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It’s been four long years since we first saw Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson take up the mantle of Captain America. It’s about time we got a movie with him at the center.

In Captain America Brave New World, Sam Wilson finds himself at the center of an international incident and must track down the mastermind of a global conspiracy before it’s too late.

After multiple delays and rumors of extensive rewrites and reshoots, the latest Captain America has had far from an ideal production. While there are moments where these problems are visible, the end product is much better than I was expecting.

Despite a rough first act, the movie kept me engaged and cements Sam Wilson as a worthy Captain America, as if there was any doubt.

The Good: Captain America is (Finally) Back

Captain America Brave New World wouldn’t have worked if it wasn’t for its incredible cast. Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford are wonderful as always, but it’s Carl Lumbly’s incredible performance as Isaiah Bradley that gives the film its heart.

Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres was the biggest surprise for me. He was underused and overshadowed in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but shined here as a lovable sidekick. I can’t wait to see more from this character.

Sam Wilson proves that he was the right person to take up the mantle. He captures the spirit of Captain America as somebody that we can aspire to be and who always stands up for what’s right. After all this time, it feels great to have Captain America back on the big screen.

At the same time, they don’t dive into his character quite as much as I would’ve liked, which is a common theme of this movie. Still, it gave me more than enough to fall back in love with Captain America and want to see him in the future.

The action did not disappoint, though sometimes it’s a bit choppy. The set piece around “Celestial Island” that we see in the trailers was exciting and is comparable to the best Iron Man sequences. There is a lot of thought put into Cap’s aerial combat and it’s endlessly fun to watch.

More importantly, we consistently see Sam Wilson outmatched and need to use his skill and brains to get out of situations without the super soldier serum.

The Bad: Scared to Go Too Far

For a script with five writers, Captain America Brave New World is surprisingly coherent. The problem is depth. There are multiple ideas and themes that the film touches on but never fully dives into.

For example, the political themes feel toned down from the previous Captain America movies. It’s frustrating because it feels like there’s a much better movie out there that was toned down to avoid controversy. Marvel may have gotten scared with releasing after a highly divisive election and controversy over the inclusion of the Israeli character Ruth. You can’t blame them for playing it safe at a time they desperately need a hit.

It’s hard to make a compelling political thriller that’s afraid to fully dive into politics. Harrison Ford injects a lot of political intrigue, but it never reaches the heights of Winter Soldier or Civil War.

You’ll also notice I haven’t mentioned Tim Blake Nelson’s The Leader. He was a fine villain for the most part, but so forgettable.

The music is also fairly forgettable and at times dampens the tension instead of elevating it.

These problems don’t ruin the film, but they definitely make it weaker than it could’ve been. Sam Wilson deserved a better debut for his Captain America.

The Verdict…

Overall, Captain America Brave New World is a fun movie that never reaches its full potential. It soars at times while frustratingly mediocre at others.

There is enough here to satisfy Marvel fans while building hype for future films like Thunderbolts* and Avengers Doomsday. However, this is not an MCU movie that will win over the masses like Black Panther or Thor Ragnarok did.

What did you think of the movie? Do you agree with my ranking or where do you think it should land? Let me know in the comments below.

Go see Captain America Brave New World in theaters now.