Marvel Re-watch: Phase One
Like a lot of people during the ol’ Covid, I’ve had a lot of extra time on my hands. Over the years I’ve made all these lists of movies and shows I’d like to watch, and then suddenly I had all this time to actually watch them. The ‘no re-watches’ rule I’d implemented for myself a few years ago, the one I did to try and force myself to make time for new things, sort of became moot. I had the time. I watched the things. Oh, I watched them. As a human who lives alone, and suddenly had her very full calendar reduced to work and not work, streaming services and I have had an EXCELLENT relationship throughout these past 13 months.
Amongst those things that I’ve watched have been Marvel’s newest TV forays, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. And I have to say, they’ve been making me miss the ol’ MCU. A LOT. So, with Oscar-movie watching almost finished and new restrictions in BC, I’m launching on my first full rewatch of the MCU since I don’t know when. I’m going with chronological release order, and since I’m me and I can’t help myself, I’m going to be doing a personal ‘definitive ranking’ as I go. And since I’m a sucker for a blog project (that we’ll be lucky if I complete, coughGoTrewatchcough) I figured I’d hop on over here and share some thoughts along with my ranking so far.
Iron Man - 2008, directed by Jon Favreau
The movie that launched an empire. I have very fond memories of watching Iron Man in theatres. It felt so new, so different, at the time. Sure there had been superhero movies before, but none felt quite like this, and I think casting had a big part to do with it. Robert Downey Jr. embodies Tony Stark in a way that makes the two of them (for better or worse) feel almost indistinguishable. I also can’t believe how YOUNG he looks! I know this came out in 2008, but DANG. Baby Tony here. Other thoughts:
I can’t believe I forgot that Jeff Bridges was in Iron Man. Launching the ‘famous, award-winning white guys as villains’ in the Marvel universe
Remember when Terence Howard was Rhodey?!
Oh hi Paul Bettany - right now you get to just record, but soon you’ll have almost the most makeup of them all! Muwahahahaha
I miss incredibly dry Coulson from Phase One. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED Clark Gregg in AoS, but seriously, he’s perfect here.
The Incredible Hulk - 2008, directed by Louis Letterrier
Poor Incredible Hulk. I can see how hard it tries, and honestly, I don’t think it’s as bad as everyone says it is. For me, it suffers a lot from ‘too much destruction’ syndrome. I get that they really want to emphasize the gamma monster of it all, but the Hulk and Abomination battles are just too long. Ed Norton isn’t a bad Banner, I like a lot of what he brings to the role. I also liked the humour here, and the nods to the comic and old TV show (Hi there Lou Ferrigno).
In other ‘remember they’re a part of the MCU?’ news, Hi Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and Tim Blake Nelson
Iron Man 2 - 2010, directed by Jon Favreau (written by Justin Theroux)
As I was watching Iron Man 2 I was realizing how little of this movie I remember. Tony dealing with being poisoned by the thing that’s keeping him alive, the government trying to steal his suit, and Pepper being increasingly annoyed with him. Which, I get, I’d be annoyed too Pep - he’s a frustrating human being. However, I also liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I mean, Sam Rockwell does a lot for that, ‘cause he’s always a good time, especially here as Hammer trying (and failing) to out-Stark Tony. On top of that, we get the introduction of Scarlett Johanssen’s Natasha Romanov! Considering how much of a badass she gets to be here, particularly in the fight at the Hammer compound, it’s really baffling that it’s taken a full decade to get her solo movie.
Elon Musk has a cameo in this
Hi Don Cheadle!
Add Rockwell and Mickey Rourke to the ‘famous award-winning white guys’ list!
Thor - 2011, directed by Kenneth Branagh
Here’s the thing with Thor, yes, it has its fair share of issues, Chris Hemsworth’s too-blond eyebrows being the tip of that iceberg, but it’s still our first venture into the ‘cosmic’ part of the MCU, and for that, I think we have to give it some credit. I think Branagh does a pretty good job introducing us to the ‘science magic’ of the MCU. Sure, I think he makes Asgard a bit too ‘Shakespeare’, but it sort of works. Hemsworth and Natalie Portman are sweet, but I don’t quite buy their love story. Although, I do love Jane Foster, and I’m happy she’s here (and coming back for Thor: Love & Thunder) Last, but not least, we get the introduction of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, which, wow, I bet they didn’t know how much he’d blow up after this.
FAWWG addition: Anthony Hopkins
All the dudes knowing that Sif is the best warrior of them all - again, why did we have to wait until 2019 to get the first female solo flick?
Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard are an absolute joy
Oh hi there Hawkeye
Hemsworth gives good torso folks. (For more excellent torso work, may I recommend The Legend of Tarzan starring another Skarsgard, Alexander)
Captain America: The First Avenger - 2011, directed by Joe Johnston
I have very fond memories of seeing this with Craig Kerbrat in San Diego one year when we didn’t have passes for that day at SDCC. A large selling point being that the movie theatre would be air-conditioned. We were Canadians in southern California in late July, there’s only so much heat we could handle at once. I have a huge soft spot in my heart for this flick. Watching The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Erksine’s (one of several FAWWG additions here, Stanley Tucci) insistence on finding the right person for the super soldier program makes SO much more sense. Steve' Rogers is just a good guy, he wants to join the army, not for fame or glory, or to ‘to kill Nazis’, it’s because he ”doesn’t like bullies”. Casting in the MCU continues to be spot-on, I know they pursued Chris Evans for this role, and I’m happy he accepted, ‘cause he’s spot-on as Cap. We also get Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, I love her with every fibre of my being and would recommend everyone to watch her stand-alone series (Agent Carter). Other thoughts:
This is the Britishiest movie about America, I clocked Jenna Colman (Clara from Doctor Who), and Natalie Dormer (Margery Tyrell of Game of Thrones), plus Dominic Cooper, Richard Armitage, Toby Jones, and David Bradley.
Science magic again!
FAWWG: Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving
Avengers - 2012, directed by Joss Whedon
Oh man, Avengers. Why DC decided to try and do their team-up movie without laying the groundwork like Marvel did still baffles me because while this movie is objectively fantastic, a big reason that it works is that we don’t have to do the origin stories for six characters. No, they just get to team up and save the world in spectacular fashion instead, ‘cause the film assumes you know who they all are. Instead, we get to have more fun bringing the characters together, showing their ‘powers’ in action. The banter, the action, the story, it all works perfectly here and is the best way to close out Phase one of the MCU.
I’ll never not love that Cap’s primary weapon is a shield, it says so much about him as a character
ALAN SILVESTRI! Seriously, that score! chef’s kiss
Literally nothing funnier than Hulk beating up Loki during the battle.
How my MCU ranking looks after Phase One: (yes, I sure did make and colour-code index. cards just for this ranking)
See you after Phase Two!