not as positive as we would perhaps like them to be in Washington, this movie slowly builds anticipation for the inevitable. Perhaps it was just my V-Max screening, but the use of softer, grainier lenses which sharply focus the camera on the frame’s central figure really lends itself to the era of Watergate scandals and intrigue.  

 

Anthony Mackie is Captain America. I am not being hyperbolic; he embodies the character perfectly. While Chris Evan’s performance as Steve Rogers was a moral man who was decisive and unwavering in his beliefs, Mackie’s Sam Wilson is a very different man but one equally fit for the role of Captain America. Mackie delivers a Sam who has made peace with assuming the role but still has self-doubt. Where he shines is implementing the character’s compassion and willingness to consider a person’s desire to do better, to be better. This element is partly informed by Sam’s past as a soldier and as a counsellor for veterans and therein lies a key aspect of the film’s narrative that I am sure many will overlook. Sam encourages Isaiah Bradley to take a chance and step out from the trauma of his past, he inspires Joaquin Torres to be a real hero by his actions and he manages to find common ground and empathy for Thadeus Ross despite their own complicated past and differing opinions.

 

Harrison Ford has always been a fantastic actor and his performance in this movie is no exception. He truly assumes the role of the late William Hurt and finds the humanity and vulnerability inherent in the lonely, elderly Thadeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross without making his temperament any less strong. Embodying elements that were already there and delivering what is the culmination of a 17-year character arc across multiple films is a big ask for anyone stepping into another’s role, but Ford handles it with ease and respectable grace. While Ford may be at ease, Ross is most definitely not, with his on-screen political career on the line he is evidently stressed and tense. Previous Ross appearances referred to the character’s heart condition and the movie manages to weave this into the plot in a satisfying way, along with significant elements from 2008’s Incredible Hulk.

 

Carl Lumbly really breaks my heart as Isaiah Bradley, you can really feel his pain when he talks about his past and his justified distrust of the government. His plight, framed for an attempted assassination of President Ross, acts as the central motivation for Sam to investigate the shady plot. This was the right method to make things personal for the character. Sam feels responsible for putting Isaiah in the situation and if he cannot exonerate him, Isaiah will be sentenced to death or face the rest of his life once again unfairly behind bars. Meanwhile Lumbly does not want to pull Sam’s good name down with him, despite his own dire situation. The dynamic between them and that of Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres are some of the most genuine and grounded relationships in the film and it is a shame we did not get more scenes of the three of them together.

 

Giancarlo Esposito, a late addition to the film, works well as the leader of the Serpent Society known as Sidewinder. Esposito is clearly having a great time in the role but his character while a fun element of the movie doesn’t do much more than act as an intermediary for the real mastermind of the piece. I am glad Sidewinder was not killed off, at least, leaving us the potential for a future return. Good to see Giancarlo flex his action muscles, too.

 

I think Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns was one of the elements of the film that received the least media attention in the lead up to its release, neither positive nor negative. Ironically, he is one of the best parts of this movie. A versatile and infinitely changing actor, it is a great shame we have not seen him return before now. Fortunately, the long-dangling plot thread of his character’s absence for 17 years pays off with his performance which is equal parts creepy, manipulative, calculating and cold. I am delighted audiences get to see Nelson deliver on the Incredible Hulk film’s promise, though I am slightly unhappy we did not get as much of him as I had hoped. Nelson was pleased with the implementation of practical make up and prosthetic effects to achieve the character’s appearance and I feel his initial scenes, barely lit in shadow with a chilling voice and glinting green eyes helped enhance this effect.

 

As I write this I am listening to the utterly captivating soundtrack by Laura Karpman. It is no exaggeration to say this is one of my favourite new Marvel scores. Its deeply rooted influences in the bygone spy and espionage thrillers, political dramas and nailbiters of the 1960’s and 70’s are delivered with pitch-perfect attention to detail. The undercurrents of intrigue and mystery rising to a crescendo and crashing like waves as they mix with the more action-laden bombast and soaring superhero elements. My heart was pounding as the music suddenly ramped up and began beating out a breakneck discordant drumming rhythm. Truly an experience to be heard in the surround sound of cinema. I love this soundtrack.

