A week from when I'm writing this, Disney and Marvel Studios will be releasing the highly-anticipated finale to not only last year's earth-shattering threequel Avengers: Infinity War, but also to their eleven-year long overarching Infinity Saga with Avengers: Endgame: a film that is almost certain to break more global records than it already has and is preparing its audience of both long-time fans and casual moviegoers to say goodbye to some of the characters they've become accustomed to since Tony Stark got captured by terrorists all the way back in 2008. Since then, the entire media landscape has evolved - first to repeat the success of The Dark Knight, which was released shortly after Marvel Studios' first two forays, then later copying the cinematic universe concept that had led to the studio (and in turn Disney) to become the king of the studios - and with that in mind, there's no better time than now to look over the output and occasionally rocky path of the Cinematic Universe that took to become the top dog of the media landscape.
Phase One
When Iron Man made his big screen debut, there was a lot at stake. Not only was this the first cinematic venture from a company who, just a decade ago, was in a state of financial ruin, but also was released during a point when superhero movies may have peaked - the last critical darling was Batman Begins three years prior, and the most popular Marvel properties at the time seemed to have reached their limits with Spider-Man 3 and X-Men: The Last Stand. Add a risky casting choice in Robert Downey Jr., who was still in Hollywood's bad books following his very public downfall earlier that decade (although ultimately his castings in this, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Tropic Thunder would reward him massively), and with filming taking place without a finished screenplay, one would assume a mess of a film was in the works. And yet, the film proved otherwise. Not only does Downey Jr. prove everyone wrong by bleeding charisma into the film, but it provides an interesting origin story with good jokes and a unique superhero that proved that you didn't need to know the hero to make a good movie out of them - something that Marvel Studios would continue to prove over the next decade. That's not to say the film was flawless, suffering from a villain who didn't quite meet the same magnitude outside of "rich guy in a bigger suit", and looking back following his recasting best friend Rhodey just isn't interesting in the form of Terrance Howard, bar a couple of early moments.
The Incredible Hulk, by contrast, should have been a smash hit. The character has always been a key part of comics lore, and with both a long-running TV show and a somewhat disastrous big-screen effort already under his unnecessary belt, it would have been destined for victory thanks to prior audience awareness. And yet, it remains forgotten ever since (save for some mentions in Marvel's Avengers Assemble as well as appearances from General Ross), as with the lowest box office gross of the series and a regular spot on many fan rankings as either the worst of the series or just not on the list at all. Which is a shame as, personally, I see the film as underrated in the grand scheme of things. Edward Norton may be a different beast to both Eric Bana and Mark Ruffalo but he brings a good performance, aided by his liking for the source material and, in turn, the Hulk's first two appearances are solid set pieces. But like Iron Man before it, it suffered from having a villain who was just another version of the main character, only inverted; with Blonsky craving more power against Banner resenting having it. Add visual effects which were dated almost immediately and a love interest with no chemistry to the lead, and it's little wonder why Marvel would rather have this film largely forgotten.
When discussing the worst of the MCU, I firmly believe that Iron Man 2 takes the crown. Rushed out as a response to the surprise success of its predecessor, this first sequel went all out into universe-building mode and in turn moulded a dull and overlong venture with too much going on. It very much feels like a mismanaged venture, with an outline that consists of multiple storylines and characters put together like a jigsaw done by a beginner. Take the main antagonist, Ivan Vanko: established from the very start as having a personal interest and attachment to Stark, he successfully attacks his nemesis out of the blue with a neat action set piece (only to be ruined by a comedy bit that, while funny, doesn't fit), only to be captured by Sam Rockwell and hidden away until he takes over the Stark Expo in the final thirty minutes; at which point Tony has been through his palladium poisoning, fallen out with everyone around him, lost an Iron Man suit, realised his father really did love him and had a brief foray into alcoholism. It's not without its moments, with Scarlett Johansson's first big fight scene of the series probably stealing the show alongside the mere sight of a portable Iron Man
suit disguised as a briefcase, but there's a reason this sub-series in the grander universe went in a different direction for its third entry.I have a soft spot for 2011's Thor. As my first viewing in the franchise, it had set up my interest in the future of the franchise and made the titular character a favourite. It succeeded in making an outrageous character interesting enough for the average viewer by stripping him away from his outlandish home of Shakespearean dialect and regal armour and placing him on Earth. As far as fish out of water films go, it's nothing particularly special, and in the grander scheme of things, it's not even special in its own universe now that many elements have been stripped away from the character. But what it sells best is the most important aspect of all: the relationship between the two princes. There's a good reason why Loki would grow to become a fan favourite, being far more than a power-crazy man and instead an intelligent and manipulative being who lives up to the name "trickster".
