The Villains Problem

[NealKenneth]

So can we close the thread now that we've had Vulture?

 

[Mjölnir]

So can we close the thread now that we've had Vulture?

I certainly wouldn't do that when one of the remaining villains is played by Cate Blanchett.

Edit: Forgot that I was in the villain problem thread and not in the favorite villain thread.

 

[Infinity9999x]

Yeah, Keaton brought it. Easily the best villain next to Loki.

 

[Lorus]

I honestly don't think that Vulture is any more remarkable than a lot of the villains we've seen. He's functional and well acted, which you can say about many other villains. I also don't think there is much of a 'villain problem' though, there have been few complete failures.

 

[Infinity9999x]

I honestly don't think that Vulture is any more remarkable than a lot of the villains we've seen. He's functional and well acted, which you can say about many other villains. I also don't think there is much of a 'villain problem' though, there have been few complete failures.

I agree there have been few failures, but also few memorable villains. Keaton was that in spades. He was relatable, menacing, still likeable, and owned one of the most tense and enjoyable sequences in the film. He was great.

 

[Lorus]

I agree there have been few failures, but also few memorable villains. Keaton was that in spades. He was relatable, menacing, still likeable, and owned one of the most tense and enjoyable sequences in the film. He was great.

I don't think he'll be that memorable. To me, I think he's too isolated from the important characters for much of the film to make much of an impact. It doesn't help that there's nothing iconic or memorable about the Vulture persona as it were, his best scenes and moments are just as 'some guy' as it were.

 

[Drizzle]

2017 is certainly shaping up to be the year of the Marvel villain.

 

[PacificBoy]

What makes Ego and Vulture great -- and especially Vulture -- is how surprisingly good they turned out to be. On paper they come across as generic.

Cate Blanchett in a Taika Waititi movie -- oh the anticipation.

 

[Spiderine]

People started going in with very low expectations and were in for a surprise.

 

[Erzengel]

Between Zemo, Ego and Vulture, Phase 3 Villains have I think turned the corner.

 

[NotSoLongAgo]

I'd say it's officially everybody else's problem

 

[Boy Scout]

So can we close the thread now that we've had Vulture?

One good villain doesn't mean problem solved.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

One good villain doesn't mean problem solved.

Ego was great too.

 

[StormC]

Between Zemo, Ego and Vulture, Phase 3 Villains have I think turned the corner.

I agree with this. Marvel is definitely actively addressing the problem. Good on them.

 

[writer0327]

Ego was excellent. Toomes was amazing. I think if they would bring the D'onofrio's Kingpin for the Spidey sequel, we can close this thread definitely.

 

[Boy Scout]

Ego was great too.

I forgot about V2. Didn't see it. I've heard he was better than usual, but still mostly just okay.

 

[2kt09]

I forgot about V2. Didn't see it. I've heard he was better than usual, but still mostly just okay.

He passed the Megamind test.

 

[GeckoMoria]

I wonder if Hela delivers as well will we have 347 YT videos analyzing "MCU's villain problem" or are we gonna hae some videos finally calling out the other companie's villain problem?

 

[CaptainWagner]

So far Marvel is 2 for 2 with great villains this year. Vulture and Ego have jumped to the 2nd and 3rd spots for me. Hopefully this isn't just a fluke and is an actual course correction, because I want this sort of greatness out of Hela, Killmonger, and Thanos.

 

[John Locke]

I wonder if Hela delivers as well will we have 347 YT videos analyzing "MCU's villain problem" or are we gonna hae some videos finally calling out the other companie's villain problem?

People already know the other companies have a villain problem.

 

[Visualiza]

People already know the other companies have a villain problem.

After 16 movies, people also know Marvel has a "problem" with villains as well, but I think the point is that it's a criticism that fans tend to beat Marvel over the head with more than any of the competition. Someone had mentioned it a few weeks back, but recent years have showed us that the truth of the matter isn't that Marvel (or Sony, or DC, or Fox, or whoever) have a villain problem, it's that Nolan & Singer (half the time anyway) manage to do them better than everyone else.

I put quotes around "problem" because while I think there's some validity to it, it is a bit overblown when you compare it not only with the competition, but action blockbusters in general. They can always be better, but if we're being honest and take a look at the larger landscape of blockbuster cinema, you could do a lot worse than the MCU. I just commented on this recently, but the OP even says it himself "since The Dark Knight", and I think therein lies the problem. We as fans have too many hangups regarding that movie which we then project (whether deliberately or subconsciously) onto everything else that comes out, and that just isn't realistic. It isn't as though things were amazing pre-2008 and suddenly dropped off a cliff post-TDK. And while an argument can be made for raising the bar, I'd counter that by saying that in this respect, TDK is a superlative outlier rather than the cinematic blueprint that every movie should aspire to. That's not to say that we should accept (or worse yet, celebrate) mediocrity or refrain from criticizing, as I believe that we should always demand better so as to keep the needle moving, but I think it's also important to keep things in perspective and have reasonable expectations & standards. The way some people talk around here, you'd think they expect every upcoming Marvel movie to be a slick reinvention of the Shakespearean tragedy. And before you take my head off, folks, understand that I'm being facetious and intentionally hyperbolic with that last statement.

 

[AlluAllu]

Between Zemo, Ego and Vulture, Phase 3 Villains have I think turned the corner.

I would even add Kaecilius to that list. I felt that the character served exactly the function that was needed and Mikkelsen managed to leave an impression with limited focus and screentime. And he gave us "Mr. Doctor".

 

[StormC]

Kaecilius had that cool scene where he talks about immortality to Strange, but besides that he didn't leave much of an impression on me.

 

[Spiderine]

When I saw Kaecilius......All I kept seeing was an actor who would have made a damn good Dr. Doom.

Pity........

 

[TeeKay]

So far who's the worst CBM villain this year...