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

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#81526: Mar 2nd 2018 at 9:10:19 PM

I think the fact that Strange was written as a a snarkster didn't help the Bargain Bin Tony Stark accusations, either. Full disclosure: I actually don't mind the movie at all, but I think the use of humor in it was pretty spotty, particularly when it undercut serious moments (which is a big complaint I had about Age of Ultron as well).

This video here talks at length about it, and I agree with most of the points (even though I don't have as dim a view on the franchise as a whole, obviously).

He later did a follow-up video where he heavily praised the humor in Black Panther precisely for not falling into the trap of making the characters sound interchangeable or ruining dramatic scenes.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#81528: Mar 2nd 2018 at 11:46:13 PM

I think that cast of Doctor Strange is awesome....it has to been to sell a script which is to 90% mediocre.

The 10% is the ending. That one is awesome, imho the best climax in Phase 3 aside from the one in Civil War. And the most creative one by a long shot.

I just wanted a little bit more of those effects....the scene in which the Ancient one shows off is soo awesome and nothing which came later came even close to it. The moment with the hands...aweeeeeesome.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#81529: Mar 2nd 2018 at 11:51:13 PM

Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 both had better climaxes (especially Vol. 2, god fucking damn it Yondu).

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
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.
#81530: Mar 2nd 2018 at 11:54:35 PM

I'd say Yondu's death is falling action. "Dormammu, I've come to Bargin" is better than "godly father and son destroy planet inside core in superhero battle". Vol 2's climax is great, but Dr. Strange's climax is unique.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#81531: Mar 2nd 2018 at 11:56:29 PM

Unique but really, it doesn't have as strong of a lasting impact on me. It's only as memorable as it is both because of its uniqueness and because it's intentionally repetitive, but if I had to chose I'd still go with the climax to Guardians Vol. 2.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
BigK1337 Since: Jun, 2012
#81532: Mar 2nd 2018 at 11:57:52 PM

[up]x2 I agree. The actual climax of Got G Vol 2 was when Ego reveal his whole goals and plan to Peter. THAT was the moment when shit goes down. Also yeah, Dormammu I Come To Bargin was a great falling action that wraps up the conflict of the film.

edited 3rd Mar '18 12:00:48 AM by BigK1337

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#81533: Mar 3rd 2018 at 12:00:55 AM

I still remember being in the theater when that happened and the entire audience letting out this huge, audible gasp of horror during that bit. I'd never been in a theater when that happened and it still kinda impacts me.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
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.
#81534: Mar 3rd 2018 at 12:01:06 AM

The climax to Dr. Strange is the most Dr. Strange thing ever, the comics are full of mind-bending reality-warping not-necessarily-ending-conflict-with-conflict shit like that. That kind of climax is why I wanted a Dr. Strange movie, and why I want a sequel.

edited 3rd Mar '18 12:02:17 AM by PushoverMediaCritic

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#81535: Mar 3rd 2018 at 12:02:34 AM

It's the most Doctor Strange thing in a movie that seems too tame and limp to be a proper Doctor Strange film outside of two scenes. For something touted for its effects, the actual effects felt too average.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#81536: Mar 3rd 2018 at 12:21:19 AM

Let's Plays of video games have pulled off a lot of what Doctor Strange set out to do with more success despite having much lower fidelity graphics.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#81537: Mar 3rd 2018 at 12:27:03 AM

Yeah, I'm going to have to Nth that Dr. Strange's problem is being bland and cookie cutter beyond the legitimately unique parts, not being poorly written. It's more on the level of Incredible Hulk than Thor 2 - it's certainly not among Marvel's worst. It's more disappointing than bad.

As for the question of whether it's successful enough to get a sequel, it's already been pointed out that it was more successful than Ant-Man, which is getting a sequel. It's also Marvel's only dedicated exploration into the mystical, given that Thor (which is over, granted) has always been more LOTR-style fantasy than "wizards and demons" style fantasy, so it's likely they'll keep giving him appearances at least to still have that avenue in the future.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#81538: Mar 3rd 2018 at 12:35:13 AM

I mean, I'd outright call Mordo's arc poorly written. His entire shift to villainy is rushed and jagged. Pretty sure Tobias Drake has gone into detail about this a lot before but Mordo's turn is one of the worst aspects of his character in the film, and it's especially frustrating because he's one of the better characters in the film.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
shatterstar Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: I wanna know about these strangers like me
#81539: Mar 3rd 2018 at 1:04:54 AM

@Swanpride: Yeah. The cast is awesome, especially Rachel Mc Adams. She managed to breathe life into Christine, unlike Natalie Portman. Cumberbatch is iffy since he isn't charismatic enough to make Strange more sympathetic or likable.