Captain America: The First Avenger stood out for the longest time as being the only prequel in the series, but there's no other way the realisation of the character could have been done. Captain America was created as US propaganda during World War II and was a key part of their war efforts, not to mention the outlandish idea of a superhero branded by a particular flag who practically speaks for the country. But Chris Evans sells this period piece with ease; realising a character who should be one-note and obnoxious and instead presenting the layers of a character that comes from being a scrawny devoted man trusted with true might and power. And while poor Sebastian Stan doesn't get too much to do as best buddy Bucky, the groundwork is laid for a solid future ahead. Their co-stars all work to the best of their abilities (with Hayley Atwell proving to be the queen of the "dames" at this stage) but just like Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk before it, Red Skull is yet another polar opposite villain who technically doesn't even get defeated; instead punished for his actions by a force we wouldn't see for seven years.
To cap this chapter off came Marvel's Avengers Assemble, as it's so lovingly titled here in the UK, and it very much feels like the grand celebration that it wants to be. Save for an overlong sequence involving fixing the Helicarrier - although thankfully made enjoyable though a Thor vs Hulk fight - the entire runtime is a fun ride; rewarding those who've stuck through both good and bad with little references to prior films and fun character interactions whilst still being accessible to those who hadn't seen the other movies. Add a twinge of that Joss Whedon charm and some more Tom Hiddleston action and you have a film that broke the world and paved the way for Marvel movies to become essential viewing.
Overall, Phase One did exactly what it needed to do - it proved to naysayers that a shared universe could work, and while it had a few wobbles along the way introduced the new and interesting characters that would become staples in pop culture.
Phase Two
Thor: The Dark World is infamous for its failings. Between a series low for bad guys in the usually superb Christopher Eccleston and a clearly uncomfortable Natalie Portman, and throw in evident reshoots and backtracking with the treatment of Loki, and this messy movie rightfully sits low on the rankings. Much like Iron Man 2 before it, it's evidence of what happens when you rush a sequel out - especially when director departures were public information. That's not to say there isn't anything of note going on - with the first long-lasting death of a notable death of a recurring character complete with a glorious funeral sequence - but outside of some Reality Stone action and the twist ending it's skippable.
Throw Captain America into the modern era and you have a potential problem with how to use the character outside of team-up movies. But throw in some spy escapades and two directors best known for their work on TV series Community, and you have the surprisingly awesome Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Immediately making it clear that, while settling into this new century, Steve Rogers still holds his home time period close to his heart, with an emotional appearance from Peggy Carter making that more than evident to the audience. But the factor that the past comes back to haunt him in the form of both brainwashed buddy Bucky and the Nazi organisation he thought had long since died (let alone hiding in the midst of those he works for) helps provide the highlight of the entire series, with fantastic fight sequences and an ending that sets up real change for the universe.
