We live in increasingly divided times, with political discourse coming into play for everything. It would seem that making a billion-dollar movie about a man who runs about with a flag on his chest might then prompt some political discourse. Yet outside of the cries of “woke”, that's not really what Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World is interested in.

The latest instalment in the stalling juggernaut series is far more interested in tying up loose ends from across the franchise. Thaddeus Ross (previously William Hurt, now Harrison Ford) has become President and looks to atone for his more aggressive past while trying to forge a treaty with Japan over the celestial island last seen in Eternals. Into the mix comes Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) taking up the mantle of Captain America and trying to uncover a plot that involves mind control and the attempted assassination of Ross.

Director Julius Onah previously made the fantastically thorny Luce, a film about identity and politics, and one would be forgiven for thinking that the same would come into play here. It's not that Brave New World doesn't want to tackle ideas of politics, and identity, but much like its pre-curse The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it wants to appeal to both sides. It's a difficult balance to strike and the film doesn't always succeed.

It's also clear that there have been reshoots. The three antagonists all loosely link but never fully mesh, and the most appealing baddie Leader, is left to run around at the fringes of the film, never allowing Tim Blake Nelson to fully ham it up as you'd hope. What Onah does get right is the tone. The film has a conspiracy thriller feel to it, calling back to The Winter Soldier, which remains one of the high watermarks of the series.

There is emotion, and it mostly comes from the fact that Ford gamely imbues Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross with the right amount of rage and sorrow. He's a man who's fighting his own nature and trying to do better, and Ford is on top form here. Star Anthony Mackie carries the film well, making sure to keep Sam's humour in tact while also allowing him to express doubt and emotion.

As with so many Marvel films, if you're not all in on the series, this may feel impossible to follow, feeling a little empty as a result. For those willing to buy in, the film has a sense of fun whilst wrangling with some real world issues such as the distribution of resources and what it means to be a Black man in a flag suit. But it also has the feel of a film that's been excessively tinkered with, stripping away its harder edges in order to appeal to its mass audience. Neither side comes out on top. As fun as this is, and at times a reminder that Marvel still has the goods, it's not the slam dunk fans have been hoping for.

Captain America: Brave New World is in cinemas from February 14th