Current Events > so far, IMO, MCU phase 4 feels like a step back from phase 3 (movies only)

(+) Yeah! (+)

just finished Doctor Strange: MoM, and overall, it was pretty weak.

it had the same issue as the latest Spider-Man, where they tried to add too much to the story.

neither one is bad, but they're about mid-phase 2 quality.

Shang-Chi was better, but its last act really dragged down the quality of the overall story, for me.

Black Widow was okay.

the shows, on the other hand, are generally decent (there are some I like more than others, though).

anyway, so far, I think this multiverse stuff was the wrong way to go, and idk if the expanded supernatural/afterlife is that interesting, but something might come along to change my mind.

I mean your comparing the beginning phase to the conclusion phase.

Phase 4 should really be compared to Phase 1

it's more, like, I was trying to find how I'd compare them overall.

I think that they're better than phase one movies (with the exception of Black Widow), and I think that they're better than most of phase two's movies, but they're weaker than Winter Soldier and Ant-Man, IMO.

but tbf, most movies in the MCU are weaker than Winter Soldier.

I'd google whether MCU films all have the same rating but I don't think that people pay much attention to that in the first place

winter soldier wasn't even that good, stop pretending like it was a good entry in the mcu

idk, I liked it.

Guerrilla Soldier posted...

winter soldier wasn't even that good, stop pretending like it was a good entry in the mcu

Its my favorite mcu movie

definitely better than civil war, which was still really good

its weird its almost like we all have different opinions on things

g0ldie posted...

but tbf, most movies in the MCU are weaker than Winter Soldier.

All other MCU movies are weaker than Winter Soldier.

NWH is my favorite of this current phase so far.

Guardians of the Galaxy is superior to Winter Soldier

and so is Civil War

IMO,

I thought Black Widow was good and Shang Chi was excellent

Why did Winter Soldiers forbid Black Widow to don a bikini?

I liked Dr Strange 2 and NWH. Shang Chi was cool, but the final battle being a random dragon Vs dragon fight didn't really sit well with me

I dont know if phase 3 or 4 is better, but theyre both better than 1 and 2. Phase 4s strength has been its diversity of storylines and getting more crazy and out-there than prior films. Eternals, Dr. Strange 2, Shang Chi are all pretty unique from each other, and the first 2 do things that previous Marvel films didnt.

This is ignoring the tv shows which while pretty fun are pretty clearly not as good as the films. (except Loki)

radical rhino posted...

I dont know if phase 3 or 4 is better, but theyre both better than 1 and 2. Phase 4s strength has been its diversity of storylines and getting more crazy and out-there than prior films. Eternals, Dr. Strange 2, Shang Chi are all pretty unique from each other, and the first 2 do things that previous Marvel films didnt.

This. It seems like they're taking the "marvel formula" stuff to heart and really experimenting with different stories and pushing the limit of what a marvel movie can be.

Phase 4 is a complicated bag where parallel universe "fantasies" involving major characters are experiencing a near-miss with colliding against a next generation of superheroes largely focused on a much younger audience than what the MCU usually caters directly to. What that means is you could very well see Peter Porker have a debate with Shirley Temple on the morality of a real world issue in the MCU, on screen. Can you imagine a movie with just Kate Bishop, America Chavez, Monica Rambeau, Ms Marvel, Yelena, Starfox, She-Hulk, Jane Foster, and Wanda's kids? That actually sounds entertaining, and I'm not the demographic for that. Or, am I all of a sudden part of that demographic because I find it interesting?

They have also expanded the pantheon of gods considerably which I guess we're gonna see the full brunt of in Love & Thunder and the creators have toyed around with altering the MCU canon using side material that wasn't actually canon before, or bringing in characters from other properties, making references to stuff like Superman and Star Wars, and writing new stories for characters who were part of the Phase 2 change in such a way as to set up future changes or adapt a What If story or things from the comics that never get to stick due to the ever-changing nature of the comic book medium. Which I think is cool, and happens to be a natural extension of the plots in the background of the MCU already present. Falcon being the big one here, but also Spiderman in perhaps a less noticable way, but not necessarily less subtle.

And they aren't even bothering to tie this stuff together. Lol. Right now the universe is falling apart on 3 or 4 different fronts, with multiple multiverses falling apart, deities from a dimension in China are eeking into our world, and the gods of Egypt finally revealed themselves in a massive Kaiju battle, while a Celestial tried to emerge from the Earth's core, If you get the impression that some of this stuff works and some of it doesn't (like bringing over Daredevil and Kingpin) I'm sure it's because it wasn't all meant to work, and this phase can be seen largely as experimental.

They're letting the heroes face down bigger threats this time, so like everyone has a Thanos level villain. Which I appreciate. I'm having fun with all of it. I am willing to wait to see how this Phase ends.


specialkid8 posted...

This. It seems like they're taking the "marvel formula" stuff to heart and really experimenting with different stories and pushing the limit of what a marvel movie can be.

It's more than that, but yes

If we compare it to phase 1, I mean, these movies aren't horrendous for the most part, chalk it up to taste, and we got one really badass movie in No Way Home with the possibility they bring it all together again in an Avengers film or something similar? I'm all for it.

Black Panther 2 is the kind of movie Hollywood basically never sees, with how successful it is, and the cultural relevance, and the lead having passed away. We'll see.

James Gunn has a new GotG on the way

Blade is promising as bloodier material

Etc

For me, it just feels like there is too much going on now, and nothing seems connected.

Xerun posted...

I mean your comparing the beginning phase to the conclusion phase.

Phase 4 should really be compared to Phase 1

This. It is the new setup phase.

MCU has to walk a tight line of growing up with the audience and still being accessible to young people and those in need of an audience or parental guidance.