TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Go To

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

RedM Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: You can be my wingman any time
#79426: Jan 29th 2018 at 11:49:43 AM

I laughed when the Warriors Three were unceremoniously killed off in Ragnarok, because I saw it as the movie's way of acknowledging how little anyone cared about them. Like, "They're dead! Did you notice that those were Thor's three buddies? You don't even remember their names, do you? You didn't even notice when we recast one of them in Thor 2!" I kind of chuckled at how even the movie was acknowledging how forgettable the first Thor movies were.

The very best, like no one ever was. Check out my Spider-Man fanfic here! [1]
Unsung it's a living from a tenement of clay Since: Jun, 2016
it's a living
#79427: Jan 29th 2018 at 11:52:31 AM

The historical setpieces and the charisma of the stars are enough to carry it, I think. Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Phillips, Stanley Tucci as Erskine and Toby Jones as Zola are all pretty underrated, and I'd still really like to see Zola come back one last time.

Doctor Strange has a larger problem in that the only person who I'm looking forward to seeing more of is Mordo. It does have a few great moments, but so much of that is in spite of its lead, who I can't help but feel would've been better if he was playing the character as older and more remote. This franchise could've done things with a Gandalf, it didn't really need another Tony Stark Lite.

[up]I got the joke, but having that joke in the middle of what was ostensibly the serious part of the movie didn't really work. They would've worked better for reaction shots of the mounting horror.

edited 29th Jan '18 12:34:43 PM by Unsung

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#79428: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:00:46 PM

Personally I think that The First Avengers is easily the most underrated movie in the MCU...or at least it was until Got G Vol 2 was released.

Here are my reasons:

1. Neither The Winter Soldier nor Civil War would work as well if this movie didn't do such a great job to establish Steve as a character.

2. Peggy Carter

3. It is a great commentary on the American propaganda machine

4. Peggy Carter

5. It is a great commentary on a nostalgic view on WWII

6. Peggy Carter

7. It also does a great job to make Bucky a likable character, improving greatly the comic book version of him

8. Peggy Carter

9. I really love the set-designs and how much care went into them...even the German labels are correct (which is rarer than one might think).

10. Peggy Carter

11. The ending is truly unexpected if you aren't too familiar with the story. And one of the best moments in the MCU.

12. Peggy Carter

13. I absolutely adore the soundtrack.

14. Did I mention Peggy Carter?

edited 29th Jan '18 12:01:15 PM by Swanpride

DeathsApprentice The Ultimate Lifeform from The Ark Since: Aug, 2011 Relationship Status: Is that a kind of food?
The Ultimate Lifeform
#79429: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:04:04 PM

You should probably mention Peggy a few more times, just to be safe. tongue

But yeah, I really do think CA:TFA is underrated. It's a good movie that I've enjoyed rewatching several times over.

When we're done, there won't be anything left.
RedM Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: You can be my wingman any time
#79430: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:05:09 PM

[up]Yeah, I love The First Avenger because it absolutely nails Captain America as a character. And the soundtrack is good. I'm still mad that "The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan" didn't win an Oscar for Best Original Song.

edited 29th Jan '18 12:05:21 PM by RedM

The very best, like no one ever was. Check out my Spider-Man fanfic here! [1]
Sigilbreaker26 Serial Procrastinator Since: Nov, 2017
Serial Procrastinator
#79431: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:05:25 PM

Same, I personally think Captain America is the only Avenger with three good movies. There's good humour, they're able to sell Cap as a compelling character, it knows when to be corny but it also knows when to be grim, and it has some pretty decent action.

edited 29th Jan '18 12:06:43 PM by Sigilbreaker26

"And when the last law was down and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, the laws all being flat?"
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#79432: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:07:03 PM

[up][up] It might have if the Academy didn't have the opinion that Menken has already too many awards as it is.

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#79433: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:11:36 PM

I completely agree. First Avenger is underrated and Peggy Carter is a badass.

RedM Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: You can be my wingman any time
#79434: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:11:55 PM

All of the Phase 1 Marvel movies get half-forgotten by virtue of being the lead-up to THE AVENGERS. They take themselves a lot more seriously too, because they really had to sell people on the characters. Now that the characters are more well-known, the movies can afford to lighten up a little. Cap 1 has to play the character straight in order for Homecoming to put him in a running gag, for example.

