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PORTSIDE CULTURE

THE NEW ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA’ MOVIE ISN’T GREAT. BUT DON’T CALL
HIM A D.E.I. HIRE.  
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Maya Phillips
February 20, 2025
The New York Times
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_ The most remarkable part of this film is the irony of how it lands
in the political moment: “Brave New World” features a Black
iteration of the quintessential American superhero a month into an
administration dedicated to eliminating diversity. _

, amazon

 

“Captain America: Brave New World”
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a mediocre-at-best movie, a roughly cobbled together film that pales
in comparison to the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It’s still better than the franchise’s most recent run of
disasters, and its strong opening weekend
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the box office seems to have restored some momentum to the M.C.U.

But the most remarkable part of this film is the irony of how it lands
in the political moment: “Brave New World” features a Black
iteration of _the_ quintessential American superhero a month into an
administration that has made eliminating diversity, equity and
inclusion one of its first priorities.

In a way, Disney’s timing regarding diversity was always going to be
off. For most of the run of one of the highest-grossing media
franchises of all time, diversity was an afterthought. For the first
decade of the M.C.U., over the course of more than a dozen films, the
heroes carrying the franchise — the central protagonists — were
exclusively white men, until Chadwick Boseman led “Black Panther”
in 2018.

So, yeah, Disney started out a little behind.

But when it came down to the handoff of the star-spangled shield from
the blond-haired and blue-eyed Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans) to
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), Disney actually built a steady platform
for the M.C.U.’s first Black Captain America to lead his own film.

The 2021 Marvel TV series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
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provided the space for Sam to develop into Captain America in earnest,
not just as a kind of M.C.U. diversity hire.

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Sam’s transformation into the Captain could have easily been the
M.C.U.’s version of “The Blind Side
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a tale of a Black man’s triumph under the tutelage of the true,
original white hero. He also could have been the Uncle Tom Captain, a
servile Black man unquestioningly putting his life on the line.

But “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” explored Sam’s reticence
in taking on the mantle of Captain America, given how his Blackness so
often marginalized him, made him a target or turned him into a
stereotype in the eyes of some of his fellow citizens. The show also
introduced a Black super soldier named Isaiah Bradley, who received
the super serum like Steve Rogers. But Isaiah never became the lauded
hero Steve did; he was made a prisoner and a science project, jailed
and experimented on for 30 years. He’s a reminder to Sam of what can
happen as a Black man in America, no matter his standing, his strength
or his title.

This history and these racial issues don’t magically disappear when
Sam gets his own film. Isaiah reappears in “Brave New World” to
reinforce this point; he expresses his distrust of the government and
warns Sam not to become a puppet for the president to use for his
whims. In the movie, Isaiah is framed for an attack on the president,
and a throng of police officers chase him across White House grounds
and eventually imprison him. Isaiah is slated for execution. Yet again
he serves as a reminder that even a Black superhero’s experience is
still a Black man’s experience.

By the end of “Brave New World,” Sam has, of course, saved Isaiah,
among many others, and proved his mettle in some flashy choreographed
fight scenes (with and without his new-and-improved flight suit from
the Wakandans). The film plays up his Captain as its own distinct
hero, a Captain America with no super serum but better gear, a
different temperament and a different style of fighting. (Some of the
Captain’s signature flourishes, like the impressive shield-wielding,
remain.) Along with Shuri’s transformation into the Black Panther in
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Sam Wilson’s Captain America
marks the official start of the next generation of Avengers, a lineup
that will include more women and people of color.

It _should_ be the time for such a diverse lineup of heroes, a Black
Captain America included. In fact, it should have been the time
decades ago. And yet the ultimate irony of Disney’s limited and
delayed attempts at representation are that this film (originally
slated for a May 2024 release) now lands at a time not only when the
president is striking down diversity initiatives, but when many
corporations are following suit. Disney is one that is following the
trend, having just publicly rolled back
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of its D.E.I. efforts.

Mackie’s Captain America has been met with predictable backlash from
fans who think he isn’t worthy of the role. Though one weekend of
receipts isn’t conclusive, it’s been apparent for the last several
years that Marvel fans are ready for something new. And the best way
for Disney to successfully usher fans through this next iteration is
not by trying to predict which way the political winds will blow, but
by providing well-written, fully developed characters of all
backgrounds, with all the nuances and burdens and histories that come
with them. This shouldn’t be too difficult or political an ask;
Disney has shown itself capable, just not always willing.

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_Maya Phillips [[link removed]] is an arts
and culture critic for The Times.  More about Maya Phillips
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* Film
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* Film Review
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* 'Captian America: Brave New World
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* D.E.I
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* Black iteration of the quintessential American superhero
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* Anthony Mackie
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