I Rewatched Marvel's MCU and have some thoughts (Part 1)
- Eric Halliday
- Nov 16, 2024
- 11 min read
I'm a father of two, and because of this there is a lot of dishes being made every day and sometimes dishes takes a while. Because of this I started using the Disney+ feature that lists all of Marvel's Cinematic Universe movies in chronological order of events. For example, the first three on the list are Captain America: First Avenger, Captain Marvel, and then Iron Man.
This is the first time I've given some of these a second watch. In the case of one film it was the first time actually seeing it. And some of these are more than a decade old. So here are my quick thoughts on each film as we go through them:
Note: Each article will be 10 movies long. In this one we go over the first ten based chronologically on events in the film (and based of Disney+ movie timeline). These first ten are: Captain America: First Avenger, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Marvel's The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
01) Captain America: First Avenger (2011)
While not bad, it definitely feels like the MCU didn't expect itself to go as well as it did as it keeps things fairly low stakes. It also features a LOT of movie tropes that don't get used as often anymore as it features a surprising amount of cheesecake shots and a lot of romantic tension.
The fighting and the shield usage is a lot more grounded without the floaty, flippy jumps of later Marvel films with the Cap' but the acting is strong from all parties, especially considering how many characters in this movie outshine veteran Tommy Lee Jones.
There is a lot of weird side stuff testing the water that don't really go anywhere though, including a character played by Natalie Dormer who, while I'll never complain to see her in anything, could completely disappear from this film without the film changing in any way shape or form.
Rewatchability: All in all though, could, potentially, be rewatched by fans but as a standalone feels a bit dated.
02) Captain Marvel (2019)
While jarring in the fact that this movie is 90% special effects right after Captain America: First Avenger's mostly dark room hand-to-hand aesthetics, my eyes adjusted quick.
It's okay but definitely a product of it's time. If you don't go into this movie reminding yourself that this came out at a time where incels were a new threat and that the concept of a female lead Marvel movie was attacked at the word go, you would be really thrown off by all the open hostility this film seems to have against males. And I mean, it's warranted, men genuinely fucked up when it came to how much they attacked this from the word go, but it's distracting in the film.
The also cheapen a lot of things in the MCU for cheap one-offs. Finding out Nick Fury lost his eye to an alien cat scratch. Finding out that the Avengers were just called that because Carol Danver's call sign was "Avenger". It was odd.
Also, the film would go from insane exciting space battles to incredibly slow conversational pieces all leading to a climatic battle that never really happens.
Rewatchability: Again, it's okay but not really worth a rewatch.
03) Iron Man (2008)
Captain America and Captain Marvel both felt like products of their time, but Iron Man, despite being a guy about creating tech that's borderline futuristic, is just dated.
It has a lot of conventions in this film that just don't really need to happen in films anymore and it's a weird one to introduce Tony Stark to. The make him such an asshat that even after his change he's hard to really like. The strippers on a plane, the crappy way he treats others, like I get that it's supposed to tell us who he is but it's also hard to get into a protagonist like that when he goes from an asshat to an...asshat with a slightly gold heart.
Three things that bugged me on this one. One, Rhodey's original actor is so distracting because I keep expecting it to be Cheadle. Two, Tony says the line, "I don't want to see this picture on your MySpace later" which made me feel like turning to dust and blowing away in the wind of time. Three, Tony Stark owes his entire life to Ho Yinsen who actually build the device that kept Tony alive as well as the casing in his chest and yet, after Tony is freed we never heard about the character again. No mentioning of this other guy who he was captured with, no special wing dedicated to the Yinsen name, nothing. He's quite possibly the linchpin of the MCU and yet he just never gets talked about again.
Rewatchability: It's fun at moments but it shows a lot of aging. A lot of misogyny, and moments like a moment in which Tony makes a transphobic joke at Rhodey's expense make this one a tougher watch than most. Also, when you realize that "Dummy" is just a cheap, fake hydolic arm that Tony is improvising talking to based off its random movements, it feels like a cheap puppet show.
04) Iron Man 2 (2010)
This one effected me on rewatch. When I first saw this movie in theaters I hated it. I thought the villains were low stakes comic villains and Rourke's accent was just comical. I will never get him saying "mie burb" out of my head, EVER.