The very best, like no one ever was. Check out my Spider-Man fanfic here! [1]
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#79435: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:14:30 PM

[up] Well, they also put him in his traditional costume and let him punch Hitler...so not quite THAT seriously.

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#79436: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:20:47 PM

I actually really liked Captain America: The First Avenger. Its WWII setting makes it very different from every other film in the MCU, and I really like how they basically adapted Captain America's propoganda-based origins by making him propoganda in-universe.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#79437: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:32:39 PM

The montage of the Star Spangled Man With A Plan was hilarious then, and it’s hilarious now. Poor Steve.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#79438: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:35:33 PM

[up] I also love how it is tinted in sepia to give it a nostalgic feel....and the dozen memorable character moments..."Nope!", "I can do this all day", the whole Mulan scene, the grenade (especially that Peggy run in the same direction, Steve was just faster), the slight smile Steve has when he watches this cheesy face Captain America movie revealing that he kind of enjoy the attention to a degree, and especially the scene in the bar when he grieves Bucky. Putting him in the same spot in which the Howling Commanders were formed but now it is a bombed out building instead of a lively bar is pretty effective.

RedM Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: You can be my wingman any time
#79439: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:45:05 PM

[up]The Mulan scene? You mean, trying to enlist?

The very best, like no one ever was. Check out my Spider-Man fanfic here! [1]
Discar Since: Jun, 2009
#79440: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:46:02 PM

The flag on top of the pole, which was solved with intelligence rather than strength.

Writing a post-post apocalypse LitRPG on RR. Also fanfic stuff.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#79441: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:46:32 PM

I always thought First Avenger was the only one of the Phase 1 movies besides Iron Man 1 that was above-average in any way.

Personally I think that The First Avengers is easily the most underrated movie in the MCU...or at least it was until Got G Vol 2 was released.

Haven't people generally been quite receptive of Vol 2? I haven't seen it myself yet but a lot of people have told me it has a much more emotional and compelling story than the first film.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#79442: Jan 29th 2018 at 12:53:52 PM

[up] Well, the "nerd reviewer" have decided that it one of the weakest comic book movies of the year...with some placing it under Justice League even. Which...Yeah....And did you see where it ended up in Collider Top 50 Superhero movies? It was in the Top 40, if I remember correctly...for sure pretty low.

RedM Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: You can be my wingman any time
#79443: Jan 29th 2018 at 1:14:37 PM

"Marvel movies have weak villains! Too many jokes! Other criticism!"

"Did you enjoy the movie, though?"

"Yeah, it was the most fun I've had all month."

"Well there ya go."

Weirdly enough, I feel like Marvel movies get held to some weird standard where no one expects them to be art films, but somehow they can't get away with just being fun and well-made.

The very best, like no one ever was. Check out my Spider-Man fanfic here! [1]
Sigilbreaker26 Serial Procrastinator Since: Nov, 2017
Serial Procrastinator
#79444: Jan 29th 2018 at 1:16:26 PM

Either that or they've conditioned us, as the audience, to accept the same formula again and again.

"And when the last law was down and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, the laws all being flat?"
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#79445: Jan 29th 2018 at 1:16:45 PM

I don't mind fun but the problem is if you're looking for something more weighty or thematically ambitious then a lot of the movies don't quite get to that level. Though Marvel has proven they can deliver on that with the Netflix shows anyways so I just watch those instead for the most part these days.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
LordVatek Not really a lord of anything Since: Sep, 2014
Not really a lord of anything
#79447: Jan 29th 2018 at 1:22:53 PM

Regarding Vol. 2 being underrated, it's mostly directed at the humor which, given how well-received the humor in the first movie was, is notable. I don't think anyone has ever seriously questioned the emotional aspect as a whole.

This song needs more love.
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#79448: Jan 29th 2018 at 3:54:11 PM

Vol. 2 has an emotional resonance which no superhero movie has matched (Wonder Woman was a very different type of emotional response). I cried my eyes out.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#79449: Jan 29th 2018 at 3:57:44 PM

Vol 2 really goes hip deep into the damaged people clinging together thing

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#79450: Jan 29th 2018 at 4:00:05 PM

You guys are making me want to watch this movie now. I liked the first Got G alright so I suppose this wouldn't be a bad time investment.


Total posts: 186,763
Top