It’s crazy to think that it was nearly three years ago when The Avengers was released. With Age of Ultron right around the corner The Young Folks is about to get a little superhero crazy (well okay, I am at least) and with that in mind, I thought it best to take a look at what Phase Two had to offer us!
I know there are plenty of people that believe that Phase One of the Marvel universe was miles ahead of anything Phase Two has done and all it makes me wonder if we were watching entirely different movies. Sure, Phase One had the new value to it. All of the characters were fresh faced and exciting with fans rallying to see their favorites onscreen and the first team up in The Avengers was easily one of the coolest moments of any franchise ever. There’s a tendency to view those first few films with rose-tinted glasses, letting “superhero fatigue” makes us more cynical viewers but there were undoubtedly faults with the first wave of films. Jeff Bridges was a scene chewing villain in Iron Man , Iron Man 2 was little more than a stepping stone for the upcoming world building films, Thor was campy with Tom Hiddleston’s Loki being the true saving grace and Captain America: The First Avenger was seen by some as boring.
That I don’t get but opinions may vary, yadda yadda.
Point being, there were missteps. Some big, some small, but they were there and with Phase two-minus some false steps-we’ve seen a lot of the weaknesses being ironed out and replaced with a confidence and better understanding of their characters.
Ranking Phase Two was difficult because aside from one film and a television show I have zero interest in, there wasn’t much in the way of bad. Regardless, ranking things is fun and it’s a nice way to reflect on what the last three years has given us fans.
Let us know in the comments what was your favorite part of Marvel Universe’s phase two!
P.S. (I will not be talking about Agents of SHIELD because I tried a few episodes, only liked about three characters, got bored and quit, and likely, won’t be picking it up again. If you’d like to read coverage on the show make sure to check out Evan’s weekly reviews in the TV section!)
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Thor: The Dark World
Okay, so, I’m being completely honest: I didn’t dislike this film as strongly as others did. Indifference was more my speed, but there were some things about the film that I truly enjoyed. It was easily the best Thor’s characterization has ever been after The Avengers essentially rid him of any real development he’d gained in Thor and turned him into the muscle of the group who threw out quips every now and then. It’s in The Dark World where we really see Thor’s growth. I also think Natalie Portman’s Jane is awesome and nerdy and I loved that she saved the day. The best scenes, by far though, were any between Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Chris Hemsworth. Sure, the villain sucked and aside from the loose thread of an ending, it’s overall a little inconsequential as a whole but it’s certainly not awful.
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Iron Man 3
I actually loved Iron Man 3 so putting it so low in my rankings is a showcase of just how good Phase 2 has been. Shane Black enlivened the film with Robert Downey Jr. turning in another great performance as Tony Stark. We get to see the character who when stripped of his gadgets and easy access to his lab has to make do with what he has in front of him, showcasing the genius of the character instead of simply the snark. Tony is dealing with some PTSD after the attacks in New York and it feels honest when he and Pepper’s relationship is put on the forefront because of it. The energy was fun and kept the plot moving and it felt like the perfect ending for Iron Man’s stand alone films. Again, sure, the villain was pretty much a non-entity by the end and the real interest was with the relationships between Pepper and Tony and Rhodey and Tony but it was the kind of behind the scenes shake up with Black that keeps these movies feeling new and fun.
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Marvel’s Agent Carter Season One
It took about five seconds in Captain America to understand why Steve Rogers would fall for Peggy Carter. Eight episodes was all we got to spend with her in season one of Agent Carter and Hayley Atwell sold every single second of it. I don’t know how much I would loved the show as a whole without her performance. The show adopts a pulpy tone that seems fitting for the time period it’s set in. Peggy is a pop of color in an otherwise drab city and the unquestioned feminist stance the show takes is a breath of fresh air. I’m more attached to Peggy as a character than I am to Thor or Hawkeye at this point.
Guardians of the Galaxy
This movie was just fun. It was gleeful in it’s conception with an abundance of colorful imagery and characters that were hilarious while also being emotionally grounded. The action set pieces were staged masterfully with no one component every being left out and the music became my summer playlist. It was a great film and many would argue Marvel’s best film to date. Chris Pratt makes for a dashing leading man and I’m not being mean spirited when I say it showcases one of Bradley Coopers more enjoyable performances to date. It proves more than ever that Marvel is unstoppable and even the more bizarre choices can benefit both the fans and studio alike.
Well…we’ll see if this holds true for Ant-Man.
Daredevil Season One
If I could cheat this would be a tie with my first place but I’m refraining myself. This show is revelatory for the Marvel universe as well as being one of the most entertaining shows I’ve watched so far this year. It’s confident, tightly wound and allows viewers the time necessary to get to know the characters and the world they inhabit. The fight scenes are easily some of the best television has to offer. The show rarely dipped in quality and Charlie Cox’s Daredevil may be my favorite superhero in entertainment media period. Of course I’m still riding the binge watching high but the show is unquestionably strong across the board, exciting and unlike any of the other feature films or television shows. It’s grim but funny, has wonderful performances and world that see’s the consequences of the superhuman battles. I can’t be the only one already itching for a season two. Make sure to check my reviews of the show out over here.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Something about this film just clicked. Everything fell into place as it should. Steve Rogers is an enormously sad character to me, a man out of time where all of his loved ones are dead. That is until the Winter Soldier returns and he realizes that death isn’t always the worst option. The Winter Soldier gave us a nice follow up to how he would be adjusting while showing the super soldier having to grapple with the idea that the organization he works for isn’t who he believes them to be. It’s a sobering revelation for the character and one that shakes the foundation of everything we’ve known about the Marvel world to this point. The movie allows for Chris Evans to deliver his most self-assured performance to date and gives characters such as Black Widow and newcomer the Falcon moments to shine. I don’t think there has been a team up that has brought as much effortless chemistry to the table as Evans, Anthony Mackie and Scarlett Johansson so far in the films. Everything from the heart pounding score to the political drama leanings and in your face fight scenes worked cohesively to create the strongest work of Marvel thus far.
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