 

Not satisfied with serving up more of the same in terms of the action sequences audiences have come to expect in a Captain America film, Julius Onah has gone for a more grounded, down and dirty approach for the hand-to-hand combat. Not juiced up by a Super Soldier serum, Sam Wilson uses everything at his disposal to take down his opponents, with a more meat and potatoes fighting style whenever he finds himself without wings or a shield. This grittier and dirtier choreography might not play quite as flashy or impressive, but it works to make Sam feel more vulnerable and his wins more hard-earned. The addition of his iconic wings, now made from the sturdy and energy absorbent Vibranium, present new opportunities to deliver never before seen manoeuvres and tricks. An action highpoint would have to be the aerial dogfight over the newly emerged Celestial Island, with both Captain America and the new Falcon, Joaquin desperately trying to stop an international incident breaking out by stopping rogue United States pilots attacking Japanese forces.  

 

The computer-generated effects, particularly on the Red Hulk and during the aerial combat sequences are very well integrated into the frame. For my money, this is the best any Hulk has looked onscreen since 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Harrison Ford’s likeness is faithfully captured in the facial expressions of his crimson counterpart without losing the monstrous aspect of the towering figure, with the physicality and brutality remaining intact. There are a few minor moments in other sections of the film where it is evident the visual effects team had to work on a tight schedule, but nothing that would take you out of the scene.

 

While there’s always room for improvement and a difference of opinion is always expected and even welcomed, I feel the Captain America: Brave New World does a very solid job making a three-course meal out of the various ongoing narrative threads only a long running shared universe like the Marvel Cinematic Universe can provide. Thunderbolt Ross has gone from a decisive, driven military man of action who relentlessly pursuing Bruce Banner aka the Hulk across continents to advance his career at the expensive of his relationship with his daughter Betty, to a lonely man at the height of his political career who wants nothing more than to change how the world sees him and win back the love of his daughter. Ross once saw Banner as a monster and now because of his actions over the decades, becomes a metaphorical, literal and physical monster himself.  

 

Further to this, Sam’s own history with Ross informs and colours his perception of the President, which heightens the tension in their scenes together. While Sam feels he must constantly prove himself and live up to the mantle of Captain America, he is striving to see the good in people and that is the crux of this films theme.  Early on, Ross extends an olive branch to Sam, an example of his desire to move forward and make amends for his past actions. Likewise, Sam takes this as a sign that things can improve between them but following the attempt on his life, Ross quickly reverts to his old self and dismisses Sam. The real meat of this dynamic is a scene where Thadeus Ross discloses is desire to reconnect with Betty, recalling how they used to walk among the cherry blossoms together, which pays off in the films climatic fight between Sam and the Red Hulk. If I had to criticise an element of this final battle, it’s how quickly the tension is resolved, though I feel it’s earned by the previous groundwork the movie has laid between them, with Sam appealing to Ross’ sincere desire to do better.

 

Overall, Captain America: Brave New World is not going to win over any haters, many of whom have risen in recent times to decry nearly every Marvel movie the latest failure if it is not utter perfection. But this just might restore the hope of some Marvel movie fans who still want to hold on to hope, myself included. I may revisit my opinions on movie after further viewings but for now, it is a highly competent film that demonstrates the strengths of Marvel Studios. If you are looking for it to outdo such lauded entries as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the high benchmark for the Studio, you’ll come away disappointed, but if you go in with an open mind and willingness to give it a chance, it might just surprise you.

 

 

Until I find another movie that features a red President trashing the White House, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

 

 

The Leader in the MC2

 

Marvel Studio’s newest film, Captain America: Brave New World is days away from release and I personally cannot wait to see it. Once again, I’m going to tie today’s MC2-related post into an aspect of Brave New World, with a look at the so-far unseen mastermind behind the film’s plot. This is a brief look at The Leader in the MC2.

