Hmm… (Courtesy of The Cosmonaut Variety Hour.)
The above video was published on YouTube a few days ago. It’s from an interesting content creator. I’ve seen videos from him before, so I know what to expect. But I don’t agree with it, for several reasons. Here’s why:
Forewarning, this isn’t to slight the poster. I like Marcus’s content, even if I don’t watch all of his stuff. He’s (mostly) fair, even while hard on something, and I appreciate him recognizing that not everything is for him. However, I think Marcus is being overzealous and selective about Phase 4 of The MCU. Specifically because many of his complaints aren’t clear-cut when juxtaposed with the franchise’s history.
Let’s start with the obvious: the movies feel rushed. This might be true, but The MCU has churned out several projects each year (with a few exceptions) since its inception. The only part I agree with is that The MCU’s been going overboard lately with its output. We had 4 movies and 5 shows in 2021, 3 movies, 2 short-films and 4 shows (if we’re counting I Am Groot) in 2022, and we’re getting 3 movies and 2 shows this year. By MCU standards, that’s a lot. But considering ex-CEO Bob Chapek’s strategy, I’m not surprised.
Another complaint I can get behind, though not entirely, is the rushed effects and colour-grading. This has become a sticking point for many people, and it’s definitely true. But it’s not exclusive to Marvel movies, as many films and shows with VFX artists have struggled. Besides, The MCU having “unfinished” effects isn’t new. People were pointing it out with Black Panther in 2018.
There are two problems with this complaint. The first is that bad visual effects aren’t a new issue. They’re not even new to superhero movies, as evidenced by Raimi’s Spider-Man films. Remember how rough the first movie’s CGI was? Remember how The Green Goblin flying on his glider looked fake and goofy? Remember how bad some of the fights looked, and how dated others are now? Remember how no one cared, because we were invested anyway?
The second is that many of the complaints here centre around nonsense. Axel’s first projection looking crappy? He has no experience yet, of course it looks bad. Kamala’s powers looking crystallized? That was the point. M.O.D.O.K. looking ugly? He’s an enlarged head!
Of everything people could complain about, people pick the most-insignificant details. Besides, did everyone forget the monstrosity that was skinny Steve Rogers? I didn’t! It looked terrible, but I didn’t care because I was invested. That’s what matters, not if the effects are bad!
Another complaint that gets mentioned a lot, and this isn’t only Marcus’s doing, is that of aimlessness in Phase 4. I disagree. I not only don’t mind the lack of immediate cohesion, I also think there’ve been bits and pieces of connective tissue. Marcus’s complaint about the conflict of Eternals not getting mentioned again, for example, isn’t true, because She-Hulk: Attorney at Law joked about it, and it’ll be the focus in Thunderbolts. Additionally, Marcus saying that the stories don’t connect is strange given that The MCU hasn’t tied up everything together 100%.
The second is that many of the complaints here centre around nonsense. Axel’s first projection looking crappy? He has no experience yet, of course it looks bad. Kamala’s powers looking crystallized? That was the point. M.O.D.O.K. looking ugly? He’s an enlarged head!
Of everything people could complain about, people pick the most-insignificant details. Besides, did everyone forget the monstrosity that was skinny Steve Rogers? I didn’t! It looked terrible, but I didn’t care because I was invested. That’s what matters, not if the effects are bad!
Another complaint that gets mentioned a lot, and this isn’t only Marcus’s doing, is that of aimlessness in Phase 4. I disagree. I not only don’t mind the lack of immediate cohesion, I also think there’ve been bits and pieces of connective tissue. Marcus’s complaint about the conflict of Eternals not getting mentioned again, for example, isn’t true, because She-Hulk: Attorney at Law joked about it, and it’ll be the focus in Thunderbolts. Additionally, Marcus saying that the stories don’t connect is strange given that The MCU hasn’t tied up everything together 100%.
Perhaps this is most-apparent in The Incredible Hulk. That movie teased a villain reveal that hasn’t come to fruition. You know, that moment where Bruce Banner hits a scientist with radiation while trying to get his Hulk persona under control, and the scientist briefly changes? Did you catch that? Or were you not paying attention? Regardless, it’s been 15 years...
Even outside of that, The MCU’s notorious for constantly improvising its continuity. And it hasn’t always been subtle about that, teasing possibilities in well-loved entries. Iron Man, a movie famous for having a half-finished script, teased War Machine, and it used SHIELD’s full, unabbreviated name several times before shortening it. Given how so many people consider it one of The MCU’s best, you’d think that’d be discussed more…
Much of Phase 4’s content being “bad” is subjective and rooted in bigotry. This isn’t to slight Marcus’s concerns, but She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel have received flak for merely existing. Remember when She-Hulk twerked for 5 seconds, and that somehow warranted outrage? Remember when Ms. Marvel was criticized for being “woke”? Remember the “M-She-U” nonsense? I do.