But on rewatch? Holy hell. First off, let's get the bad out the way. Tony is still gross. He takes the stage with a slew of cheerleaders who do a long sexy dance for no good goddamn reason (this was a time before shows banned "booth babes"). Also, a pre-"I helped destroy democracy" Elon Musk makes a horrifically awkward appearance in the film as himself.
Now, the good. Justin Hammer. You guys, I think Justin Hammer, on a second watch, might be the best villain the MCU had and I'm not playing. Justin Hammer is a perfect example of what Tony Stark might have been like if he wasn't on the "side of angels" as it were. He's fully embraced weapons manufacturing to the point where he operates the department of defense of the US Government. He's silly but muted, egotistical but willing to work with others and hear their ideas, shares tech ideas that could change lives instead of hiding it. He's a really good villain who, honestly, only fails because Whiplash decided he couldn't wait anymore. His own partner screwed him up, not Iron Man.
Rewatchability: This one is interesting. It's really interesting seeing this kind of villain after years of magic, super powers, and weirdness. After Thanos and Ultron, seeing a corporate human trying and almost succeeding to take down Iron Man almost feels good. It's only set back is that Tony is still kinda gross and Whiplash is, while more relatable on a second watch, goofy as hell, especially when you consider no one is going to have whips covered in sparking electricity AND a bare chest. As for the Elon bit? The cameo is less than 10 seconds so you can skip the scene with a tap.
05) The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Listen...I skipped this one. I'm sorry. I wasn't going to but goddamn I have no desire. Especially as it doesn't really tie into the MCU all that much. Plus, I'm really not up to watch the Hulk have to deal with that goddamned poodle again.
06) Thor (2011)
Out of all the Marvel films this is one that I'd like to watch again the least. Natalie Portman always feels out of place in the MCU despite being an incredible actress. Kat Denning is in the film because she was temporarily an "it-girl" that everyone wanting in their projects who adds a LOT of forced humor to the movie. And Loki is...not there yet.
Take everything you want from a Thor film and move it to a little dusty US town. Take the armies of Asgard and pretend it's about five people big. And find one million reasons to get Chris Hemsworth out of his shirt so we can see that extra long torso of his. Let it not be said that early Marvel films didn't have cheesecake for all.
Rewatchability: The main setpiece of this film is a battle with the Destroyer who could not be more boring. It's one cool moment is when stabbed by Siv and it rebuilds itself simply to face Siv is a really cool visual. But Loki fans might be disappointed to see that Kenneth Branagh felt a powerful sorceror with an Infinity Stone powered staff would flex these powers by...constantly hitting people with his staff like a bo instead of actually using magic.
07) Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
I have strong feelings for this film. I'm a Cleveland boy so I remember going to my favorite coffee shop out on Coverntry and being told I had to take it and go because there are famous people in the back. A friend of mine showed me and that's when I got to see my favorite table taken up by Chris Evans, ScarJo, and some random staff. it was wild.
The scene where Loki makes the Germans bow is actually right outside the Tower City exit where I go after I leave the train to Cleveland, the ball room where Loki stabs the German dude in the eye was actually the courthouse where I had my last name changed. I have ties.
As far as the film itself goes though, it feels weird to watch after all these years. The film constantly bragging and showcasing its five member roster is weird after having seen Endgame.
Rewatchability: The action scenes don't hit as hard as they're a lot floatier and more circus like than the more modern films. Also Joss Whedon being outed as a creep makes the Black Widow scenes feel a lot weirder. That being said, some of the dialogue heavy scenes are REALLY good. Especially the exchange between Tony Stark and Loki. I think if that scene went on for a full 15 minutes it would have felt like seconds. Also, it is fun on a rewatch to see the first attempt at Loki and to remember how stupid of a villain the Chitauri were.
08) Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Thor: The Dark World is a controversial one, and this was actually my first time seeing it. Guess what, it's pretty okay! I definitely found it more enjoyable than the first film despite the fact that, once again, the director, this time Alan Taylor, has wasted Siv and the Warriors Three as just a simple plot device to show how strong an enemy is by having them all get waylaid by the big bad.
