Captain America: Brave New World

Name: Captain America: Brave New World - Christian Parent's Review
Item: Captain America: Brave New World
Rating: 1
Author: StoryScanner

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General Review

Parent's Guide to Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America: Brave New World is the fourth installment in the Captain America film series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, continuing the story of Sam Wilson as he fully embraces the mantle of Captain America. The film follows Wilson as he uncovers a complex conspiracy involving newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, who later transforms into the Red Hulk. This political thriller delves into themes of government wrongdoing, lies, human experimentation, and the pursuit of justice, offering a more serious tone than some previous MCU entries. It showcases Sam Wilson's leadership and empathy as he navigates a world filled with moral ambiguities and powerful threats. The movie is rated PG-13 and features pervasive action violence and strong language, making it generally suitable for older teenagers and adults.

Things to Consider

High2

Violence

The film contains pervasive and intense sequences of action and violence, characteristic of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with a more grounded tone. This includes extensive hand-to-hand combat, gunfights, car chases, and aerial battles. Characters are shown sustaining injuries, with some scenes depicting blood and severe harm, including one instance of a character being shot out of the sky and hospitalized. The transformation of President Thaddeus Ross into the Red Hulk contributes to large-scale destructive action and intense confrontations.

The MPAA rating includes "intense sequences of violence and action". Parental reviews confirm "classic fight scenes" such as hand-to-hand combat, gunshots, car chases, and aircraft battles. Characters get "bloodied and severely injured," with one character being "shot out of the sky, resulting in hospitalization." The Catholic Spirit review noted "pervasive gun and physical violence." The villain, Samuel Sterns (The Leader), uses his powers to "hurt, control, belittle and kill others". President Thaddeus Ross's transformation into the Red Hulk leads to significant destructive action.

Profanity

The film contains a significant amount of strong and crude language, which is considered heavy for a Marvel superhero movie. This includes multiple uses of common expletives and misuses of religious exclamations. The frequency of such language contributes to its high severity rating.

The film is rated for "some strong language". Plugged In reports "fairly heavy" crude and profane language, including approximately "15 s-words," "more than a half-dozen uses each of the words 'h—' [hell] and 'd—n' [damn]." Additionally, there are "two or three uses each of the words 'b—ch,' 'a—' and 'b—tard.'" The names of Jesus and God are "misused a total of four times (once pairing 'God' with 'd—n')." Children and Media Australia also lists "Shit, Stupid, Hell, Damn, Bitch, Ass, Bastard" as coarse language present.

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Medium2

Scary & Intense ContentDisrespect & Rebellion

Low5

LGBTQ & Gender IdentityRomance and Sexual ContentWitchcraft & OccultSubstance UseAnti-Christian Themes

Medium2

Scary & Intense Content

The film contains numerous intense sequences and thematic elements that could be frightening or disturbing for younger or sensitive viewers. Beyond the pervasive violence, the plot incorporates elements of mind control, human experimentation, and wrongful incarceration. The presence of 'alien-like characters' (referring to transformed or mutated individuals like The Leader and Red Hulk) and a generally more serious tone contributes to a heightened sense of peril and suspense.

The movie is rated for "intense sequences of violence and action." Plot points include "mind control, human experimentation, and wrongful incarceration." The film has a more serious tone compared to some other MCU films, which can increase the intensity of its dangerous situations. The appearance of 'alien-like characters,' such as the deformed Samuel Sterns (The Leader) and the transformed President Ross (Red Hulk), may be unsettling for some audiences.

Disrespect & Rebellion

The narrative significantly explores themes of government wrongdoing and corruption, with Sam Wilson's role as Captain America involving challenging established authorities and standing up against injustice. While ultimately promoting positive values like integrity and accountability, the plot features characters engaging in lies, secrecy, and human experimentation by governmental figures. This necessitates acts of defiance and rebellion against unjust systems and decisions, portraying a world where authority figures can be morally compromised.

The movie "focuses heavily on government wrongdoing, with a plot involving lies, secrecy, imprisonment and human experimentation." Sam Wilson's character arc is defined by his commitment to "standing up for what is right in the face of injustice." President Thaddeus Ross, a high-ranking government official, initially makes "poor moral decisions for selfish reasons," though he later takes responsibility for his wrongdoings. The character of Isaiah Bradley was subjected to imprisonment and experimentation by the U.S. government, illustrating a history of systemic injustice.

Low5

LGBTQ & Gender Identity

Comprehensive searches for LGBTQ+ content in "Captain America: Brave New World" yielded no direct information indicating the presence of LGBTQ+ characters, themes, or representation within the movie itself. While past Captain America comics and films have been subject to fan interpretation regarding LGBTQ+ subtext (e.g., "Stucky"), and other Marvel projects have introduced gay characters, there is no verified LGBTQ+ content specific to this film. One review noted that the film actively avoided romantic subplots for Sam Wilson, portraying him as "asexual."

Searches for "Captain America: Brave New World" combined with keywords such as 'lgbtq,' 'gay,' 'lesbian,' 'transgender,' 'queer representation,' and 'LGBTQ characters' did not reveal any confirmed content within the film. A review indicated that the film "goes out of its way to make Wilson as asexual as, say, Shuri," and explicitly stated, "There are no romantic plot lines, either." Although Xosha Roquemore's character, Leila Taylor, is a romantic interest for Wilson in the comics, the movie "does not indicate any romantic interest between the characters."

