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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.
  • Spoilers for new releases should not be discussed without spoiler tagging for at least two weeks. Rather, each title should have a dedicated thread where that sort of conversation is held. We can mention new releases in a general sense, but please be courteous to people who don't want to be spoiled.

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

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#37926: Jul 16th 2015 at 5:47:53 PM

Watching the most recent WHIH news segment, I noticed there's a reference to people scavenging Ultron's bodies and selling the parts on the black market.

I wonder if that is going to play into the upcoming movies.

stingerbrg Since: Jun, 2009
#37927: Jul 16th 2015 at 6:00:29 PM

It at least should be a plot point for an episode of one of the TV/Netflix shows.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#37928: Jul 16th 2015 at 6:23:04 PM

[up][up] The possibility of that happening with Chitauri tech after Avengers 1 didn't play into anything significant in the MCU except for a few firemen who caught an alien electric brain exploding virus in AOS (in fact, they released a oneshot where they tried to claim SHIELD managed to every single errant piece of alien debris in New York, honest), so I'll believe it when I see it.

Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#37930: Jul 16th 2015 at 6:45:47 PM

[up]x4

I'm thinking Ulysses Klaw is going to be involved in that. He has lots of dealings with the black market plus he'd have personal reasons for looking into advanced robotic arms.

Demongodofchaos2 Face me now, bitch! from In a Cultivation World (Ancient one) Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Face me now, bitch!
#37931: Jul 16th 2015 at 6:53:39 PM

Came back from it. It was great, even funnier then gaurdians of the Galaxy.

The micro verse portion of the movie was trippy, though.

edited 16th Jul '15 6:53:56 PM by Demongodofchaos2

Watch Symphogear
Eagal Since: Apr, 2012
#37932: Jul 16th 2015 at 7:02:52 PM

Came back from what? Ant-Man? But that's not released till tomorrow...

Demongodofchaos2 is from the future confirmed. Time zones? Spare me your bizarre pseudoscience.

edited 16th Jul '15 7:03:28 PM by Eagal

Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#37933: Jul 16th 2015 at 7:14:33 PM

In some countries, the release date is different. Over here, it was released today as well (it is aways on Thursdays).

Eagal Since: Apr, 2012
#37934: Jul 16th 2015 at 7:20:13 PM

That makes sense. I like my theory better, though. [tup]

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#37935: Jul 16th 2015 at 7:22:26 PM

I may have to hold up a day on seeing it.

Looks like I won't see it until Saturday.

One Strip! One Strip!
stingerbrg Since: Jun, 2009
#37936: Jul 16th 2015 at 7:52:59 PM

Some places also have early screenings, that's how I saw Age of Ultron a day early in the US.

Which I just realized I could've done today instead of waiting til next week. Damn.

ultimatepheer Since: Mar, 2011
#37937: Jul 16th 2015 at 7:58:23 PM

I'm gonna see it monday.

Shit's gonna be so cash, yo.

I literally have no idea what I just said.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#37938: Jul 16th 2015 at 8:03:35 PM

[up]

Why did you put that in spoilers?!!!!

It just made me think it was something important!!!! I curse you!!!!!

edited 16th Jul '15 8:03:54 PM by HandsomeRob

One Strip! One Strip!
DrFurball Since: Jan, 2001
#37939: Jul 16th 2015 at 8:10:14 PM

Gotta say, I really, really liked Ant-Man. As a fan of Hank Pym, I really enjoyed how it was almost just as much his movie as it was Lang's. Scott himself was an entertaining character, Hope was badass, the ants were adorable, and it was funny throughout. It defintiely had a smaller scope than the other recent movies (no Inifinity Ge-er, Stones are involved), and reminded me a lot of the first Iron Man in tone. A lot of Canon Foreigners in the cast, but they were all fun (Luis, especially).

I think it might be one of my favorites of Phase Two, actually. And while I did enjoy seeing Janet in the flashback, I was very happy to see that Hope will the MCU Wasp. The Sam/Cap/Bucky stinger was intriguing, and the trippiness of the Quantum Realm has be hopeful for the Doctor Strange movie. And the subtle reference to Spider-Man was rad.

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#37940: Jul 16th 2015 at 8:54:33 PM

I can't see it until Sunday night, so I think I may duck out of the thread for the next couple of days.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
Nohbody "In distress", my ass. from Somewhere in Dixie Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
"In distress", my ass.
#37941: Jul 16th 2015 at 9:11:11 PM

I know this will sound silly to some, but for those who've seen AM, how many scenes are there of him interacting with regular insects, and for how long?

Because I kinda-sorta want to see the movie, but I really, really, really don't like bugs even at normal scales. I can't imagine zooming in on ants and wasps is going to be any less of a freak-out for me.

All your safe space are belong to Trump
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#37942: Jul 16th 2015 at 9:39:42 PM

[up] Lots, I'm afraid. If you don't like bugs, then I'd expect this movie will be quite unsettling. And one scene a really vicious looking giant rat, if that sort of thing freaks out out too.

Anyway, just saw it. Loved it. It's definitely a "small" film, but that suits me just fine - Iron Man 1 is a "small" film too, and it's still the best movie in its series and one of the best movies in the MCU.

Ant-Man isn't the best, but it's a movie that knows what it wants to be and sticks with it. I'm also pleasantly surprised to have called how they did Janet, with her having a full career as Wasp before dying and dying alongside Hank rather than because of him. Also, I like how they averted some of the pitfalls that they could've fallen into with Hope, which makes it a good look for the female side of the Pym family all around imo. I wasn't expecting the blatant implication that Janet might still be alive, and that Hank is still trying to bring her back, which is super exciting, and that's definitely a Sequel Hook.