 

First appearing in Tales to Astonish #62 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Samuel Sterns aka The Leader is one of the Incredible Hulk’s greatest villains thanks to his gamma-gifted superhuman intelligence. The following issue presents our first full look at the mega-cranial megalomaniac with Tales to Astonish #63 detailing the Leader’s origin as a lowly labourer who was bombarded by gamma rays in an accident which transformed him, turning his skin green and causing his head to enlarge to accommodate his vastly increased brain and intellect.

 

In the MC2, the Leader only made one appearance, in Amazing Spider-Man Family #3 when Alexsei Sytsevich aka The Rhino and Peter Parker aka Spider-Man discuss the expenses of paying for medical treatment and they bond over their common lack of money, both working job to job. Aleksei mentions some of the ‘bad bosses’ he’s worked for including the Beetle, Doctor Octopus and the Leader, the latter of which refers to the events of Incredible Hulk #124 and Incredible Hulk #157-#159.

 

In the Incredible Hulk #124, The Leader revives the unconscious Rhino and subjects him to further gamma treatments to enhance his strength, providing him with a new Rhino suit and sending him to attack Bruce Banner during his wedding to Betty Ross.  During the encounter, the Leader accidentally hits the Rhino with his gamma ray device, causing the Rhino to charge him, resulting in an explosion which seemingly kills them both.

 

The Leader would later control the comatose body of the Rhino in another plot against the Hulk that leaves Jim Wilson (relative of Sam Wilson aka the Falcon) injured and ultimately led to both the Hulk and Rhino on a rocket headed for the High Evolutionary’s Counter-Earth. As a result of the rocket’s shuttle explosion upon their return to Earth, the Rhino would become permanently bonded to his Rhino suit (Incredible Hulk #157-#159). This event, apparently occurred during the Incredible Hulk #159 and was implied in Thing #24 and confirmed in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #10, would become Alexsei’s driving motivation in several stories that followed. No wonder Rhino considers The Leader a bad boss!

That’s it for the Leader in the MC2, but it’s nice to see the connections to Marvel’s past woven throughout the MC2. I’m very soon heading to an early screening of Captain America: Brave New World, so let’s see how that bulbous brain looks on the big screen!

 

Until I leave a huge Russian guy stuck in a Rhino suit after leaving him in a coma because I wanted to ruin my arch-enemy’s wedding, I remain

 

frogoat

Captain America's Shield in the MC2

 

With the release of Captain America: Brave New World nearly upon us, I wanted to take a look at one of the most iconic items in all of superhero fiction: Captain America’s Shield. Naturally, while I like to provide context and a broad history within the Main Marvel Universe, I also try to add a bit of MC2-specific history, so this post will cover Captain America’s Shield in the MC2.

   While Captain America debuted in 1941’s Captain America Comics #1, he wielded a different shield, resembling what Wikipedia informs me is called a heater style shield. Due to complaints from a rival comic company, the shield’s shape was changed to the now-iconic round design beginning with Captain America Comics #2. As for the in-continuity origin of this shield, let us take a look at that next.

 

But first, to talk about this topic, we need to first take a quick look at Adamantium. ‘True Adamantium’ (as codified by the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol.1)  #15) first appeared in the Main Marvel Universe or Universe-616 in Avengers (vol. 1) #66 as the creation of a Dr. Myron Maclain who has invited various Avengers including Thor and Iron Man and Goliath (Clint Barton) aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to test their abilities against it in order to confirm it’s durability. Against his will, The Vision steals the Adamantium and uses it to rebuild his creator, Ultron, but that’s another story!

