Has your enjoyment level changed as the MCU has grown?

[The_Manhunter]

It's only increased for me. Each phase seems to improve on the previous one, in quality, we now have Black Panther, Strange and Spidey in the MCU, and Thanos, my favourite character, about to be realized in all his Starlin characterization.

My thoughts almost exactly!

 

[DarknessOfDeath]

Nope...My excitement for the MCU hasn't changed much. I look forward to seeing how Thanos starts smashing our heroes butts no matter how hard it will hurt them...in the end.

 

[scifiwolf]

An interesting thing happened while walking out of Civil War for me. Obviously, I was pumped about Black Panther and Spider-Man Homecoming. Those characters were in the film and knocked out of the park. What was surprising, is that film had me salivating over Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel. Neither one of those two had anything to do with the movie, but I could sense it all coming together for the title bout against Thanos. Sure, the scope of the MCU is becoming mildly daunting. But, the quality is there time and time again. As long as the quality is there, the excitement is there.

 

[JtheDreamer]

Nope...My excitement for the MCU hasn't changed much. I look forward to seeing how Thanos starts smashing our heroes butts no matter how hard it will hurt them...in the end.

Thanos will either be a savior for me personally when it comes to my experience with these newer phases or he'll be a huge let down due to Marvel's inability to consistently develop most of their villains.

 

[Mjölnir]

Thanos will either be a savior for me personally when it comes to my experience with these newer phases or he'll be a huge let down due to Marvel's inability to consistently develop most of their villains.

For having just given an MCU movie a 8.5 your posts have a surprisingly minuscule amount of positivity towards it.

 

[weezerspider]

I think that really depends on how you qualify great films. I think, for instance, The Avengers was a great film in that it achieved what it set out to do, and it excelled at doing so. Now, obviously, the film never set out to be a think piece, but then not every film should be, and great films shouldn't be limited to those that make us think or make us cry, because how are those things objectively any greater than films that entertain us or make us laugh? The Avengers wanted to be entertaining and it more than hit that mark. It managed to combine a bunch of seemingly unrelated characters but also introduce them to a good chunk of the audience who missed them the first time around. The Avengers film is about 70% exposition, 30% fight scene but you never feel it because they did such a good job at making even the exposition fun.

So while it's no Godfather, Avengers is certainly a great film the same way Jaws is considered a great film. With the major difference being that Avengers won't cause nine year old me to be freaked out about being left alone in swimming pools.

I'm not saying every great film has to be a think piece, but I find there to be a huge dip in quality from something like JAWS, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, STAR WARS and MAD MAX: FURY ROAD to something like THE AVENGERS, which seems to lack a full understanding of visual literacy and is filled with generic cinematography and editing choices. THE AVENGERS is a good film IMO, but it lacks anything artistically unique when it comes to cinematography, editing and use of music which, IMO, is needed for a great film.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

I think Civil War ramped my excitement back up substantially.

It was at it's highest after Avengers 1. IM3 and Thor 2 didn't do it many favors.

 

[JtheDreamer]

For having just given an MCU movie a 8.5 your posts have a surprisingly minuscule amount of positivity towards it.

It's just how I'm wired, particularly when I didn't enjoy the experience the way I was expecting to. After watching what the Russos did with CA:TWS my expectation level was thru the roof, so that didn't help the matter.

This movie shouldn't work, but does. It's a testament to the influence of MCU established before it, as well as the work of the Russos/screenwriters. TBH after my second viewing - I was more inclined to give it an 8 though. I find them to be far better directors with a more contained CBM.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

I think TWS is a better "film." A more finely constructed film I should say. But I feel like most everyone on these boards (myself included) should have a much better take away from Civil War. I think CW is a much better comic book film.

Civil War artfully and deftly tied a dozen films together. Something no other film in the history of cinema can say. Avengers 1 can't say it (because there were only 5 films at the time) and Age of Ultron can't say it (mostly because it didnt do it quite so artfully or deftly).

Add to that fact that it was a film in the superhero "genre." A genre that most of the world considers lower tier than the Oscar-bait, etc. Well, I think this is something more of an accomplishment than another biopic about a president or the like.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Every time Marvel Studios hits a home run its Iron Man all over again.

 

[2kt09]

Enjoyment level has waned.
I'm 2 for 2 this year on the directing/showrunning duos I was hoping to knock it out of the park. They just left me 'meh'.

"Excitement" level depends on which new character or developer I care enough about.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Just something I wanted to remark upon regarding MCU and Civil War vs. the rest of the studios attempts at tent-pole films.

When you look at the sheer vastness of this film whose list of show stealing characters gets ridiculous to count off (Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch, Vision, War Machine, Black Widow, Black Panther, Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, Hawkeye, Falcon)...

And when you compare it to a movie like Spider-Man 3, Amazing Spider-Man 2, Batman v Superman, all movies that have attempted to do an ensemble cast of heroes or villains or just generally, over stuff them with "cool stuff." None of them holds a candle to the quality and respect for the individual characters that Civil War does.

Days of Future Past is the only one that comes close. And in actuality, the ensemble doesnt even really interact with one another (with the exception of Wolverine and McAvoy/Stewart)

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Yeah, when it comes to the popularity of the supporting cast, the MCU is closer to Star Wars than other CBMs.

 

[Ozbridge]

MCU prior to 2012 (The Avengers) was like a secret club few people knew about.

The months right after TA, which is the period of time that I'll miss, is when what MCU did was considered ground-breaking and refreshing, you heard about it whenever you go.

