Believe it or not, Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has come and gone. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the phase was jam packed between two years, with nothing being released in 2020. However, between the start of Phase 4--WandaVision--and the end of it--Black Panther: Wakanda Forever--there have been 16 movies and TV shows taking place in the MCU to be released.
Phase 4 had a lot to live up to. It's coming off of the heels of Avengers: Endgame, which changed the MCU forever--it also killed off a few characters to boot. It's essentially a brand-new starting point, as there's few-to-no loose ends to tie up, but a whole lot to set up for the future. We know what's coming in Phase 5 and Phase 6, so this current run of movies and TV shows will undoubtedly be important.
Looking back at all Phase 4, we're taking a look at how critics rated each TV show and movie from the past couple of years. Using GameSpot's sister site Metacritic--a review aggregator--we're ranking all 16 pieces of media from Phase 4. Check them out below.
16. Eternals (2021)
Metacritic score: 52
A large-scale cinematic experience, Eternals follows a group of superpowered beings that come from space but have been on Earth since humans have existed. Of course, there's some nasty monsters they need to fight before humanity as a whole is destroyed.
"There is plenty of forward momentum to be found here and Marvel's willingness to deviate from its own formulas is a hopeful trend that Phase 4 continues to double down on," said Mason Downey in his Eternals review. "With any luck, these characters will continue to grow and evolve as they return in future movies and the techniques Zhao was able to include as a director won't be one-offs."
15. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Metacritic score: 57
The fourth Thor movie sees Taikia Waititi return as director. Thor needs to get his life back in order as there's a being traveling throughout the universe killing gods. Thor isn't the only god of thunder this time around as a dying Jane Foster has also gained Thor powers as well.
In GameSpot's Thor: Love and Thunder review, Mason Downey said, "The end result of these non sequiturs and disparate ideas makes Love and Thunder feel less like a movie and more like a scrapbook of random ideas, cut up in between some neat looking music videos."
14. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Metacritic score: 60
The Doctor Strange sequel is the closest thing we've seen to a Marvel horror movie to date, with Sam Raimi helming this one. Strange joins forces with America Chavez, a young woman who can travel between universes, as the duo take on a very familiar threat. Tonally, it's one of the most ambitious films of this phase of the MCU.
"All told, despite the unevenness in the presentation, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a fun, fresh take for the MCU and, with any luck, a hopeful indication of things to come in the future," said Mason Downey in GameSpot's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness review.
13. Hawkeye (2021)
Jeremy Renner returns as the famed MCU archer as he's on the hunt for someone who's running around in his Ronin outfit. From there, he trains a new archer as the two are on the run from bad guys in tracksuits--yes, much like Matt Fraction and David Aja's Hawkeye comic book run.
Mason Downey found the show to be a bit of a mixed bag, missed the mark of the source material in a few ways, and found Renner to be "wooden" in his Hawkeye review on GameSpot.
12. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
Metacritic score: 67
One of the more refreshing Marvel series of this past year was She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, as the show was a workplace comedy, and less of the "superhero smashing the bad guy" type show. It was certainly out there, with the finals episodes having She-Hulk really breaking the fourth wall harder than we've ever seen in a Marvel movie or TV show.
Chris E. Hayner said in his She-Hulk review that "It's those elements that make She-Hulk: Attorney At Law a can't-miss entry into Disney+'s MCU lineup. Of course, it also provides a nice vacation from the typical Marvel fare."
11. Black Widow (2021)
Metacritic score: 67
Taking place prior to Endgame, for very obvious reasons, Black Widow expanded on the mythos of who and what Black Widow is. We're introduced to the next generation of Widow--Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova--and get a few more cool characters before Natasha disappears for good. Sadly, this movie was pushed back multiple times because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so by the time it came out, it had been a year removed from its original release date.
In GameSpot's Black Widow review, Mike Rougeau said, "Fans hungry for any MCU entry at all will find plenty to chew on in Black Widow, but ultimately the movie is unsatisfying. That may be partially down to real-world issues that are outside of anyone's control, like the pandemic pushing release dates around. But despite strong performances from the leads and the addition of a couple of welcome new characters who may spice up the MCU's future, this Natasha side story has plenty of inherent problems that drag it down regardless of any external factors."
10. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Metacritic score: 67
Even without the first film's star Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther sequel had the biggest November opening weekend in US history. The followup deals with the loss of T'Challa all while trying to move forward as Wakanda steps into the world's spotlight. However, Namor and his people--who also live in secret--have a major conflict with Wakanda, and it's an all out war.
