DISCUSSION: What Is One Disliked MCU Movie You Actually Like/Don’t Think Deserves The Hate?

DISCUSSION: What Is One Disliked MCU Movie You Actually Like/Don’t Think Deserves The Hate?

While a lot of Marvel Studios' movies have been well-received, there are many others that haven't stuck the landing for people. With that said, what's one disliked MCU film you consider good?

Editorial Opinion
By DanielKlissmman - May 27, 2025 01:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Marvel Studios

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a large tapestry of films (and TV series). Focusing on the big-screen side, since its inception, the ambitious superhero universe has experienced something many other franchises in Hollywood have not: quality consistency. With over 30 films and counting, the MCU has typically enjoyed a healthy amount of critical acclaim, which has allowed it to turn increasingly obscure characters into household names. 

However, not everything has been a bed of roses for Marvel Studios — particularly in recent years. A considerable amount of its theatrical releases have been either divisive or downright critical duds. Yet, it's safe to say we've all experienced this — we watch a movie that's largely disliked, and we find ourselves liking it to an extent... maybe even enjoying it. 

So, I thought it appropriate to ask the question: What's one MCU movie that's disliked/hated, but you actually appreciate? Now, the universe is comprised of 36 films, so picking just one film may be tough. As such, if you feel like it, you can expand your answer to three picks. As a reminder, here are all the MCU films released so far: 

Phase 1:

  • Iron Man (2008)
  • The Incredible Hulk (2008)
  • Iron Man 2 (2010)
  • Thor (2011)
  • Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
  • The Avengers (2012)

Phase 2: 

  • Iron Man 3 (2013)
  • Thor: The Dark World (2013)
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
  • Ant-Man (2015)

Phase 3: 

  • Captain America: Civil War (2016)
  • Doctor Strange (2016)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
  • Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
  • Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
  • Black Panther (2018)
  • Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
  • Captain Marvel (2019)
  • Avengers: Endgame (2019)
  • Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Phase 4:

  • Black Widow (2020)
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
  • Eternals (2021)
  • Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
  • Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Phase 5:

  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
  • The Marvels (2023)
  • Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
  • Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
  • Thunderbolts* (2025)

To start off, I'll give my three picks (because, yes, I cannot pick only one). First, there's The Incredible Hulk. It captured the essence of the Hulk character perfectly. It portrayed Bruce Banner's turmoil in a way that was faithful to his comic book history, and delivered some of the best action in the MCU so far. 

My second pick is Thor: The Dark World. Is it the best the MCU has to offer? No, but it was a fine Thor adventure that furthered the complicated relationship between the God of Thunder and his brother Loki. One could go as far as to say The Dark World was the movie that made the God of Mischief such a beloved character.

Through Thor and The Avengers, Loki was, for the most part, just a grand villain. The Dark World gave him depth and more relatable aspects that allowed us to connect with him and questionably say, "Hm, maybe the power-hungry, murderous space deity isn't so bad after all."

My third pick is Black Widow. Despite the criticisms directed at it, it was a great film. While some decisions were not the best, it was a gripping story about found family and sisterhood that did justice to Natasha Romanoff. It also introduced Yelena Belova to the MCU, a contribution that, on its own, would bump it up my Marvel Studios ranking. 

To not break the rule of three picks, I'll give an honorable mention: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It didn't have the same charm as the first two Ant-Man movies, but it was pretty fun. Some decisions were questionable, but it was overall a solid entry in Scott Lang's franchise that had fun with the nature of the hero's powers and furthered his family dynamics. 

Now's your turn. What's the one (or, three) unpopular MCU movie that you enjoy? Let me know in the comments. 

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JacobsLadder
JacobsLadder - 5/27/2025, 1:32 PM
Iron Man 2 and Dark World are masterpieces compared to virtually everything of the past 5 years. And yes, that includes D&W. No Way Home is good.
BackwardGalaxy
BackwardGalaxy - 5/27/2025, 2:05 PM
@JacobsLadder - Iron Man 2 is a lot of fun. Plus, it has Rockwell, who damn near stole the movie from RDJ, and that's hard to do.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/27/2025, 2:27 PM
@JacobsLadder - I remember people complaining about Iron Man 2 being too much about the Avengers build-up. It literally had 2 short scenes with Nick Fury that were building to Avengers. Thats it.