If there's one off part, though, it's that Cross just plain doesn't carry the film well as a villain. He sets up the situation nicely, but the bulk of the movies is the heroes slowly setting up how they're going to dismantle him - think Ocean's Thirteen, except the movie is simultaneously spending all its time pinning up his inevitable defeat while simultaneously trying to make us buy that he's a legit antagonist, but he rarely makes direct input on the plot, his character is very paint-by-numbers, he's outright incompetent (with his few moments of sudden competence coming straight out of nowhere and not lasting long), and as a result the things he does do don't really feel like they have weight. The movie tells us everything about him and show us his limits in the first few scenes (hell, they do it in the trailer), and in particular, with the exception of a little hiccup partway through, the movie basically averts Unspoken Plan Guarantee entirely - even with Cross seeing them coming, he's ultimately in no way prepared to deal with the heroes, and the final battle just feels superfluous. I spent the whole time waiting for the twist where Cross turned out to be a Disc-One Final Boss.

That said, as a heist movie, they don't necessarily need a big antagonist to work - and the movie definitely works as the slow buildup to Cross' inevitable fall. Plus, he did surprise me when it was revealed he was working with HYDRA (who got one of the vials! Another sequel hook) The main thing that makes Cross suffer is that the movie is playing him as a house of cards to be knocked down and a supervillain at the same time, and he just doesn't work as the latter.

edited 16th Jul '15 9:41:36 PM by KnownUnknown

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#37943: Jul 16th 2015 at 10:08:28 PM

That was a fun movie.

With ants in it.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
DirectorCannon Since: Nov, 2011
#37944: Jul 16th 2015 at 10:28:55 PM

[up][up]

...Cross... ...house of cards...

Heh.

edited 16th Jul '15 10:30:31 PM by DirectorCannon

Guy01 Since: Mar, 2015
#37945: Jul 16th 2015 at 10:34:59 PM

If there's one off part, though, it's that Cross just plain doesn't carry the film well as a villain.

So who do you think is a better villain: Joketron or Cross?

Ok, who let Light Yagami in here?
alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#37946: Jul 16th 2015 at 10:36:12 PM

I saw it today as well. I have to say, that was fun. And I pretty much agree with all the critics: it was a smaller movie, but that made it better. It didn't need some huge battle in the sky — it was content with a battle in a suitcase and a battle in a little girl's bedroom.

Also, I love Michael Pena as Luis. Every time he started exposition about how he came by this information, it was hilarious. He was at a wine tasting and you know he doesn't like reds, but they had a fine rose! And then he was at an art gallery!

I also enjoyed the flashbacks showing how Hank and Janet as the Wasp and everything with Hope in the present. Plus, Peggy showed up again! Woo!

I do agree Cross didn't really hold the movie together as the villain, but then again, he didn't need to. Heist movies rarely have memorable villains - I can't even remember who was Ocean's 11 villain - and this was definitely a heist movie.

edited 16th Jul '15 10:37:06 PM by alliterator

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#37947: Jul 16th 2015 at 10:41:25 PM

[up] In terms of villain, I compared the movie more to Ocean's 13 than Ocean's 11, mostly because the movie never seriously establishes him as a threat to what the heroes are trying to do, and never seriously pretends like they heroes are going to fail.

But yeah, it's not really a problem for the heist parts of the movie. The main issue is that it makes the last part, with him going full-supervillain in a powered suit and fighting Scott full on, not work very well. Imo, they should have had the last part be more twists and intrigue than duking it out. Basically, I feel like Cross should've gone down more like a Bond villain or something.

Incidentally, I also spent the whole movie thinking Cross was William Cross with an Adaptation Name Change, and only found out he was a separate preexisting character afterwards. Derp.

edited 16th Jul '15 10:45:02 PM by KnownUnknown

stingerbrg Since: Jun, 2009
#37948: Jul 16th 2015 at 11:56:06 PM

Ran to a midnight showing after my last post. Good movie, and the best trailer group all year.

If you don't like bugs the film may be hard to watch. Not as gross as the ant in Honey I Shrunk The Kids, but many more of them, and they're CGI and move around more.

Did not expect that final stinger. Unless it's a scene from Civil War, it's really weird they'd have them find Bucky offscreen or in a stinger.

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#37949: Jul 16th 2015 at 11:59:18 PM

It's a scene directly from Civil War. So Bucky will presumably be found on-screen.

Over at Rotten Tomatoes, the critics are at 76%, but 98% want to see it, which is interesting. Checking on Tumblr, it looks like most people enjoyed the hell out of the film (even the ones bemoaning the lack of Janet). I think opening weekend is predicted at $60 million, which is about average for a MCU film, but I think it may get more.

Honestly, it's not the best Marvel movie, but it is the funniest since Guardians of the Galaxy. Seriously. Go see it just for Luis.

edited 16th Jul '15 11:59:55 PM by alliterator

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#37950: Jul 17th 2015 at 12:22:48 AM

[up]I am ready to bet that it will make more. Because other than Age of Ultron, every single box office prediction for Marvel, including the one for Guardians of the Galaxy, has been too low. I think those systems are outdated. And especially in Marvel's case you have always to consider that it is currently THE Franchise everyone talks about. A lot of people will hasten to see it for the end credit scenes alone. Whatever they are.


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