Would William Hurt have saved Brave New World?
So I was watching a non-marvel film of William Hurt’s the other day, and not that I needed reminding of this, but the man was simply a powerhouse of an actor. I’m wondering if any of think Captain America: Brave New World would have been a better all around experience with the emotional payoff of seeing this man, one of our greatest actors, who’d been a nearly constant presence in the mcu as an antagonist, have this beautiful emotional arc and transformation?
Not that Harrison ford didn’t do fantastically with the material, but to me there’s just a lacking weight to the performance because of the necessary recast. Just like how “On your left” hit us so hard because the weight of familiarity and time spent with these people instantly brings you back to that first moment in Winter Soldier and all the history since, while also creating something new and spectacular, or “I am Iron Man” itself for that matter. Having that real world time invested with a character makes their development all the more personal and engaging for the audience, and that connection is fostered primarily through the actor playing the role and allows effortless callbacks (which are direct hits of dopamine for us fans) to decades of their previous work as the character
Think of it this way, we all love 007, but we kind of have to get to know each incarnation and discover what makes us love this one or the next one along the way. So too, Harrison ford delivered a fine performance in BNW, but one that did not emotionally connect me to the legacy of work done by the irreplaceable Hurt, without whom, the narrative of BNW would not have been possible in the first place. For me it did not have the emotional weight that watching a character we’ve followed for 15 years, go through this journey of growth and reconciliation, should have had. And it would have been a vastly better film, even identical shot for shot, with Mr Hurt and his glorious stash front and center lol. Curious what you guys think!
Edit: I should have been more clear. I fully am in agreement that the film was just bad because it was written and executed poorly. And that Harrison ford was excellent as Ross. But seeing what he did just makes me want to see what Hurt would have done as he is a superior actor pretty objectively. I’m just asking the question if an actual connection to the material that came before it and a potentially even better performance could’ve improved this film for any of you?
TLDR: Would CA:BNW have been a better movie had William Hurt lived to make it? Harrison was solid but didn’t have the emotional weight of a character we’ve lived with for 15 years
Not that Harrison ford didn’t do fantastically with the material, but to me there’s just a lacking weight to the performance because of the necessary recast. Just like how “On your left” hit us so hard because the weight of familiarity and time spent with these people instantly brings you back to that first moment in Winter Soldier and all the history since, while also creating something new and spectacular, or “I am Iron Man” itself for that matter. Having that real world time invested with a character makes their development all the more personal and engaging for the audience, and that connection is fostered primarily through the actor playing the role and allows effortless callbacks (which are direct hits of dopamine for us fans) to decades of their previous work as the character
Think of it this way, we all love 007, but we kind of have to get to know each incarnation and discover what makes us love this one or the next one along the way. So too, Harrison ford delivered a fine performance in BNW, but one that did not emotionally connect me to the legacy of work done by the irreplaceable Hurt, without whom, the narrative of BNW would not have been possible in the first place. For me it did not have the emotional weight that watching a character we’ve followed for 15 years, go through this journey of growth and reconciliation, should have had. And it would have been a vastly better film, even identical shot for shot, with Mr Hurt and his glorious stash front and center lol. Curious what you guys think!
Edit: I should have been more clear. I fully am in agreement that the film was just bad because it was written and executed poorly. And that Harrison ford was excellent as Ross. But seeing what he did just makes me want to see what Hurt would have done as he is a superior actor pretty objectively. I’m just asking the question if an actual connection to the material that came before it and a potentially even better performance could’ve improved this film for any of you?
TLDR: Would CA:BNW have been a better movie had William Hurt lived to make it? Harrison was solid but didn’t have the emotional weight of a character we’ve lived with for 15 years
Commentaires
Ford was fine, but curious how things would’ve felt with Hurt.
As a matter of fact, I'd say Harrison Ford completely knocked it out of the park as the president.
And so what if Leader was traditionally a Hulk villain? It doesn't matter THAT much.
The plot of the movie was that the person who tried to enforce the Sokovia Accords on the Avengers, and deemed Steve and Sam as fugitives when they acted outside law, and was now trying to prove himself a better person as the new U.S. President by working with Sam who had now inherited Steve's mantle and who, as a new Captain America, also felt he had something to prove to the world. And the villain needed to be someone who had vendetta against Ross. Just like in Civil War, Zemo was a villain become he resented the loss of his own loved ones due to the Avengers' battles more than anyone else.
Tho I will say that the fact they spoilt the red Hulk aspect in the marketing likely wouldn't have been something they would have done with Hurt still with us.... Which would have made the twist land on it's feet
Ragnarok spoiled Hulk right away. They know Hulk sells toys and they’re gonna spoil it through that lane either way, may as well include him in marketing and potentially draw in more fans.
The story was just not that interesting and when we knew that red hulk was only going to show up at the end it felt like we already knew how it was going to end.
MCU has lost the plot. Has lost the tone. Has lost the charm.
Disney needs to chill the fuck out tho I know they won’t with their two-headed hydra plan to split Iger’s role.
And I disagree with a lot of the other listed problems. Having Hulk characters and villains cross over into Captain America is normal in comics and the MCU, and is not a bad thing. The movie has great action sequences, and the scale of the movie (Captain America trying to clear his friend's name while also trying to stave off global political conflict) is perfect for a Captain America movie.
The primary problem was the dialogue. It's almost all just exposition and back story and there's so little time to actually get with the characters being characters and experiencing the story.
The other big problem is, for the first time, Sarah Haley Finn biffs not one, but two casting decisions: Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph and Xosha Roquemore as Agent Taylor are both just black holes of personality, sucking any life or energy out of every scene they’re in.
I agree her character was stiff and boring, but her role was obviously ripped apart in the editing room.
One thing in favor of a casting error, she is so short it was actually distracting me
And on that note I don't think there's any bad acting in the movie. Everyone is doing what they can with what they were given. But what they were given just wasn't much at all.