I loved Iron Man 2.
JacobsLadder
JacobsLadder - 5/27/2025, 3:35 PM
@CorndogBurglar - I do too. It was as close to the Demon in a Bottle storyline that we'll ever get from Disney.
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 5/27/2025, 4:29 PM
@JacobsLadder - Ironman 2 is one of my favorites. I was a bit shocked to see so many people disliked it.
Spike101
Spike101 - 5/27/2025, 5:15 PM
@JacobsLadder - totally agree with you on that fact
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 5/27/2025, 8:01 PM
@JacobsLadder - came here to post about these two movies. Hope you’re not trolling.
Batmangina
Batmangina - 5/27/2025, 8:59 PM
@JacobsLadder - User Comment Image
Wallywest001
Wallywest001 - 5/27/2025, 9:27 PM
@JacobsLadder - agreed, the whole phase 5 was awful. Tbolts wasn’t bad though. IM3 was probably my least favorite of the old guard movies. I’m just still annoyed that Pedro pascal is playing reed Richards lol
JacobsLadder
JacobsLadder - 5/28/2025, 6:54 AM
@SummersEssex - no trolling here.
JacobsLadder
JacobsLadder - 5/28/2025, 6:56 AM
@Wallywest001 - for sure, he's killing my enthusiasm for F4.
DJSharp22
DJSharp22 - 6/1/2025, 2:12 PM
@JacobsLadder - Past 5 is a bit much.
DJSharp22
DJSharp22 - 6/1/2025, 2:12 PM
@Wallywest001 - Phase 5 isn't even over yet. And from what I've seen so far, it wasn't that bad if you ask me.
JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 5/27/2025, 1:35 PM
Eternals (Kro sucked, though).
McMurdo
McMurdo - 5/27/2025, 1:41 PM
@JoshWilding - that movie is just bad man
JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 5/27/2025, 1:46 PM
@McMurdo - There are things I don’t like (Kro is a horrendously bad villain, Dane Whitman deserved a much bigger role, and there are too many characters), but when it’s good, it’s really good.
foreverintheway
foreverintheway - 5/27/2025, 1:56 PM
@McMurdo - I thought Druig was the only saving grace in that whole movie. Controlling that little village or whatever was kinda sick lol
Spike101
Spike101 - 5/27/2025, 5:22 PM
@JoshWilding - I agree, it’s really well made and introduced us to a host of new characters. And the Celestials who I’m sure will be a big thing in the future with the cosmic side of the MCU. I think the reasons why it was poorly received were that Marvel bridge to it very well so it felt not connected to what none comic readers had seen before, trying to hard on the all inclusive front and it’s rambled on a big in the middle section. In terms of the cinematography it was amazing to watch though.
Fogs
Fogs - 5/27/2025, 1:35 PM
IM3. I kinda like the Lethal Weapon vibes. And all the armors. And I don't hate the Mandarin Twist as most people do (would be perfect if 'All Hail The King' was the post credits). A flawed, fun movie.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 5/27/2025, 1:51 PM
@Fogs - if they didnt do the Mandarin twist this movie would have been nowhere near as shit on. Feige and that bate switch comedy bit, thought it was cute for a while then people really started revolting that that shit is not funny especially after selling a movie or a show on the concept of someone being in it. the whole boehner twist from wandavision was another [frick] you fans this is a funny bait and switch. it got old when we want characters to really show up instead of some joke version.
Spike101
Spike101 - 5/27/2025, 5:24 PM
@Fogs - I can never forgive the Mandarin twist, after watching Ben Kingsley pull of what we thought was the real Mandarin in the trailers I was so bitterly disappointed.
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 5/27/2025, 1:37 PM
Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania

I'd probably follow that up with Captain America: Brave New World, and Thor: The Dark World (depending on where these fall in the criticism rankings).