 

With Avengers (vol. 1) #66 taking place in the modern era, well after Captain America’s World War II exploits with his round shield, it raised the question of what the shield was made from. For example, the shield Captain America used in Avengers #34 was easily destroyed by the Living Laser in Avengers #35, In this case and other instances published around this time, we have the Avengers: Official Index to the Marvel Universe suggested explanation that these were substitute shields provided by Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Tales of Suspense #93 makes it overtly clear that Captain America’s Shield is virtually indestructible.

 

In Captain America #255 President Roosevelt gifts Steve Rogers his iconic shield, briefly mentioning ‘the metal in the shield has some incredible properties’ while bemoaning that its creation was a ‘metallurgical accident’ that cannot be duplicated.

 

Captain America’s profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol. 1) #2 identifies the shield as ‘constructed of a unique vibranium-adamantium alloy’ cast by the metallurgist Dr. Myron MacLain. The shield was ‘the result of a laboratory accident’ which led to many unsuccessful attempts to duplicate the process but resulted in the MacLain inventing Adamantium. The profile further notes ‘because of it’s vibranium-derived properties, is even stronger than pure adamantium.’

 

In addition to a detailed look at the shields design, the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol. 1) #15 also features a profile covering Adamantium itself. The profile notes no one else ‘ever learned how to duplicate either the special adamantium compound used in the creation of the shield, which is known as Proto-Adamantium, or the process which fused the Proto-Adamantium with the Wakandan Vibranium.’ It is also mentioned that the United States Government shared the secrets of Adamantium’s composition with some allies while various criminals have stollen this information, either of which led to the bonding of Adamantium to the mutant Wolverine’s skeleton.

 

Shortly afterwards, in Captain America #303, a captive Myron MacLain himself recounts the details of the creation of Captain America’s Shield. Tasked with creating a super-strong metal to build tanks from, Myron was gifted a sample of Vibranium but failed in his efforts to bond it with a steel alloy he was developing. Weary, MacLain fell asleep while waiting for some metal to heat up and awoke to discover the metals had somehow bonded. Pouring the molten metal into a disc shamed mould, Myron learned he had produced the indestructible metal alloy he had hoped for but was never able to recreate the process, believing an ‘unknown factor’ had entered the experiment while he slept.

 

Myron MacLain’s own profile in the Avengers Assemble handbook works to further clarify the timeline discontinuity of Adamantium, by stating Myron’s research working to recreate the shield’s ‘Proto-Adamantium’ composition would later be used by Lord Dark Wind to device a process of bonding ‘True Adamantium’ to human tissue. This process was in turn stolen and used in the Weapon X program that captured and experimented on Wolverine (as referenced in, among other places Wolverine #-1). Only after many more years and the development of a molecular rearranger that could reshape Adamantium, did MacLain release his Adamantium to the wider world in the aforementioned Avengers #66. The profile further clarifies that the retroactively designation ‘Proto-Adamantium’ has led to ‘the inaccurate assumption by many that the metal was a Adamantium/Vibranium alloy.’ Honestly, this stuff is a convoluted mess, but the Handbook writers do amazing work making sense of it all!

 

While there is a wealth of trivia to talk about surrounding Captain America’s Shield, it is time to delve into the MC2 side of this post. We get our first glimpse of Captain America in the MC2 via a flashback to the last mission of the original Avengers in A-Next #7. It is Captain America who announces to the assemblage of Avengers the danger posed to all worlds by the alternate universe's Doom and his Universal Cube. It is here we learn that many of the Avengers died during their final mission, with Iron Man (among the few to return) declaring there were no other survivors.

 

However, when the new team of Avengers arrive in the alternate world, they discover the rumours of Captain America's demise were greatly exaggerated. Cap reveals he chose to stay behind and aid the rebel underground, allowing his teammates to add his name to the list of the dead to discourage any would-be rescuers (A-Next #10).

