Marvel Studios had a relatively quiet year at the movies in 2024. Now, don't get us wrong; the summer was not quiet, for the release of Deadpool and Wolverine was loud - very loud - breaking box office records left, right, and center, and earning rave reviews from audiences claiming that the Marvel Cinematic Universe had found its footing once again. But given that this was the only theatrical release that year, it was indeed a relatively quiet one for the juggernaut franchise.
2025 promises to have more MCU outings on display, with Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps promising to offer up plenty of entertainment. The first of those is just about ready to premiere in theaters (it has already started rolling out for certain locales with preview showings) and fans are eager to see whether it can continue the upward trajectory that Deadpool and Wolverine set in motion (that the MCU then continued with Disney Plus series Agatha All Along) or if it will fall back into the lacklustre area of some of the more recent MCU films.
The first reviews have surfaced online and, unfortunately, "divided" would be an understatement.
Captain America: Brave New World reviews mixed at best, critical at worst
Ahead of the global release of Captain America: Brave New World, the first reactions and reviews to the movie have made their way around the internet. In looking at them, it's safe to say that they are mixed. Very mixed, in fact.
Some of the initial reactions leaned very positive, with critics praising it for showcasing Anthony Mackie, its more serious, gritty tone, and Harrison Ford's committed performance as President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross. However, whenever the full reviews were published once the embargo lifted, the reception was harder to gauge. The one clear thing in the midst of it all, however, is that there is a lot to critique.
As of writing, the film holds a 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning that it falls into the "Rotten" category. Now, that's slightly lower than the 54% it debuted with but much higher than the low of 47% it fell to. It's also not too far off hitting the much-needed "Fresh" category of 60%, but given how little movement there has been in its score since the first critics reviews went up, it's going to be a tough task for it to reach that.
The film is currently the third-worst-reviewed movie in the MCU, coming in just ahead of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's 46% and Eternals' 47%. What's worse is that it is currently behind the MCU Disney Plus series Secret Invasion's 53%, as that show is arguably considered the worst title in the entire MCU franchise.
Among the negative reviews are The Telegraph, who said the film has "a yawning emptiness", while The Hollywood Reporter says that it lets star Anthony Mackie down, and IGN says that it's "neither brave, nor new". It's disheartening for fans hoping that the film would be a part of Marvel's comeback, but the good news is that there are plenty of good reviews to go around too.
Empire Magazine gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, calling it "a promising outing". Variety says that it's "just enough fun", and all outlets agree that Anthony Mackie delivers a fantastic leading performance.
As with all of the movies to arrive on the big screen or on your favorite streaming platforms, reviews are simply the opinions of the critics writing them. They don't have to be the same as your opinion, so when you go and see Captain America: Brave New World, see it for you and form your own opinion. It might align with the mixed response or it might fall on one side of the fence or the other.
Either way, the MCU is once again getting people talking.
Captain America: Brave New World arrives in movie theaters on February 14, 2025.