The first Marvel film of the year has landed, giving the behemoth studio a solid start right off the gate for 2025. Howard Mackie returns as Sam Wilson, formerly Falcon, now Captain America, the rightful bearer of the iconic shield. While not his first time out as Cap, it is Mackie’s first time headlining a Marvel tentpole movie, something he does without much hassle.

The film functions well enough as a stand-alone, making sense even for the few out there who have never seen the previous Cap films featuring Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers or the follow-up Disney Plus television show Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Whatever knowledge gaps one might have are quickly filled with exposition in the dialogue, so there’s nothing to hold you up when watching. It’s a good jumping-on point (or jumping back-in point for those out there who lost faith in the studio’s offerings) that doesn’t require too much prior knowledge of the world but does set up a significant plot point going forward: The famed metal, Adamantium, is finally in the MCU. While that is a big enough deal for everyone already on board, it opens the doors to welcome Marvel’s merry band of mutants, the X-Men, sometime soon.

It turns out that the giant island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, which is a corpse of the Celestial Tiamat, is full of stuff. And this has sparked a race between nations to claim this newly versatile and precious resource. US President Ross, played by Harrison Ford, is trying to get a treaty for all the major players to play nice and share this new toy.

Ford steps in for the late William Hurt, who originated the role in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and carried it through succeeding films like Black Widow and Captain America Civil War. Ford is in his element as POTUS, having prior experience in the movie Air Force One. He’s weary and grumpy but very genuine and intense, which, let’s face it, is everything you want from Ford in a movie.

When Super-soldier war veteran Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) is involved in a presidential assassination attempt, Cap has to choose between helping a friend and following orders.

Giancarlo Esposito is Sidewinder, leader of the mercenary group the Serpent Society/ With this role for Marvel, he closes out his trifecta of Disney roles in separate franchises, having played Moff Gideon Mandalorian under Star Wars and Akela in Disney’s live-action version of The Jungle Book. Sadly, his talents and stage presence feel under-used here as he doesn’t get much screen time. Here’s hoping for more of him in the future.

Some have called Brave New World an unofficial sequel to The Incredible Hulk, and it’s hard to disagree. It does build on some threads from that film, and it is gratifying to see them acknowledged and dealt with after so many years of being left on the shelf.

You get the sense early on that this film is going for the same political intrigue/espionage feel as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and while it doesn’t quite live up to that bar, it does have its high points. There’s a shadowy figure pulling strings from the shadows: international tensions are high due to the Adamantium race, and President Ross, well, let’s say that aside from the imminent conflict and assassination attempt, he has more problems closer to home that are making him see red.

The film also features Danny Ramirez as Juaquin Torres, Cap’s partner and the new Falcon. He’s a bit too old and experienced to be called the plucky sidekick, but he does contribute by knocking heads together, adding some levity and youthful energy to the film when needed.

Captain America: Brave New World marks a brave new start for Marvel this 2025, setting the tone and paving the way for more strong offerings coming in the next few months, such as Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four.

A solid movie with a good helping of action and intrigue, Brave New World starts Marvel’s 2025 slate off with a bang.