Marvel Studios will begin to close off the first ten years of the
Marvel Cinematic Universe this April with the release of
Avengers: Infinity War, putting a capstone on a historical achievement for comic book films and cinema as a whole.
While the MCU has been jam packed with hundreds of great moments (the best of which we detailed
here), even the best of sagas contain some imperfections. In this feature, we take a look back at ten moments in the MCU that didn't end up working very well onscreen.
To view the list in its entirety, simply click on the VIEW LIST (ONE PAGE) button below!
Captain America: Civil War (2016) - That Was...Late
Captain America: Civil War did an admirable job of balancing the spectacle of infighting superheroes with its political themes, though the kiss between Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter still sticks out like a sore thumb in an otherwise strong film. Yes, in the comics, Cap and Sharon have a relationship, but contextualizing that into a modern
Captain America film didn't work as well as the Russo brothers might have hoped.
While Sharon appeared in
Captain America: The Winter Soldier, she was only named as Agent 13, an undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agent keeping tabs on Steve. It wasn't until early on in
Civil War - at Peggy Carter's funeral - that we learn her name and relation as Peggy's great niece. The MCU films have made great strides in highlighting the relationship between Peggy and Steve as a tragedy fraught with bad timing, making their connection strong but heartbreaking at the same time. While it was a little heartwarming to for Cap to catch a break for once, having it be with his true love's great-niece (and a few days after her funeral) was off-putting to say the least.
Ant-Man (2015) - Scott, You're Full Of Sh*t
While we're on the topic of poorly-timed kisses, here's another one that should have been left on the cutting room floor.
Ant-Man already had trouble with the dynamic between Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne; by the end of the film, there still isn't a very compelling reason as to why Scott was "right" for Hank's inside job when Hope is far more competent than Scott in almost every way.
One of the film's final scenes show Hank walking in on the two as they share a kiss. While the film did manage to sell the two characters bonding and learning to trust each other, it never earned a moment where the two felt like they could be connected in that capacity, and definitely felt like a forced romantic pairing.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) - You Didn't See That Coming
Avengers: Age of Ultron is an MCU sequel that excelled handily in its character work, but also failed to match its predecessor in other areas. While the death of Agent Phil Coulson came as a shock to many in the first
Avengers film, the death of Quicksilver fell very flat in comparison.
Not only was it disappointing for the hero to fall in battle in his first appearance, but it also felt like a checkbox was being ticked in the
"someone has to die because it's an Avengers film" category, instead of having some emotional significance behind it. The film does have a nice compensation with Hawkeye giving his third child the middle name "Pietro" in honor of Quicksilver's sacrifice, and pushing his sister Wanda into becoming an Avenger, but the death itself remains a fairly shallow moment overall.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) - Sun's Getting Real Low
Strangely, the Hulk-Black Widow romance introduced in
Age of Ultron remains a hotly contested issue with fans of the MCU. The film devotes a hefty amount of time to the pairing, and it's not like the film's justification for it doesn't make sense; both characters struggle with their burden of being monsters in a film that analyzes whether the Avengers are metaphorical monsters as a whole.
However, even though the concept is thematically sound, the coupling didn't land well with many. Personally, we'd attribute this to the sudden way it was introduced (out of nowhere with no hints of attraction) coupled with the lack of familiar territory for several fans of the comics. Marvel has shown in
Thor: Ragnarok they've intended to keep the complicated relationship afloat, so only time will tell how it fares by the end of the
Infinity saga.
Doctor Strange (2016) - The Cloak Of Levitation
Doctor Strange was a visually spectacular film, introducing the wider world of the multiverse and magic to the MCU. Stephen Strange got to utilize several magical artifacts in the film, and it's unfortunate that the Cloak of Levitation ends up being more of a low point than a high one. Right from its first use, its clear the Cloak has a will of sorts, attacking Kaecilius' minions and assisting Strange in combat.
