Captain America: Brave New WorldReview: Anthony Mackie Takes on the Iconic Shield and a Hulked-Out Harrison Ford

Mar. 15, 2025

Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World.Photo:Eli Adé/Marvel

Eli Adé/Marvel

Nearly six years after Steve Rogers handed Sam Wilson the Captain America shield at the end of 2019’sAvengers: Endgame,Anthony Mackieis finally one of Marvel’s leading men.

InCaptain America: Brave New World, Mackie, 46, takes on the mantle passed fromChris Evans' Marvel character after the events of the 2021 Disney+ seriesThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, in which he andSebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes grappled with the weight of Steve’s legacy.

Now fully installed as Captain America, Sam is back to work with the U.S. military — including the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez). That’s until the newly elected U.S. president Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford, taking over for the lateWilliam Hurt) invites Cap to the White House, asks him to help re-form the Avengers and all hell breaks loose.

Sam, Joaquin, Ross and newly introduced characters, like the president’s head of security Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), are thrown into a political conspiracy after a mysterious terrorist attack at the White House nearly kills the president just as Ross attempts to finalize his efforts to bring about world peace in the wake ofEndgameand 2021’sEternals.

Along the way, Captain America battles villains likeGiancarlo Esposito’s mercenary killer Sidewinder and Samuel Sterns, a roleTim Blake Nelsonreprises for the first time since 2008’sThe Incredible Hulk.

Harrison Ford and Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World.Eli Adé/Marvel

Mackie’s Sam capably stands alone as Captain America, even in a movie that reminds his character of his non-superpowered status compared to Evans' genetically enhanced super soldier at Sam’s lowest moments.

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Ford, who previously portrayed a president in 1997’sAir Force One, brings the right amount of gusto to his role as Ross as both his character and Mackie’s struggle to put conflicting ideologies on how superheroes should operate on hold in order to face new threats together.

And when Sam realizes theStar Warsalum is at risk of turning into a red version of the Hulk, he has to help cool the jets on both a risky international incident and Ross' inner rage.

Danny Ramirez and Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World.Eli Adé/Marvel

When the Avengers do re-form in May 2026 forAvengers: Doomsday,Mackie is positioned to be the group’s new leader, deservedly so.

Captain America: Brave New Worldis in theaters Feb. 14.

source: people.com