Guardians of the Galaxy was the biggest risk the studio had taken since Avengers. Not only was Marvel presenting a group of characters that few even knew about - not even comics fans had much on an understanding of the concept - but it was opening up a whole new part of the universe. It was Marvel's answer to Star Wars, and it didn't seem like it could have worked. And yet, it became a surprise smash. Maybe it was the uniqueness of a talking tree and a gun-wielding racoon that won people over; maybe it was the strong comedic timing the entire cast had alongside their comradery; but for me, it all comes down to James Gunn - the true heart of the franchise. He proved that an outlandish concept could really work, and cemented the idea that Marvel could do little wrong.
Avengers: Age of Ultron had the difficult task of following up three of the biggest films in the franchise at this point - Avengers Assemble in regards to the actual concept; Winter Soldier for earthbound stories, and Guardians in release schedule - so it's little wonder it didn't please everyone. The sequel reeks of meddling from the higher-ups, with a return to the sequel set-ups that hindered Iron Man 2, and there's a massive increase in quips that don't really work ("Revels" and "You beat me by one second" being key outliers). But where it falters in some areas, it improves with others, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye and a fun party sequence before all the action kicks off. Like Thor before it, I have a soft spot for this film, but it's an entry that doesn't quite live up to the hype.
especially with a deeper delve into Then there's the tiny problem of Ant-Man. Squished between the behemoth Age of Ultron and Phase Three opener Civil War and publically made problematic with a late departure from initial director Edgar Wright, Ant-Man had much to prove. And unfortunately, it doesn't quite hit the mark. It's a suitably smaller film to compliment the previous blockbuster, but it very much feels like Iron Man-lite, complete with a return to the copycat villain concept. It also lampshades massively the factor that there is still a lack of major female superheroes outside of Black Widow and maybe Gamora through Evangeline Lily's Hope Van Dyne. But Paul Rudd and Michael Peña make the film worthwhile, and things finally look up during the final fight sequence in Cassie's bedroom. Plus the Falcon sequence is a lot of fun!
Phase Two is a rocky journey. While 2014 brought with it two of the best films in the catalogue, it also brought fan disappointment with The Dark World and Age of Ultron. It grew more and more clear that meddling from the higher-ups was impacting the management of the movies though, and suggested that we may be reaching the peak of the series before it had finished telling its main story, but Phase Three would prove otherwise...
Phase Three
And then we go back to copying the Iron Man template with Doctor Strange, complete with a cocky bearded rich leading man. There's plenty of fun to be had visually with this origin story, with its completely trippy visual effects being the selling point this time around through interdimensional warping and magic, but between an iffy accent from Benedict Cumberbatch to a bland baddie in Mads Mikkelsen it doesn't hold up much on repeat viewings save for the occasional sequence and a bittersweet farewell to mentor Tilda Swinton - although even that is somewhat overshadowed by talks of whitewashing. Its finale is commendable, however, playing on expectations and giving audiences a break from the standard climatic battle; instead offering a unique time-warped fight before simply trapping the big bad in a time loop.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 had much to prove, and in some aspects, it succeeds massively. It tells a new story that expands upon the family dynamic set up in the previous film while also presenting a solid conflict to said dynamic through actual father figure Kurt Russell; it follows its hit soundtrack with a Mix that's just as Awesome, and visually it pushes the MCU to a whole new look that it drastically needed. Through in some more depth to former sorta-foes Yondu and Nebula and more proof that in this particular phase characters can and will die, and you have all the makings of a perfect follow-up. However, there is distinct mismanagement of tone and joke placement, with a few moments (especially an important point between Russell and Chris Pratt) undercut by a joke thrown in the mix at the wrong time. It's still a lot of fun but feels like another draft was needed.
Watch out, here comes Spider-Man: Homecoming! With Sony finally playing nice and allowing the web-slinger to play with the other heroes (at the time of the first Avengers, Sony was set on their first reboot of the character with The Amazing Spider-Man, only for it to fall flat after its sequel), this time around they play upon the high school part of the character more than any prior rendition of the character, which both hinders and elevates this particular iteration. On one hand, the high school drama makes the hidden identity all the more fun, and the contrast in popularity between identities a unique aspect; on the other, it leads to a flat visual style that doesn't lend itself to great action sequences. But Spidey himself is a fun lead, the added Tony Stark a neat character dynamic with great rapport, and Michael Keaton proving that Phase Three will indeed have some good villains.