Regrettably, the Cloak also serves to undercut the tension and drama in a few important scenes, specifically right in the middle of a fight with Kaecilius, hindering Strange as he attempts to grab a weapon. The other offender comes right after the death of the Ancient One; after one of the film's best and most poignant scenes, the Cloak moves to comically wipe away the tears from a grieving Strange. Comedy has always helped the MCU shine, but misplaced moments like these detract from the emotional weight of more important instances.
Thor: The Dark World (2013) - The Sidekick with a Sidekick
It took the
Thor franchise the better part of six years to find its footing; with
Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Waititi took the opportunity to jettison most of what didn't work in the previous two films, starting with most of the supporting cast. While Thor's relationship with Jane rang as superficial and Erik Selvig crossed the line between cartoonish comedy and plot device, it was Kat Denning's Darcy that really seemed to take things into over-the-top territory.
To be completely fair, Darcy's comedic relief in the first
Thor film provided a little bit of levity in helping the general audience accept the entire concept that Marvel was introducing, but when its sequel -
Thor: The Dark World - was released, the character really seemed unecessary. Coupled with the fact that the film inexplicably gave the character her own sidekick, it's not difficult to see why Darcy and her intern were quietly ushered out of the MCU.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) - Banksy At The Crime Scene
One of Captain America's classic foes ended up being little more than a footnote in MCU history in
Age of Ultron. First seen in the mid-credits scene of
Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Strucker was shown to be in possession of Loki's staff and responsible for the creation of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. The villain's weighty exposition about the "age of miracles" seemed to hint at a dastardly future for the Hydra leader,
Age of Ultron opened with being defeated and imprisoned by the Avengers, and promptly killed offscreen by the newly-born Ultron. Strucker's influence has survived somewhat, with his son going on to play a role in
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but the character's fate hardly seems befitting of such a well-known villain.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) - 700 Space Jumps
Like we mentioned earlier with
Civil War,
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 also tread a fine line, only between the comedy and music that made the first film such a hit, accompanied by the thematic elements of forming and maintaining a family of misfits. The sequel contained plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that fit well with director James Gunn's vision of the team, but the scene where Rocket, Baby Groot, and Yondu jump through 700 pockets in the universe was a bit too cartoonish (although we're pretty certain this moment was a hit with kids...who these films are also made for).
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) - My Friends Call Me MJ
We don't want to be misconstrued here: for her limited time in
Spider-Man: Homecoming, Zendaya shone as the awkwardly intellectual Michelle Jones. The character's dry wit and sarcasm made for some of the funniest moments in the film, along with the way her apparent obsession with Peter Parker was subtly hinted at.
Unfortunately, the film really bungles it with just one line at the end:
"Actually, my friends call me MJ". Zendaya, director Jon Watts, and Marvel Studios were all insistent that Michelle was just Michelle and not the classic Spidey love interest Mary Jane Watson, but this line really throws a wrench into things. Is Michelle supposed to be this universe's version of Mary Jane? Is the nickname just supposed to be a clever nod? The film never makes a decision to commit to anything, opting to leave most audience members confused about the direction of Zendaya's character.
Iron Man 3 (2013) - Trevor Slattery
Of all the instances that struck a negative chord with fans in the MCU, it's probably impossible to top the infamous "Mandarin twist" from
Iron Man 3. After spending the marketing campaign for the film hyping up Ben Kingsley's Mandarin as a ruthless and infamous terrorist, the film shocked many when it was revealed that the Mandarin was just an actor named Trevor, playing a role designed by Aldrich Killian as part of an elaborate revenge scheme against Tony Stark.
The twist was upsetting for many who wanted to see a modern (though less racially insensitive) version of Iron Man's arch-enemy, and the negative reaction ultimately lead Marvel to hastily retcon the character with a short titled
All Hail The King, which revealed that there was a "real Mandarin" out there whose identity Trevor had accidentally co-opted.
Do you think we missed anything in our list? Let us know all your favorite (and not-so-favorite) moments in the MCU down below in the comments!