And here is a follow up to that: movies that deserve all or more hate:
1) The Eternals
2) Iron Man 3
3) The Marvels/Thor: Love and Thunder
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 5/27/2025, 3:30 PM
@HeavyMetal4Life - WOW. Shocked. Thought i was the only one with Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania. I enjoyed it alot more than most.

I'd also throw in Black Widow as my second. Movie was really great until the 3rd act.
JonAwesome
JonAwesome - 5/27/2025, 4:13 PM
@HeavyMetal4Life - the problem I have with Brave New World is how are you going to show Sam having a tough time fighting Copperhead and Sidewinder (60 year old man) and then later he is able to take on a Hulk without losing a limb? I mean, Thor had it rough with The Hulk in Ragnarok and he’s a DemiGod.
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 5/27/2025, 4:14 PM
@JonAwesome - that wasn't something I really thought about watching it the first time, so when I watch it again i'll see how I feel
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 5/27/2025, 4:17 PM
@MotherGooseUPus - haha no surprise we agree haha. I really enjoyed Quantumania. Kang was awesome, the final exploration of the quantum realm was awesome (something fans had been clamoring for), etc. I seriously don't understand the criticism of it, even when I am told it or read about it. People I know really liked it too.

Black Widow yeah, I could put up there as well in the 2nd or 3rd slot. I enjoyed the 3rd act as well.
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 5/27/2025, 8:53 PM
@HeavyMetal4Life - I mena the movie did exactly what it was supposed to do. Yes some of the cgi was slightly off a few times but overall I liked it alot. I get not liking his daughter, I can agree to that, but otherwise def gets too much hate.

BW. Was a fantastic spy movie until that poorly done 3rd act cgi shitfest but I still really like the movie overall
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 5/27/2025, 9:09 PM
@MotherGooseUPus - " I mean the movie did exactly what it was supposed to do"

Yeah exactly, a lot of which is what people were asking for ahead of time.

The spy element in the first 2/3 of BW was definitely quite good.
fosdog
fosdog - 5/28/2025, 7:07 AM
@JonAwesome - Wow, never thought of that. That really makes me look at that movie in a different light now.
dragon316
dragon316 - 5/27/2025, 1:40 PM
Captain marvel , iron man three, guardians of galaxy two , avengers infinity war
dragon316
dragon316 - 5/27/2025, 1:41 PM
@dragon316 - forgot eternals
Fogs
Fogs - 5/27/2025, 3:27 PM
@dragon316 - Wait, IW? Who complains about that one?
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 5/27/2025, 4:15 PM
@Fogs - someone who can never and should never be taken seriously
HammerLegFoot
HammerLegFoot - 5/27/2025, 1:41 PM
I donn't think The Marvels deserve all the hate. I just watched it again the other day and its a coo lil movie. Not huge and impactful in anyway but I wasnt bored or mad watching it. As well as Eternals and Brave New World. Love and Thunder has its good moments but that movie is a serious let down.

I'll also add that I've never seen Logan all the way through. I always fall sleep somewhere in the middle.
cubrn
cubrn - 5/27/2025, 10:48 PM
@HammerLegFoot - I love The Eternals and The Marvels. Love and Thunder needed some serious editorial eyes before production. It was two great movies steamrolled into one mess.
DannyBrandy20
DannyBrandy20 - 5/27/2025, 1:41 PM
Captain America TFA
Fogs
Fogs - 5/27/2025, 3:28 PM
@DannyBrandy20 - TFA is a legit good movie.
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 5/27/2025, 1:42 PM
I don't think many get hate that don't deserve it.
EskimoJ
EskimoJ - 5/27/2025, 1:45 PM
@AllsNotGood - "Many." Okay, so which ones DO "get hate that don't deserve it"?
HistoryofMatt
HistoryofMatt - 5/27/2025, 1:42 PM
Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World.

Especially compared to all the crap released post-Endgame and Captain Marvel which was pre-Endgame.
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