In GameSpot's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review, Mason Downey said that the movie itself is good, but it tries to be too many things all at the same time, which dulls everything else contained in the film.
9. Werewolf by Night (2022)
Metacritic score: 69
A stylized special, Werewolf By Night follows a group of monster hunters that are in a competition to find a powerful artifact. And of course, there are some monsters lurking about. This is the first Marvel stand-alone special, with Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special coming soon.
In our Werewolf by Night review, Chris E. Hayner said, "Werewolf By Night is an astounding success. It may not overtly connect to the MCU in a way that makes it essential viewing for fans of the franchise, but much like She-Hulk, it's the kind of side quest adventure that Marvel Studios needs more of."
8. What If…?
Metacritic score: 69
The Disney+ series takes place in the multiverse, following various heroes and villains--some that are familiar to the average MCU fan, but with a twist. This also includes the introduction of the beloved Marvel property, Marvel Zombies. Hopefully, we'll see more of them in Season 2.
"[What If…?] will encourage fans to start actually pondering the titular question in their own ways, which can be a blast all on its own," said Mason Downey in his review.
7. Moon Knight (2022)
Metacritic score: 69
Moon Knight has always been an interesting character. He's a hero, but he also suffers from multiple personalities and is sometimes connected to an Egyptian god that may or may not exist. The Disney+ series played with all of that, as the show followed Steven Grant, who has the powers of an ancient Egyptian moon god.
Mason Downey said that there was a lot of potential for the show, in his Moon Knight review, and that Oscar Isaac is charming.
6. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Metacritic score: 71
Introducing the world to the MCU's newest hero, Shang-Chi follows the titular character as he returns to the birthplace and home of his mother in order to fight his estranged father--looking for a way to bring his wife back from the dead.
"Even with its flaws, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a signal of the MCU's increasing willingness to break out of the mold and to simply try new things," said Mason Downey in his review of Shang-Chi.
5. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Metacritic score: 71
In the third Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland, the titular webslinger has to take on Spider-Man villains from other movies/universes. Of course, one of the worst kept secrets in Marvel movies was Andrew Garfield and Toby Macguire appearing in this movie at Peter Parkers from other universes.
In the Spider-Man: No Way Home review on GameSpot, Mason Downey said, "the parts of No Way Home that shine do rise to the top and will, inevitably, be remembered fondly as one of the all-time great and most unique efforts in the MCU's long and winding history. It may be a complicated beast on the whole, but it represents exactly what Phase 4 has been going for in terms of pure, wild experimentation and possibility."
4. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Metacritic score: 74
After Steve Rogers retires from being Captain America, John Walker takes over the role, and he's not right for it. There's a new terrorist organization and Winter Soldier and Falcon team up to stop it, but they need the help of none other than Zemo. And again, there's another Captain America running around.
3. Loki (2021)
Metacritic score: 74
The TV series that unlocked the multiverse took fans by surprise in 2021. Starring a variant of Loki--who got a hold of the Tesseract during The Avengers and disappeared--the god of mischief is tasked with working with the Time Variance Authority in order to stop another Loki from destroying everything. This is the series that sets up the second half of Phase 4--including Doctor Strange 2--and the upcoming phases of the MCU.
2. WandaVision (2021)
Metacritic score: 77
In a show that is the other half of the set up for Doctor Strange 2, WandaVision follows Wanda Maximoff and Vision as the two live inside a sitcom in a small town. However, things get a whole lot more sinister from there, as WandaVision is one of the darkest things to come out of the MCU.
In GameSpot's WandaVision review, Chris E. Hayner said, "WandaVision is an undeniable success. Marvel Studios attempted something they hadn't tried before and wound up with a show that's somehow a classic family sitcom that is also propelling forward the storytelling of the universe of epic films that has been unspooling for over a decade."
1. Ms. Marvel
Metacritic score: 78
Finally, the best critically reviewed movie or TV show to come out of Phase 4 is the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel. The show follows the origin of who would eventually become the titular MCU hero. Kamala Khan is a teenager with a big imagination with a love of superheroes. One day, she comes across a gauntlet that gives her some powers of her own.
In a review for the first two episodes of Ms. Marvel, Mason Downey said, "Ms. Marvel is an extremely fun, deeply charming watch with a cast of great new characters and a gravity that other Disney+ MCU projects have been lacking."
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.