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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This pinned post is here to establish some basic guidelines. All of the Media Forum rules still apply.

  • This thread is for talking about the live-action films, TV shows, animated works, and related content that use the Marvel brand, currently owned by Disney.
  • While mild digressions are okay, discussion of the comic books should go in this thread. Extended digressions may be thumped as off-topic.
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If you're posting tagged spoilers, make sure that the film or series is clearly identified outside the spoiler tagging. People need to know what will be spoiled before they choose to read the post.

    Original post 
Since Thor and now Captain America came out this year, I wanted to get what Tropers thought of the concept and execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Personally I love the idea and wonder why this idea hasn't been seriously tried before. It sorta seems to me like the DCAU in movie form (And well, ummm, with Marvel), and really 'gets' the comic book feel of a shared universe while not being completely alienating.

Edited by Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM

Diana1969 Since: Apr, 2021 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#143901: Jul 10th 2022 at 9:57:29 PM

The Dark World definitely has some high points with its depiction of the Asgardians, but it's still one of my least favorite MCU films. I don't hate it, though. It's just, y'know...not really memorable save for a couple of moments. The Loki scenes were good. everything to do with Malekith kinda sucks the fun out, and Selvig gets reduced to a bunch of unfunny jokes that are *really* jarring after Iron Man 3 focused heavily on taking Tony's PTSD seriously.

I'm rather surprised this was the movie that made people hate Darcy a lot, though. Like, before Wandavision brought her back, I remembered a lot of people were hating her and her actress. I vaguely recall there being a general backlash towards Kat Dennings for stupid reasons at the time (she was on an awful but popular sitcom and idk, I guess some people took that as a free pass for misogyny).

I think the first Thor is pretty solid, and it seems to me like Kenneth Branagh would be able to make a greater Thor film in a sequel and with more creative freedom.

The first Thor film has some pretty good shots in it. Definitely leans a bit too heavy on the dutch angles, but with how people have complained a lot about the MCU's latest offerings being pretty weak in terms of cinematography and staging...it's just kind of nice to look back at the old stuff and wish they did some of that again instead of playing so cookie-cutter?

Probably the worst part of the first Thor was Hemsworth dying his eyebrows, though. Like wow, it does not look great on rewatch tongue

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#143902: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:07:59 PM

Its certainly a Hell of a feeling watching scenes from the original film like Thor getting his powers back

Edited by slimcoder on Jul 10th 2022 at 10:09:03 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
VeryMelon Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#143903: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:09:34 PM

I haven't heard a lot about the original version, aside from Malekith stuff being cut for Loki stuff. Was the plot very different?

A more overt Romeo and Juliet-styled plot with Thor forbidden from going back to Earth.

uncertanSearcher It's always Season of the Witch from Germany Since: Oct, 2017
It's always Season of the Witch
#143904: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:14:09 PM

The Loki scenes where by far the best part of the Dark World. So getting those in exchange for less Malekith scenes seems like a clear improvement. I found Malekith so dull in the scenes he had that I'm not sure if some additional backstory would have helped much.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#143905: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:14:12 PM

[up][up] Very true to ye olde comics.

Edited by Bocaj on Jul 10th 2022 at 1:14:32 PM

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Ayasugi Since: Oct, 2010
#143906: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:15:54 PM

Selvig gets reduced to a bunch of unfunny jokes that are *really* jarring after Iron Man 3 focused heavily on taking Tony's PTSD seriously.

IIRC, Stellan Skarsgard really liked where they took Selvig. At the very least the nudity jokes were basically his suggestion.

Diana1969 Since: Apr, 2021 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#143907: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:23:44 PM

IIRC, Stellan Skarsgard really liked where they took Selvig. At the very least the nudity jokes were basically his suggestion.

Eh, not a fan. They come off more as "look at the funny mentally ill man" type stuff. Not really funny.

MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#143908: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:51:48 PM

Well, Stellan's serving an evil emperor in two other universes, so if he has any misgivings about Erik Selvig, I'm sure he's long given up on them.

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#143909: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:53:52 PM

Man I feel bad for the Warrior's 3, poor guys were barely used until they were brutally killed off in Ragnarok like nothing.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#143910: Jul 10th 2022 at 10:57:26 PM

It's a shame they were killed off before the current crop of Disney shows. I always wanted a Lady Sif and the Warriors Three show where they go into adventures in Midgard capturing escaped Asgardian criminals and the like.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
lbssb The sleepiest good boi Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#143912: Jul 10th 2022 at 11:05:07 PM

I've heard conflicting explanations where according to some folks, Malekith might've been so boring because they decided to retool the film to give Loki more screentime as a kind of Just Here for Godzilla after his popularity in the Avengers movies, and in other cases it's as you described and they realized the rest of the movie was floundering and ratcheted up Loki's scenes so the film might have some character-centric scenes of note to make it stand out more.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#143913: Jul 10th 2022 at 11:08:36 PM

The production problems for Dark World are rather astonishing.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#143914: Jul 10th 2022 at 11:09:50 PM

I still don't get who the fuck decided that Malekith should be the most stoic and humorless villain in the MCU when his comic counterpart is basically a Norse mythology version of The Joker.

