In what marks another setback for Marvel Studios' struggling cinematic universe, "Captain America: Brave New World" delivers a lackluster entry that fails to recapture the magic of earlier films, finding its sole bright spot in the commanding presence of Israeli actress Shira Haas.

While "Brave New World" may not be quite as dismal and lifeless as "The Marvels," there's nothing remotely "brave" or "new" about it. Its yawn-inducing dilemmas merely recycle issues already addressed in the Falcon streaming series (and in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"), its scale feels entirely televisual, its humor never lands, and it lacks any semblance of drive, imagination, or charisma.

The numerous script and production changes made during and after filming are palpably evident. At times, different sections of "Brave New World" appear held together with scotch tape, its political elements have been sanitized and stripped of any potentially controversial content (becoming excessively conciliatory and pandering), and its sole major reveal – meant to shock audiences in the third act – has already been thoroughly exposed in every trailer and promotional poster (seemingly highlighting Marvel's lack of confidence in their own product).

Has Marvel forgotten how to make good films? Is the MCU's story finished? Unfortunately, based on this latest chapter in the saga, which aims to launch a new storyline continuing into future films, the answer leans more toward "yes" than "no." "Brave New World" fails both as a standalone film and as groundwork for what's to come, with none of the light, charming magic that once characterized Marvel's work.

At its core, this is a paranoia thriller echoing "The Winter Soldier." However, the execution falls short across all departments and feels like a significant downgrade compared to previous Captain America films.

Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), having inherited the mantle of Captain America, grapples with both the symbolic weight of the shield and the practical challenges of national security in a post-Blip world. The narrative centers on a conspiracy reaching into the highest levels of government, with President-elect Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) requesting Wilson's help in reassembling the Avengers amid growing global tensions.

Moments later, Wilson's old friend Isaiah (unfamiliar to viewers who haven't watched "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier") attempts to assassinate the president, though he appears to be controlled remotely by an unseen force in a scenario reminiscent of "The Manchurian Candidate."

This sets Wilson and his dry-witted sidekick Joaquin (Danny Ramirez) on an investigation to uncover who's targeting the president and who framed Isaiah. Meanwhile, Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), a secret agent with Israeli roots, conducts her own parallel investigation. Predictably, these two investigative threads soon intersect, leading to broader revelations about the conspiracy at hand.

Director Julius Onah struggles to maintain coherence across the film's disparate elements, resulting in a product that often feels more like an extended television episode than a theatrical release. The action sequences, while competently staged, fail to achieve the kinetic energy and visual innovation that Marvel fans have come to expect.

The true revelation comes in the form of Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph (whose casting, notably, sparked protests from pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel audiences), whose limited screen time provides the film's most compelling moments. Haas brings a fierce intensity and magnetic presence to her role, elevating every scene she appears in. Her performance is particularly notable in her scenes with Harrison Ford and Anthony Mackie, where she demonstrates remarkable screen presence, holding her own against these established Hollywood stars.

Though Haas appears on screen for only a few cumulative minutes, her scenes represent the finest moments in "Brave New World." One can only hope she'll be cast in the next film as well. Haters can hate.

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Marvel Studios has made substantial alterations to the character played by Israeli actress Shira Haas in the upcoming "Captain America: Brave New World," seemingly in response to antisemitic criticism. The superhero, originally conceived as an ex-Mossad agent named Sabra, has been rebranded as a former Russian operative with no apparent ties to Israel, marking a significant departure from the character's comic book origins.

On Friday, Marvel Studios launched the first trailer for "Captain America: Brave New World" – the fourth installment in the solo saga of the patriotic superhero, with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) stepping into the Captain's shoes in place of his good friend Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, who retired from the Marvel Cinematic Universe after "Avengers: Endgame").

In addition to the intriguing change of the guard in the lead role of the American homeland defender, the trailer also included a first glimpse of the central female character played by Israeli actress Shira Haas. However, it seems Marvel has decided to recalculate the character's route, dramatically altering her background.

サブラ／ルース・バット・セラフ
(演：シーラ・ハース)
Sabra / Ruth Bat Seraph
(Shira Haas)
Captain America:Brave New World pic.twitter.com/TzDAc5VtTH

— AG_TWIT (@AG_MONO) July 13, 2024

 When Haas's participation in the next Captain America was first announced back in 2022, it was reported that she would play an Israeli woman named Ruth Bat-Seraph – a former Mossad agent who also functions as a Sabra superhero. This relatively veteran character was first introduced in Marvel comics pages as early as 1980.

Over the years, Sabra fought for the interests of the State of Israel and could even be seen in action in the skies of Tel Aviv and against the backdrop of the Western Wall. Among Sabra's special powers, she had superhuman strength, endurance, speed, and the ability to grant others special powers of their own. Add to that the Mossad training program – and you get a lady you don't want to mess with. However, alongside the exciting announcement, which was received long before the war, Marvel faced significant criticism for including an Israeli superhero in the film, especially one played by a "Zionist who served in the IDF."

At this point, it appears Sabra will no longer feature in the film, at least not as originally planned. Although Shira Haas can be seen in several shots in the new trailer, there was no trace of the Israeli superhero, and Haas appeared in scenes as a regular agent. Moreover, a new official synopsis published yesterday on Marvel's website describes Haas's character as follows: "Ruth Bat-Seraph. A former Black Widow, and now a senior American government official who has earned the trust of President Ross (Harrison Ford, who replaced the late William Hurt)." So while the Israeli name remains, it seems Marvel Studios has caved to pressure and changed Ruth's background from an Israeli agent and/or hero to a Black Widow of Russian origin (just like Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh, who previously played similar characters).

In recent months, the production of "Captain America: Brave New World" underwent significant improvements, during which quite a few new scenes were shot for the film and central plot lines were changed – this against the backdrop of reports of very lukewarm reactions in early test screenings. It's likely that the disassociation from Ruth Bat-Seraph's "Israeliness" and her transformation into a Black Widow was a significant part of these reshoots. The film will hit theaters on February 14.

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