Before Thor: Ragnarok, Thor as a character was struggling. Outside his first film he had received little in character development by comparison to his fellow Avengers, and the reception to both The Dark World and Age of Ultron had not helped audience interest. Enter Taika Waititi, who took the reigns and injected new life into a middling character with a fun and wacky adventure which once again stripped our hero from everything and (almost) everyone. Ragnarok is a straight-up comedy that once again projects great colour and visual flair akin to Vol. 2 and even threw in some Led Zeppelin to sweeten the deal. It's a fun buddy cop movie ahead of the darkness that these characters will go through next, and bar some slower moments on Asgard during Thor's absence makes for an excellent experience.
Black Panther was a Best Picture nominee. That's still a weird thing to imagine. While not the first superhero movie with a black lead, or indeed the first movie for the character, this telling of the hero's journey through family drama was an inspiration worldwide and reminded Hollywood that representation matters in movies. While lacking in the visual effects department (something naysayers continue to cry out following the massive success the film had critically) everything else fires on all cylinders gracefully, with Michael B. Jordan providing a villain that was up there with Loki (and arguably higher) and crafting a world in Wakanda that looked beautiful and desirable.
Then comes the big one: Avengers: Infinity War. The film that needed to prove that the decade-long journey was worthwhile and that big bad Thanos was indeed worth the hype. And boy did it deliver, with the largest cast of all the films with nearly every hero returning and with the action spread across the globe and the galaxy, Infinity War was a mess structurally as it attempted to balance out all its characters and dynamics, but remains an incredibly entertaining venture with real stakes and heartbreak. To this day no cinematic experience has matched the rollercoaster this film was emotionally; whether it's Thor and company's extravagant arrival to Wakanda or the shock of seeing half the universe turn to dust before our very eyes. There's a reason this film broke the world.
But watch out! Ant-Man and the Wasp are here to have their obligatory sequel, and while in some places it fixes the flaws of the 2015 predecessor it also shows how much of the original was still influenced by the old screenplay, with fewer jokes garnering big laughs and telling an even smaller story than before that you don't ultimately care about - especially when one of the key qualms the "bad guy" has is rectified as soon as the mission is complete. It's noteworthy only for its mid-credits scene, and maybe as a little set-up at the increased focus in female superheroes, that continues with this year's first effort.
Captain Marvel! The film that whiny fanboys thought would break the MCU and would be their first bomb because Brie Larson wanted more diversity in her press junkets. Captain Marvel! The billion-dollar grossing female superhero movie that showed that Wonder Woman was no fluke. Captain Marvel! The film that returns to its Phase One roots complete with Clark Gregg. Captain Marvel! Where the space stuff is a little dull and the Earth sequences a lot of fun, complete with a nice villain twist that plays on expectations despite prior knowledge to the universe it's set in. Captain Marvel! Again, maybe needed another draft for the screenplay, but still fun!
Which leads us to Endgame. The one that ties up this entire saga. Phase Three has been the most fun out of the three thus far and, in turn, is the most rewarding to its fans. Between its solid starter with Civil War, the bright and beautiful space ventures in Guardians Vol. 2 and Ragnarok, or the whirlwind that is Infinity War, it's hard to see how this universe can live on with the next stage. With many characters likely to be written off for good with this tentpole finale, and only one film officially announced by the studios, this could be the end for audiences too, for the most part. But for a twenty-two film run, what a run it's been; rivalled only by Pixar in its quality ratio (and hey look! Disney owns them too. What a scary monopoly we live in).
One thing's for sure though: come next week, the media landscape - and indeed the world - isn't going to be the same again. And I cannot wait.
