I'm going to put it out there. I'm a fan of comics. I am a fan of both Marvel and DC and I personally don't understand the 'war' that goes on. With that said, they is no denying that Marvel Studios has gone a long way in the movie industry. In what feels like a lifetime ago, Marvel Studios released the first ever live action Iron Man movie. It was a huge hit and marked beginning of the Marvel Cinematic universe. Other movies of Phase 1 included The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America. This ultimately lead to the Avengers. Now that the MCU has flourished and with the upcoming Avengers:Age of Ultron almost here, I thought I 'd take the time to explain why Marvel's Phase 1 is not only better than Phase 2 but is something that simply shouldn't be forgotten.
1. Tragic Heroes
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MOMENT |
Captain America: The First Avenger
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During the climax of the movie, Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter make date plans as he drives the plane into the water. Throughout the movie, there is an unspoken love between the two and its when Steve realizes that he probably won't make it out of the crash. He then informs Peggy that he might have to take a reschedule their date. Upon waking up in modern day New York he is informed that he had been asleep for over 50 years. When Steve looks around and seems confused, the audience are left to believe he is just struggling to get used to the fact but we realize that isn't the case when responds to Nick Fury's question if he'll be alright by saying 'Yeah. Yeah I, I just... I had a date.' This really struck home for me. As it showed the hero doesn't always get the girl .
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The Incredible Hulk |
The Incredible Hulk starring Edward Norton is one of the most underrated comic book movies I have ever seen. One thing I believe this movie does not get enough credit for are the touching and subtle feel the movie has. One of the main reasons I believe this movie is so great is that it shows a story about a man not with a cool super power like how its shaping to look in the new Avengers movie but a curse that has ruined his life. After Bruce uses the curse to save the people of the city, The Hulk flees the scene. A while later, we see Betty looking at a photo she took of Bruce earlier before her battery goes dead. It is an overlooked moment but it tells a lot about the story of Bruce. No matter how hard he tries to find a cure, he can't escape what he has become and will never truly be happy.
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Thor |
This is probably blasphemous to say but prior to Thor's debut in the cinematic universe, I always saw him in the comics to be an idiot. I personally had never read a hulk comic but whenever I saw him posing beside the avengers he looked like a football player with a hammer. But all my previous notions of the character were destroyed as soon as the first trailer dropped. I went on to love the movie. While Thor did not have his power for the majority of the movie I felt that the comedy felt natural and the performances and execution was well done. What really impressed me however was the end of the movie. After winning the battle against his brother Loki, Thor is stranded on his home world as his Jane Foster searches for him. As Thor smiles at the thought of Jane, you see a god who has also become a humble man.
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2. The Final Fights Meant Something
IRON MAN- If there is one thing that hurts, its being betrayed by someone you considered family. In the final fight, I really felt there was a sense of danger. This may be my personal fear of anything three times my size but Iron Monger was extremely menacing to him. As Tony hung on to life , the man who he saw as a father figure mocked him as he tried to kill him. "You tried to rid the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever." That's another thing I want to mention. Phase 1's villains were much more interesting in my opinion. Marvel has been critisised for their villains in the past. However, I feel Phase 1 the portrayals of the bad guys were much more colorful.
THE INCREDIBLE HULK- The final fight between The Hulk and The Abomination is arguably the best boss fight in Phase 1 and one of the best fights in comic book movie history. It was brutal, savage, intense but it also has heart. Let's look at what takes place prior the fight. Bruce Banner's worst nightmare had become a reality in the form of The Abomination. Innocent people were being slaughtered in the city below. Believing that The Hulk is the only one who can stop The Abomination, he shares one final kiss with Betty Ross and falls from the Helicopter which triggers the transformation. Throughout the battle, we see's Hulk's concern for Betty's safety. What makes this fight different is the unconventional abilities of the Hulk. When Betty is trapped in the crashed helicopter which is about to explode, the use of a thunder clap wasn't the obvious choice. The first thing that comes to mind when a fire needs to be put out is superman and cold breath. Hulk shows more than one emotion through the climax. He shows anger, pain, desperation, restlessness and sadness.
THOR- After Thor evolves into the Thor we know now. He is faced with the task of stopping his brother Loki. Something he honestly doesn't want to do. Prior to the battle he promises Jane Foster that he would return. So when he is forced to destroy the Bifrost, he says to himself 'Forgive me Jane'. It shows how far Thor has come as a person and what he is willing to sacrifice in order to save lives.
3. They Were Real Solo Movies That Had The Definitive Conclusions
Character development, resolution and a perfect endings. This is why I see Marvel's Phase 1 the holy grail of origin stories in my personal opinion and it deserves to be seen in a higher regard.
Thank you for reading.