Romance and Sexual Content

There is a notable absence of explicit romantic or sexual content in "Captain America: Brave New World." Reviews indicate no sexual content and a deliberate lack of romantic plotlines for the main character, Sam Wilson. While some minor flirtation or romantic interest from other characters might be alluded to towards secondary characters, it is not central to the plot and is not depicted explicitly.

Multiple sources confirm a lack of romantic or sexual content. One review explicitly states, "There is no sexual content in this movie. There are no romantic plot lines, either." Another notes that the film "goes out of its way to make Wilson as asexual as, say, Shuri." Although Leila Taylor is a romantic interest in the comics, the film "does not indicate any romantic interest between the characters." There is a brief mention of a security advisor expressing romantic interest in Bucky Barnes, who has a very short screen time.

Witchcraft & Occult

There are no indications of witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, magic rituals, demons, or spells in "Captain America: Brave New World." The supernatural elements present are rooted in science-fiction and cosmic lore typical of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as gamma radiation, enhanced abilities, and the fictional metal Adamantium, rather than magical or occult forces.

Substance Use

The movie does not depict recreational substance use such as illegal drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, or smoking. However, a significant plot point involves the manipulation of a character through gamma radiation-laced pills, which could be seen as a form of substance-related harm, although it is not recreational drug use.

There is no indication of characters actively using illegal drugs, smoking, or consuming alcohol for recreational purposes. The primary instance related to substances involves Samuel Sterns providing President Ross with "gamma radiation" laced pills over many years, which ultimately leads to Ross's transformation into the Red Hulk. This is a scientific and plot-driven manipulation, not substance abuse in the traditional sense.

Anti-Christian Themes

There are no explicit anti-Christian themes, mockery of Christian beliefs, or sacrilegious acts depicted in "Captain America: Brave New World." The film's core messages revolve around universal virtues such as courage, integrity, compassion, and teamwork. The only element that could be tangentially related is the misuse of religious exclamations as profanity, which is addressed under the 'Profanity' concern.

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Captain America: Brave New World presents a narrative steeped in themes that resonate with several biblical values, despite its secular superhero genre. Core themes like integrity, justice, courage, compassion, and teamwork are prominently featured, championed by Sam Wilson as he navigates a complex political conspiracy involving government wrongdoing and human experimentation. The film challenges the audience to consider the pursuit of truth against a backdrop of lies and moral ambiguities, where standing up for what is right in the face of injustice is a central message. While the movie is rated PG-13 for pervasive action violence and strong language, the underlying positive moral worldview is evident in its opposition to mind control, uncontrollable anger, and revenge, advocating instead for justice, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Character morality in the film largely rewards virtue. Sam Wilson, embodying virtues like courage, integrity, and a willingness to sacrifice, is presented as a moral exemplar. As a former social worker, his character shows a greater sensitivity and understanding that people can make mistakes without being inherently evil, reflecting a nuanced approach to morality. While navigating the morally ambiguous world of politics and power, Wilson's leadership and empathy are highlighted. The film explores the journey of President Thaddeus Ross, whose biggest barrier to redemption is his initial refusal to take responsibility for past actions. Ultimately, Ross takes responsibility for his actions, leading to a path toward reconciliation with his estranged daughter, illustrating that accountability is a key step towards becoming a better person. The worldview presented leans towards a transcendent view of life and meaning, emphasizing universal virtues and the belief in the possibility of positive change and redemption, rather than a purely materialistic or relativistic one. Despite a cynical portrayal of corrupt politics at times, the film still champions the idea of American idealism and foundational moral values like perseverance, empathy, duty, faith, freedom, and justice. Redemption themes are explicitly present, particularly in Ross's arc which includes elements of repentance and the desire for forgiveness and reconciliation. There are also positive allusions to faith, such as the title character saying, “Thank God!” and rescuing religious figures. Family values are touched upon through President Ross's desire to reconnect with his estranged daughter, highlighting the importance of family relationships and the impact of personal choices on them. Overall, the movie offers a valuable opportunity for Christian parents to discuss themes of good versus evil, personal responsibility, and the potential for redemption within a secular action narrative.

Additional Context

Best For Ages

Ages 14 and up. This recommendation is based on the film's PG-13 rating for "intense sequences of violence and action, and some strong language". Parental guidance is strongly advised due to the frequency and intensity of superhero violence, a notable amount of crude and profane language, and mature thematic elements such as government corruption, human experimentation, and wrongful incarceration that may be disturbing for younger viewers. While positive messages of courage and integrity are present, the overall content suggests suitability for older teens.

Good to Know

Captain America: Brave New World features Sam Wilson's full transition into Captain America, emphasizing his unique strengths of empathy and emotional intelligence rather than superpowers. The film notably reintroduces characters like Thaddeus Ross (as President and later Red Hulk), Samuel Sterns (The Leader), and Sabra, with significant alterations to their comic book origins and appearances to fit the MCU's narrative. The movie's post-credits scene sets up future connections to the wider Multiverse Saga, hinting at upcoming threats. Parents should be aware of the intense political thriller aspects and the grounded yet impactful violence.

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