I really liked this, sue me. While not as New Hollywood/Three Days of the Condor as the trailers would suggest (try Winter Soldier, if you want more of that), this does sport an old-fashioned gumshoe, government potboiler vibe that I really dug. Cap-Falcon (and his Avenger-in-training sidekick Torres) is out here following leads, roughing up hoods, and sticking it to the man, while a larger conspiracy closes in around him.

The biggest compliment I can give this movie is that it had some of the best action scenes I’ve seen lately. (I just do not care for the relentless hysteria of Wick, even if I can it it’s cool for spells). The balance of cool sequences, downtime to let it breath, establishing shots, decent CGI, and a good scene length without too much overload was just what I was looking for. The aircraft carrier/battleship jet duels with Cap-Falcon, Torres, and some MiGs (or whatever) was great. And while I don’t generally watch trailers or read reviews ahead of time, it was hard to miss the negative groundswell of disappointment around this (and Red Hulk, specifically), but I thought it was pretty good. I think some of the CGI of Red Hulk is way imperfect (the eyelines between Cap-Falcon and Red Hulk are all over the place sometimes, and just like Thor: Love and Thunder, some of the sequence around the pink trees had this very rectangular-square look – like the tech can’t anything in the periphery), but generally I was a fan of Red Hulk’s presentation. And Harrison Ford rocked here.

The best way to enjoy this movie is not to compare it to the Chris Evans’ Cap movies, but to take it on its own merits. It’s only going to touch on the larger MCU and Cap-Evans history in the most surface-level and briefest ways possible: Bucky makes an appearance and Cap-Falcon doubts himself and whether he’s deserving of Cap-Evans’ blessing to take his shield and such. (We do get some sweet “previously-on” montage to remind us of the 2009 Hulk movie where he fights Abomination in NYC, but that feels sweaty as hell as they try to imply that some bystander that just happened to be there and was scapegoated by a giant Hulk vs. Abomination disaster. I guess, right?).

Instead, Cap-Falcon is working on creating his own legacy, mentoring Torres, battling Sidewinder, protesting for Isaiah Bradley, and ing up with but still keeping Thaddeus Ross honest. He seems to get his ass kicked way easier than Cap-Evans (no super soldier serum and all, but this is mentioned to humor effect more than once), but has boss-ass Vibranium wings that can cut practically anything.

Overall, this is the fourth best Cap movie (in what is the best standalone franchise in the MCU, right? Iron Man is the only one even in contention, but I don’t think it’s really close), but still probably my favorite of the latest tentpole MCU releases.