Like, if you're gonna diverge THAT far from the source material, just adapt a different character. I hate how they did Taskmaster but Malekith is even worse by a huge margin.

Edited by Anomalocaris20 on Jul 10th 2022 at 2:10:43 PM

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#143915: Jul 10th 2022 at 11:33:55 PM

with how people have complained a lot about the MCU's latest offerings being pretty weak in terms of cinematography and staging

Have those people not seen Multiverse of Madness? Or Moon Knight?

Edited by PushoverMediaCritic on Jul 10th 2022 at 11:34:17 AM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#143916: Jul 10th 2022 at 11:37:20 PM

[up][up] Ironically Malekith would be perfect for the current movies.

A wacky over the top Joker style villain would fit in fine in Ragnarok/Love and Thunder.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#143917: Jul 10th 2022 at 11:52:07 PM

Cross-posting from the Thor: Love and Thunder spoiler thread, but Taika Waititi's been getting some drubbing because of a recent video he made with Tessa Thompson making fun of bad CG from the VFX crew, upsetting others for seemingly belittling the people who worked hard to make the movie and resulting in a lot of angry anecdotes about how hellish it is to do VFX for Marvel (not that it isn't a universal problem in the industry too) and other tweets making fun of the poor state of the CG. Again, a lot of it is anecdotal but common talking points involve crunch, capricious visions leading to short deadlines and quick redos, and it's known that Disney is averse to hiring union staff.

Shadao Dorzma Forever! Artwork by Kris Dobbins. (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Dorzma Forever! Artwork by Kris Dobbins.
#143918: Jul 11th 2022 at 12:01:34 AM

Well, I sometimes wonder if all that negative stigma of CGI from old school fans may have been intentionally fed by the entertainment media just to preemptively cut down support from fans for VFX artists to unionize for better pay and work.

I mean, it's not like Hollywood is going to drop CGI anytime soon, but it's not people actually know how difficult CGI really is.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#143919: Jul 11th 2022 at 12:04:47 AM

[up][up] Never a good idea to joke about overworked people

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Theokal3 Since: Jan, 2012
#143920: Jul 11th 2022 at 2:52:41 AM

Phase 4 seems to be showing a trend of uncaring and/or Jerkass Gods.

And that personally annoys me. To me Jerkass Gods is a tired trope, and a depressing one at that. Every now and then it'd be nice to have a bit more gods who genuinely mean well. The moment in Eternals where they reveal the Celestial intend to destroy Earth to give birth to one of them seriously was the turning point where I began being disappointed by this movie.

Edited by Theokal3 on Jul 11th 2022 at 11:55:54 AM

djoki996 Since: Dec, 2018
#143921: Jul 11th 2022 at 3:04:55 AM

[up] But the myths/world religions gave us so much material for jerkass gods.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#143922: Jul 11th 2022 at 3:07:28 AM

Ya know I can never hold Gods that personal for being jerks.

Its like when Thor says "We don't deserve mortals" you then think "Its alright Thor, we don't deserve you either"

Mortals don't deserve shit, we're fucking awful no better than Gods. Arguably more despicable since Gods are least big, we're small. Just a bunch of puny humans, no worse than vermin. tongue

Edited by slimcoder on Jul 11th 2022 at 3:08:17 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
djoki996 Since: Dec, 2018
#143923: Jul 11th 2022 at 3:09:53 AM

Honestly, the only side to root for are self-aware evil gods and demons/daemons/whatever. They, at the very least, understand they're assholes and relish in it.

No self-righteousness the other sides are full of.

Arguably more despicable since Gods are least big, we're small. Just a bunch of puny humans, no worse than vermin.

This part makes absolutely zero sense.

Edited by djoki996 on Jul 11th 2022 at 3:12:11 AM

Theokal3 Since: Jan, 2012
#143924: Jul 11th 2022 at 3:37:07 AM

Mortals don't deserve shit, we're fucking awful no better than Gods.

This. We often forget it but the reason gods like the Greek Gods are such jerkass is mostly because they got human flaws. Gods might not be perfect in various mythologies, but we have very much shown both in fiction and reality that we suck just as much.

HasturHasturHastur from Wheah the fahkin baby wheel is, Jay Since: Nov, 2010
#143925: Jul 11th 2022 at 4:09:08 AM

[up]I mean, the Olympians alone are basically like something off Jerry Springer with all the fighting, infidelity, incest, ridiculous grudges, and other general idiocy.


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