The Marvel Cinematic Universe is unprecedented in cinema history. It has spawned 23 movies over the last 11 years, with more movies currently planned for release in the near future. It has also launched multiple television series, comics, and one-shots that all tie into the rest of the Universe.
It’s safe to say that the MCU has been a huge success for both Marvel and Disney as their films are at the center of pop culture nowadays. However, given that the first MCU film, Iron Man, first debuted 11 years ago, there have been areas that didn’t stand the test of time quite as well as others.
Didn’t Age Well - The Original Depiction Of Thor
Thor’s first film essentially relied on the ‘fish out of water’ premise for its humor. Other than that, there really wasn’t much that was funny about Thor’s first couple of appearances in the MCU. Don’t get us wrong, Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Thor was, and still is, brilliant but the character himself seemed rather bland in comparison to the other Avengers.
Thor was who we based our Norse Gods off of and so, somehow, that meant he had to be quite serious and Shakespearean in nature. This was fine but his character didn’t really develop until Ragnarok when Taika Waititi took the reins and gave Thor the makeover he desperately needed.
Did Age Well - The CGI
Most of the time, early versions of CGI do not stand the test of time. Just look at the 2003 film Hulk as an unintentionally hilarious reminder. However, there are exceptions that look amazing, even when one views them over 10 years later (and no, we’re not just talking about the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie).
When you go back and watch the first Iron Man film, it’s hard to tell that the CGI is from 2008. Tony’s hair may be a little darker but other than that, the movie really holds up. Iron Man’s armor is amazingly metallic and convincing and his fight with Iron Monger at the end is a stunning visual accomplishment.
Didn’t Age Well - Captain America’s Optimism
It’s not quite as annoying as the whole ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way’ schtick, but Captain America’s unshakeable optimism quite frankly borders on extreme naivety. It’s great to have a hero who wants to see the best in everyone but there is a fine line between patriotic and precocious.
It’s fair to say that the first Captain America film is the least popular movie in Cap’s franchise and a part of that is because everything Steve Rogers says is either annoying or cringeworthy. Or both. The MCU rectified this problem in his later movies but he still remains ever so slightly irritating.
Did Age Well - Overarching Storytelling
It’s commonplace in television series nowadays to have a long-running plotline in each season which eventually builds up to the finale and provides a satisfying pay off to reward the viewers for their patience. However, this rarely happens in cinema, just because it requires multiple episodes to do so.
Because all the films set inside the MCU are linked though, this overarching storyline structure became possible. The main storyline in the MCU was the mystery concerning the Infinity Stones and Thanos, but there were others as well, like the hints about uniting the Avengers and introducing new heroes.
Didn’t Age Well - Tony’s Attitude
Iron Man was written in the comics as a jerk and so obviously, the movies had to follow suit. And, in fairness, they also did a pretty good job of making Tony Stark inherently likable (thanks to a certain Robert Downey Jr). However, Stark’s attitude before (and occasionally after) becoming Iron Man was not okay.
He was the worst kind of playboy, relying on his intelligence and his best friend to keep him from going to jail. He basically saw women as mere objects for him to play with and then throw them away when he was bored. He also treated his fellow scientists horribly, playing cruel pranks on those just because he didn’t take them seriously.
Did Age Well - Superhero Team-Ups
It seems difficult to imagine now, what with The Avengers, Justice League, and even DCTV’s Crisis On Infinite Earths, but back in 2008, it seemed bizarre to imagine other heroes popping up in a different movie. The MCU rose to the challenge though and delivered unto us the masterpiece that was Avengers Assembled.
The first Avengers movie was the first time on the big screen where multiple heroes appeared in the same film and interacted with each other. The end result was amazing and it was everything that the last 4 years had promised it was going to be. The film even went on to spawn several incredibly successful sequels.
Didn’t Age Well - Female Superheroes
While the MCU is incredibly successful thanks to its amazing storytelling, the characters within the MCU are not actually that diverse. There are plenty of strong women in the MCU, even in the very beginning with the likes of Pepper Potts and Peggy Carter. Tere are also other female characters that haven’t been dealt with very well.
There have been 23 films in the MCU so far and out of all of them, only one features a woman as the main character: Captain Marvel. Furthermore, Black Widow has been an extremely popular part of the MCU almost since its conception and she had to wait 10 years to get her own solo movie which will be released next year.
Did Age Well - The Introduction Of More Obscure Superheroes
When the MCU was first finding its feet, all of its films centred around those heroes who almost everyone knew: Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk and Thor. This was understandable as they acted as a sort of comfort blanket for first time audiences. However, they started to grow in confidence for Phase 2.
Almost all of Phase 1’s films were set on Earth and played it relatively safe. However, when Marvel decided to produce a new film about the Guardians of the Galaxy, some people were sceptical that they could pull it off, and others didn’t even know who the Guardians were. Happily, Marvel knew better and their Guardians franchise is one of the most populars set of films in the MCU.
Didn’t Age Well - LGBT+ Representation
Hmmm. If you thought their treatment of women was bad, you’re going to be even more disappointed. 11 years of producing and making fantastic movies and the only confirmed LGBT+ character that featured was an extra in Avengers: Endgame. We know that Valkyrie is bisexual but that was never made explicit until after Endgame had aired.
It is incredibly disappointing that there has only been one appearance by an LGBT+ individual in the MCU, and even more so that it was such a small role. It’s almost 2020 and yet there is only one LGBT+ superhero in the whole of the MCU. I’m sorry, but Marvel better do a damn sight better in the next decade.
Did Age Well - Sense Of Humor
One of the things films set in the MCU are known for is their humor. With characters like Tony Stark, naturally, there will be a lot of quips and one-liners being bandied around but the MCU really takes this to the next level. Avengers Assembled was amazing but the banter between the main heroes was just hilarious.
Marvel continued this trend in its later films, with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and Thor: Ragnarok placing humor front and center. Even serious films within the MCU such as Endgame had a surprising amount of comedic moments for fans to laugh at, and that’s why the MCU is one of Marvel’s biggest successes.