Chris Eccelson, an actor I wish the best for despite his constant bad choices, is pretty good as the forgetable dark elf villain I'm fairly certain had a name. But the scenes in which Thor and gang are fighting the dark elf army are pretty cool because there's a lot of variety. Anthony Hopkins and Rene Russo are weirdly out acted, which seems to be a thing in Marvel movies in which more classic actors are put up against more realistic, less theatrical performances.
The brotherly kinship between Thor and Loki shines in this film too as the two are both frustrating and interesting and there are some running gags that genuinely got a laugh out of me.
Rewatchability: This movie holds up really well. While it's insane that they gave the Kat Jennings character I previously called unnecessary a much more unnecessary intern, this film is still really well put together and dives DEEP into Asgardian lore. It's fun too because every time someone whines about the exceptional Love and Thunder not focusing enough on Thor, I'd like to point out that this film was incredibly lore accurate and people hated on it like crazy too.
09) Iron Man 3 (2013)
I remember hating this one when it came out. It was years of MCU films of lesser villains like Whiplash and dark elves and the like, so when a completely made up character like Aldrich Killian was introduced I was...annoyed.
The film isn't that great, to be honest. It's fun but it has a million things that go nowhere. Why do some attacks kill the bad guys and other, seemingly worse attacks, do not? Why can Killian breath fire once and never again? Why does Tony blow up his suits? How can Rhodey not use Iron Man suits because they're not coded to him but seemingly anyone can hop into the Iron Patriot armor and fly around? Why are the ending credits so goddamn bad?
But here's the other thing about watching 2013's Iron Man 3 in 2024, it kinda hits harder. Stop me if you've heard this one. An incredibly hard to like loser finds out that he can be a big shot by manipulating the fear of Americans into a smoke screen that allows him to get rich and do whatever the hell he wants while getting everyone to chase made up bogeymen. All his ideas come from him developing "think tanks" where he can utilize the ideas of others while claiming them as his own. Elon Musk of 2010 may have had a cameo in Iron Man 2, but Elon Musk of 2024 is the straight up villain of this one. He even buddies up with someone trying to become the president through illegal means. He also creates a media platform for spreading misinformation. Fuck.
Rewatchablity: It is a more interesting Iron Man movie than the other two for sure with lots of fun nods to previous suits from the comics. The action scenes are great and clever. The dialogue is really good. And it's nice to see a movie try to tackle the actual trauma a hero would have to deal with after something like the events of Avengers. Just be prepared to wonder things like why they gave Pepper superpowers instead of her awesome Rescue suit, why didn't Tony do WAY more for the little kid that basically helped save him, and other such oddities.
10) Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
I know I've said that, throughout rewatching these films, that they hit very different. None hit differently as hard as The Winter Soldier.
The film is all about Captain America finding out that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taken over by HYDRA. Not by force, not by a hostile take over, but by a famous career politician that has filled the cabinet with people willing to listen to everything he has to say. A man who believes in an extreme form of societal control inherited by the Nazis and made powerful with the help of an egotistical tech genius.
I didn't go into this article expecting to get political but after the recent election this movie was terrifying. Watching people have to completely go into hiding because the system they spent their entire lives believing in has been turned into something vicious and evil. A system that kills anyone who even slightly inconveniences them.
The acting in this film is phenomenal and horrifically believable. Especially with Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson (A.K.A. Falcon). Mackie plays a real veteran and a real person better than the MCU deserves and felt like a real human got pulled in.
Rewatchability: With the recent voting day of 2014 behind us, this movie sort of feels more like a horror movie than an action one, but because of that it's almost cathartic to watch the villains lose. Like I said earlier, everyone acted their asses off in it as well and the scenes without action are often equally as entertaining as the moments of crazed fighting. My only two big complaints here are: one, that awful screaming noise that the movie does every time Winter Soldier appears in a scene for the first time. Fun fact: It's actually the first second or so of his "death" scene in the first Captain America movie stretched out. Thanks, I hate it. The other thing I didn't like, Black Widow. For most of the movie, Black Widow is fantastic. She kicks ass, utilizes a lot of very realistic gadgets, and fights the way a person without powers but a lot of skill should, unlike in the Avengers where she came off as near invincible. But they also played her off as a potential love interest for Steve Rodgers just like they made her seem flirty to Tony Stark and I hate that they did that with her so many times. It's not awful, but she's a fantastic character that did not deserve to be lusted over so many times when she was just there to kick all sorts of ass.
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