Corey D. Parker

✮What I loved:

Sam looks INSANELY hot in this movie. Lord have mercy! I was actually getting flustered in some of the scenes. Even my mom, who I dragged to see the film with me, remarked on what a handsome man he is. 😁

I loved the chemistry between Sam and Joaquin. They are so cute together, and their banter feels so effortless and natural. At times I couldn't even tell if they were acting or if it was just Anthony and Sanny riffing off.

I love the inclusion of Isaiah Bradley. His storyline was well handled and very compelling. Carl Lumbly's phenomenal acting adds some much needed gravitas to the movie.

I liked Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder. He made for a fun villain for Sam to fight against, and his one-liners were pretty good.

Most of the fight choreo was pretty good. I love that they leaned more into Sam's graceful athleticism. He kicks ass and he looks beautiful doing it.

The 1.5 Bucky cameos were a genuine surprise, and now I'm kinda of obsessed with the implications there because... 👀 I can't wait for all the fanfics!

✮What I didn't love:

The entire Hulk storyline felt so out of place. I still don't get why they chose the leader as the main antagonist when he has no connection to Sam whatsoever. It made the stakes feel less personal and, therefore, less meaningful. Also, his motivations were convoluted and uninteresting.

The same goes for Thunderbolt Ross. Harrison does a fantastic job each time he's on screen, but again, I don't get why they chose to have him so prominently in this movie.

Shirah Haas's character is entirely unnecessary, and the minor role she plays in the plot could have easily been given to Leila Taylor, who serves a very similar function in the story. I'm not sure why Marvel insisted on keeping her in the film in spite of the backlash, only for her to be an insignificant character that could have easily been removed on the edit without impacting the story.

The Tiamut Island/adamantium storyline is just a red herring, and it goes absolutely nowhere. It felt like a missed opportunity to meaningfully address one of the biggest plot holes in phases 4 and 5.

The post-credit scene was a total waste of time. Don't even bother staying for that.

But the biggest one is that Sam is not present enough. This did not really feel like a Sam Wilson movie. We see very little of his life outside of work, and we barely get a glimpse into his internal conflict and thought process. The Red Hulk had a clearer and more fleshed out story arc than the character whose name is in the title. Make it make sense Marvel! 😵‍💫

I'm mad that we get zero mentions of Sarah and the boys or of Sam's personal life besides a quick shot of some photos in one scene.