 

Captain America details the history of this alternate world (which the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 designates as Earth-9907) which was roughly identical to their own until World War II. Whereas on the Main Marvel Universe and MC2’s Earth the Red Skull was trapped in suspended animation within a hidden bunker until the modern era, on Earth-9907 he escaped and killed Adolph Hitler and led the Axis Powers to victory, killing Captain America and conquering the entire planet. Many years later, the Red Skull spared a young Victor Von Doom, making him his heir only to be murdered and replaced as ruler by him. Needing new worlds to conquer, Doom spent billions to produce a Universal Cube capable of opening portals to other realities which led to the original Avengers team becoming aware of this universal threat (A-Next #10).

 

The rebel base is attacked by Doom's Thunder Guard, forcing Cap to order the rebels and Avengers to retreat before he destroys the jump portal to cover their escape. When Steve tries to send the new and inexperienced Avengers team home to save them, believing they are not prepared for the upcoming battle, the heroes refuse, declaring they are staying (A-Next #10).

In A-Next #11, Captain America leads the Avengers in a mission to stop Dr Doom's use of his new Universal Cube. The team separates into groups and combat the various members of the Thunder Guard, with Cap, Thunderstrike and American Dream's aiming to destroy the Cube itself. When American Dream is pinned, Cap throws her the shield of his deceased counterpart, allowing her to free herself. In the end, Doom is defeated when Crimson Curse sacrifices herself to banish him. Following this, Thunderstrike elects to stay behind to aid Captain America with his efforts and to bond with that world's version of his father.

 

During Adam Chapman’s Comics Shenanigans Episode 748 co-creator and artist supreme Ron Frenz notes:

‘We miscommunicated a bit and if you look at the artwork on the sequence where Cap throws Shannon the shield, during the fight when her hair gets cut off…Cap’s Shield is on his right arm. And the case with the other shield that gets blasted was the alternate Captain America’s Shield, the one the Red Skull always kept, and Doom always kept as a trophy. So, Cap’s Shield is on his right arm. In panel four, his shield is still on his right arm, he picks up the alternate Cap’s Shield with his left hand. And then in panel six, he’s throwing with his right arm the shield. It’s confusing enough that my intention was that he was throwing American Dream *his* shield and that he was going to take up the alternate Cap’s Shield in his continued battle for freedom on *that* Cap’s world. But Tom, rightfully so I think, ultimately scripted it that Cap was throwing Shannon the alternate Cap’s Shield. Because at the end as they are saying goodbye he says, ‘keep the shield, I think this world’s Cap would want you to have it.’  A slight miscommunication.’

 

From this point forward, American Dream wields the Earth-9907 Captain America’s Shield, unless you would prefer to argue it is the MC2’s own Captain America’s Shield. Regardless, Captain America was returned to his own reality in Spider-Girl #58. After this, Captain America is seen collaborating with the new Avengers during the events of Last Hero Standing. Here we see just how much of a toll his many battles have taken on his body, and we learn that Steve's abilities are declining. When Loki kidnaps and places various heroes under his dark spell in a plot to bring about the end of the heroes, Captain America leads a team made up of Spider-Girl, Thunderstrike, Wild Thing and J2 to Asgard. There, they learn of Loki's plans and join with Thor to return to Earth to stop the evil god.

 

Having planned to retire after this last battle, Captain America is instead mortally wounded in combat with Loki when he breaks the Asgardian's spell, freeing the other heroes. As he lays dying, Thor intervenes, combining Asgardian life force with the spirit and power of Captain America's country channelled through Mjolnir to transform the heroes soul into a new star that will inspire generations to come (Last Hero Standing #1-#5). 

 

Unless I am mistaken, this Captain America’s Shield is not seen after this, though it is possible it was put on display in Avengers Mansion. Meanwhile, Shannon Carter continues to carry her shield as the next generation’s American Dream.

 

Special thanks to my dear friend Jesús Arias for his virtually indestructible help and patience, the Marvel Appendix  for always being an invaluable resource of obscure information and the various Official Handbooks of the Marvel Universe. I am off to book tickets for Captain America: Brave New World!

 

Until I read an explanation for Dr. Myron MacLain’s extraordinary longevity, I remain

 

frogoat