Captain America: Brave New World lacks purpose. Weighed down by a convoluted plot, its drama is relegated to sporadic emotion dumps. There are woefully underdeveloped themes of expectations and optics. Despite being so complicated, the narrative is still fundamentally formulaic. It has sanitized politics, mild setup/payoff, underwhelming espionage, halfhearted motivations, loose threads, and no central arc. Also, the exposition-heavy dialogue constantly tells instead of showing. Its acting injects some vulnerability as well as chemistry where it can, but wooden material breeds wooden charisma. Therefore, Brave New World feels like a pile of pieces rather than a fluent story.
Technically, Brave New World is sparkless. Its direction provides muted tones and style. Peppered within overall bland composition, the imagery manages a few dramatic shots. Through choppy structure, rushed pacing, and overcut action, its editing fumbles momentum. The sound reinforces the expected genre elements with subjective ringing. Besides brief retro thriller influences, its music is generic. As exemplified in the villain reveal, the production design is caught between realism and cartoonishness. Its cast has sufficient fame, talent, and diversity. The CGI, though abundant plus supported by practicals, feels quite inconsistent. Ultimately, Brave New World is mediocre.
Writing: 3/10
Direction: 4/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Acting: 6/10
Editing: 4/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 5/10
Production Design: 5/10
Casting: 8/10
Effects: 6/10
Overall Score: 5.5/10
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