I kept on enjoying the MCU until October 2014, when Feige announced a string of new movies, and that was when my interest waned (especially AoU), Cap 3 or Thor 3 just didn't make me feel excited anymore, neither do the Infinity movies. Yeah, those 2 movies will be the be all end all and the culminate of everything they've built so far, but I guess there's a limitation of everything, it's just impossible to keep it at the hype level of TA in 2012. I'll still look forward to GotG, Doctor Strange, Black Panther and Captain Marvel though, since those characters are new.

Maybe I'm more like GA than a CBM fan, so that's how I feel.

 

[OcStat]

I don't think I've been this excited about the MCU since shortly after Iron Man 2, when we knew Thor and Captain America were coming without a doubt, and the big three would meet in The Avengers.

I walked out of Civil War stoked for Black Panther, Dr. Strange, Spider-Man: Homecoming. The horizons keep expanding.

 

[Victarion]

Yes. Since TA, I've really enjoyed Iron Man 3 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. The other entries, I haven't been able to really connect with. But IM3 did get me back into watching them to see if anything fun and exciting would come down the pipeline - and AoU was, indeed, an excellent blockbuster.

 

[BatLobster]

My relationship with the MCU kind of reminds me of my relationship with The Walking Dead. At first it was cool to have so much zombie/superhero content in my life, then eventually the formula started to wear a bit thin and the fatigue sets in. Every now and then there's a really goodf episode that impresses me, but overall I keep watching more out of a sense of obligation from being this far into it than out of a genuine excitement.

 

[JtheDreamer]

My relationship with the MCU kind of reminds me of my relationship with The Walking Dead. At first it was cool to have so much zombie/superhero content in my life, then eventually the formula started to wear a bit thin and the fatigue sets in. Every now and then there's a really goodf episode that impresses me, but overall I keep watching more out of a sense of obligation from being this far into it than out of a genuine excitement.

Someone who understands me. LOL

Seriously though, you described what I'm currently going thru i.e. feeling like it's becoming more out of obligation. After TWS I thought things were really on the up and up, but it hasn't played out that way.

 

[Chance Jackson]

Increased, I have been pleasantly surprised by phase 2 and 3. I wasn't expecting as much of what we have gotten in terms of crossover; Falcon was great in Antman even if he lost and when CW comes out on Bluray I'm definitely going to Marathon all Falcon Appearances.

Black Panther has the most complete character arc in CW outside of Bucky, Tony also gets a great deal of development regarding his own backstory. I was expecting the big Antman reveal would be saved for an Antman movie so i was certainly pleasantly surprised

 

[ernesth100]

It's kind of become a norm for me. An MCU film comes, I watch, I enjoy it because they always do good. It's to be expected.

 

[InternetPeople]

I eventually get around to watchig the dreck from the other studios and it renews my appreciation for Marvel

 

[First Avenger]

Phase 2 was a fantastic experience for me and Phase 3 just started with arguably their best movie yet. Seeing all the talents tapped for Dr Strange,GotG2,Ragnarok etc how can you not be pumped?

 

[Wack Panther]

I feel that MCU gets more exciting with each entry, although AoU felt fatigued. Of all the films, that movie felt repetitive and uninspired. What's sad is I was excited to see Ultron, Strucker and the Maximof twins in live action. Of those 4, Wanda fared the best. But as a whole, its a conflicted chapter for me. Whenever its on tv I end up watching it. There's alot to like, but also alot I could do without, namely Whedon's humor.

Civil War re-ignited my excitement for the MCU. it's not typical in it's structure. It pits characters you've seen work together against one another. It has an understated villain, who's plan succeeds. Character arcs are more interesting going forward. And the new characters are exciting.

But most of all, Civil War managed to take Age of Ultron and give weight to it's aftermath. Now, I feel the menace of Ultron because of the catastrophic event's impact on the everyday people. Stark carries the brunt of the guilt. The Accords are in direct response to Ultron's maniacal plan. Wanda seems pained from the event and now the team is divided.

AoU felt like a typical superhero romp, with it's high adventure and humor so front and center, that it robs you of the crisis (especially when you have Thor talking about practicality of Mjolner's imbalance to Vision, while the city is increasingly becoming more and more threatening to life on Earth).

 

[MarvelFan]

Interesting question...

If i asked about my enjoyment....as a Marvel fan, of course i still excited (i will always watch every MCU movie on first day) but strangely enough the level of hype is not big as Phase 1 (I still remember Phase 1 pre and post Avengers, my hype for an American superhero film has never been high)... but after through Phase 2 until the beginning of Phase 3 with Civil War, i'm starting to see same pattern in every movie...not that its a bad thing though, like i said i'm still exciting but the hype is not as big as before (Maybe because the novelty is already been there for me)...

But still in the end, #ILoveMCU

 

[Ragnaroknroll]

I thought CW was great and am excited now to see the upcoming Black Panther and Spider-Man films. However, ultimately, my level of excitement is directly tied to how well they handle the Thor franchise.

Thor is my favorite Marvel character. I've enjoyed all of his movie appearances to date but Marvel has yet to really tap into his potential. I think he's got a bright future - all the pieces are in place to tell great Thor stories to come - but I just hope he gets the chance he deserves. As a Thor fan you need to be pretty thick-skinned to endure the constant berating his films get around here - unfairly IMO but it doesn't matter. It is what it is.

Thankfully it seems like Marvel is really taking his next go around seriously. They've been working on Ragnarok for years. I believe they know what's at stake. They've built a phenomenal cast and have an inspired choice for director. Everything is shaping up to give us the best Thor film yet. I'm very optimistic about it. But if the film turns out to be a bust - well my passion for the MCU will wane pretty significantly.