This “M-She-U” term is used as a justification for how The MCU’s “declining in popularity”. While most recent entries haven’t done pre-pandemic numbers, some, like Spider-Man: No Way Home, have. (And yes, that’s including rewatches.) A few of the newer movies, at least superficially, have also embraced queer text. This has alienated several foreign markets, where that’s still taboo. And outside of that, I doubt movie theatres will fully go back to pre-COVID numbers.
Even outside of that, The MCU’s notorious for constantly improvising its continuity. And it hasn’t always been subtle about that, teasing possibilities in well-loved entries. Iron Man, a movie famous for having a half-finished script, teased War Machine, and it used SHIELD’s full, unabbreviated name several times before shortening it. Given how so many people consider it one of The MCU’s best, you’d think that’d be discussed more…
Much of Phase 4’s content being “bad” is subjective and rooted in bigotry. This isn’t to slight Marcus’s concerns, but She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel have received flak for merely existing. Remember when She-Hulk twerked for 5 seconds, and that somehow warranted outrage? Remember when Ms. Marvel was criticized for being “woke”? Remember the “M-She-U” nonsense? I do.
This “M-She-U” term is used as a justification for how The MCU’s “declining in popularity”. While most recent entries haven’t done pre-pandemic numbers, some, like Spider-Man: No Way Home, have. (And yes, that’s including rewatches.) A few of the newer movies, at least superficially, have also embraced queer text. This has alienated several foreign markets, where that’s still taboo. And outside of that, I doubt movie theatres will fully go back to pre-COVID numbers.
Even with the newer content, people have zoned-in on non-white males in prominent roles as “wokeness gone too far”, despite that dating back to Black Panther. It also was in a scene from The Avengers: Endgame that The Boys cast shade on. The MCU has always been “woke”, and that people are only catching onto that now is quite telling.
By the way, The MCU has better antagonists now too! Remember the villain from Thor: The Dark World? Did you know his name was Malekith? Do you remember anything about him? I only remember that his design was interesting, which sucks given that he’s Marvel’s answer to The Joker in the comics.
The MCU’s villains are more-interesting now than a decade ago. Even Yellowjacket was fleshed-out more in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as M.O.D.O.K., hence why the character change didn’t bother me. I say this knowing that Ant-Man was better overall. If you want to criticize modern MCU antagonists, at least criticize older MCU antagonists. It’s only fair!
One final note is The MCU’s overall quality. I agree that MCU fatigue hasn’t kicked in yet, and that The MCU movies and shows have an obligation to be better. But that doesn’t mean that they’ll all be equal, or even hits. That’s not only impossible, it’s not fair to the entries overall. The Ant-Man movies will always suffer when they’re not lighthearted palate cleansers, as Ant-Man’s a goofy character. Conversely, making Black Panther a complete joke ruins the character. Even within The MCU, not everything works the same way.
By the way, The MCU has better antagonists now too! Remember the villain from Thor: The Dark World? Did you know his name was Malekith? Do you remember anything about him? I only remember that his design was interesting, which sucks given that he’s Marvel’s answer to The Joker in the comics.
The MCU’s villains are more-interesting now than a decade ago. Even Yellowjacket was fleshed-out more in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as M.O.D.O.K., hence why the character change didn’t bother me. I say this knowing that Ant-Man was better overall. If you want to criticize modern MCU antagonists, at least criticize older MCU antagonists. It’s only fair!
One final note is The MCU’s overall quality. I agree that MCU fatigue hasn’t kicked in yet, and that The MCU movies and shows have an obligation to be better. But that doesn’t mean that they’ll all be equal, or even hits. That’s not only impossible, it’s not fair to the entries overall. The Ant-Man movies will always suffer when they’re not lighthearted palate cleansers, as Ant-Man’s a goofy character. Conversely, making Black Panther a complete joke ruins the character. Even within The MCU, not everything works the same way.
I could go on forever, but I want Marcus to understand, again, that nothing I’m saying is personal. I respect him and agree with him much of the time. Even with this video, which I don’t agree with, I can at least see his arguments. And I know he wants what’s best for The MCU. That’s more than I can say for most complainers.
That said, Marcus’s words can and will be used as ammo by detractors of The MCU. It’s making discussing these movies exhausting. Especially when many of these complaints can be retroactively lobbed at The Infinity Saga, which was a perfect series of films that had no low points whatsoever. (And yes, I’m being sarcastic. How could you tell?)
Regardless, I’m definitely interested in what Kang can bring to the table. I only hope he delivers…
That said, Marcus’s words can and will be used as ammo by detractors of The MCU. It’s making discussing these movies exhausting. Especially when many of these complaints can be retroactively lobbed at The Infinity Saga, which was a perfect series of films that had no low points whatsoever. (And yes, I’m being sarcastic. How could you tell?)
Regardless, I’m definitely interested in what Kang can bring to the table. I only hope he delivers…
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