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.
#81540: Mar 3rd 2018 at 1:27:14 AM

I, personally, love Benedict Cumberbatch both as an actor and in the role of Stephen Strange. I don't get the crazy hype he seems to have, but I also think he's more talented than the Hype Backlash would have you believe, and his name really isn't weird enough to justify the meme.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#81541: Mar 3rd 2018 at 1:50:59 AM

My only problem with BC in the role is that I wish they had just turned the character British...not just because I think BC does better work when he can lean into his posh accent, but also because we need a little bit more internationality in the MCU.

Otherwise I think that the hype around him as well as the anti-hype is too much. He is a good actor and the perfect fit for the role. And his age is fine, after all, we want Doctor Strange to be around for a while, right?

Speaking of Age, I was just rewatching the first Thor and man do Christ Hemsworth and Ton Hiddleston look young in that one.

edited 3rd Mar '18 1:52:13 AM by Swanpride

Julep Since: Jul, 2010
#81542: Mar 3rd 2018 at 2:15:46 AM

Making Strange British would be a good idea on principle for more diversity, but would also be the cheapest way to add that diversity - by giving the closest possible thing to an American hero (aside maybe for Canadian heroes).

Black Panther is about the only human hero not from good ole America right? Who sounds and looks like he's not American, unlike Natasha or Wanda.

Rachel Mc Adams is good in the movie, but her character is poor. It's basically wasted talent. You can absolutely replace her with a random doctor, since her only plot relevance is healing Stephen mid-movie. And having a random doctor agree to save him wouldn't be more absurd than Strange walking in an ER twice and taking control of the place despite having no reason whatsoever to be listened to.

edited 3rd Mar '18 2:16:28 AM by Julep

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#81543: Mar 3rd 2018 at 3:20:53 AM

How does Wanda sound like she's from America? Or do you mean the actress isn't good at faking an accent?

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#81544: Mar 3rd 2018 at 3:29:29 AM

Wanda is from eastern Europe, Natasha is Russian. And we don't have a British character yet outside of Ao S (though, for the record, Fitz is Scottish).

So no, Black Panther isn't the first, but even then, we could use a little bit more diversity...and that includes Europe btw. I look forward to having a French character in Spider-Man.

Julep Since: Jul, 2010
#81545: Mar 3rd 2018 at 4:33:51 AM

[up][up] She's not particularly convincing, yes. Natasha meanwhile has a perfect American accent, which is entirely justifiable considering the character but doesn't contribute to make the viewer feel like she is an outsider - her first name isn't even that rare in the US apparently. Also, T'Challa and Wanda come from fictional countries, and while I won't say anything bad about Wakanda, it gives the feeling that the non-US world, so about, what, 95% of the global population? Is unable to do much heroism-wise - but it's there when you need a villain (or someone to die for the hero to angst about).

Really, it seems that you have prominent villains popping out all over the world (Whiplash in Russia, Klaue in South Africa, Zemo in Sokovia), but all the prominent heroes on Earth come from the US.

[up] Heroic character, yes. Kilgrave is a Brit. And apparently, Abomination is The Incredible Hulk also was a Brit.

edited 3rd Mar '18 4:35:46 AM by Julep

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#81546: Mar 3rd 2018 at 4:46:25 AM

[up] Which would have been even more a reason to make Doctor Strange a Brit, to balance it out.

Julep Since: Jul, 2010
#81547: Mar 3rd 2018 at 4:58:33 AM

Yeah it would have balanced things out, but adding Brits for diversity is taking little baby steps to the process when the problem is that you have too many Americans.

Add a Brazilian, a Greek, a Nigerian or an Indonesian hero(ine) and it becomes far more obvious. I know that Write What You Know has been going on full force in the past, but now it's not that hard to get informed on foreign countries, and neither it is that costly to make the viewer believe the action takes place outside of the US.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#81548: Mar 3rd 2018 at 5:07:51 AM

Something I want going forward is for the superpower phenomen to become more explicitly a worldwide thing

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#81549: Mar 3rd 2018 at 5:21:15 AM

Huh,so apparently Benedict's body double will be in infinity war as the actual actor is busy with another film,of course once he's finished they'll have to reshoot his scenes to include him

Part of me wants them to recast the role,hand wave it by saying Strange was trying out a new spell and it transformed him into someone else

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Julep Since: Jul, 2010
#81550: Mar 3rd 2018 at 5:25:52 AM

Part of me wants them to recast the role,hand wave it by saying Strange was trying out a new spell and it transformed him into someone else

They can hire Tom Hiddleston. It can be a Loki prank after the freefall scene.


Total posts: 186,763
Top