A Review of Every Marvel Movie from 2008 to the Present (Revised as of May 20, 2016)

Due to the truly astonishing number of Marvel films either released or in various stages of production, I have decided to begin the list below with the first Iron Man, in 2008.  For reviews of older Marvel films look here.

****	Excellent!  Had to see it twice!
***	Good movie with a few flaws.
**	Not bad, but not great.
*	I’d watch it once if I was bored enough.
[no stars]	Just terrible.
@	So bad it’s kind of good.

21. Iron Man (2008) ****

After Batman Begins, this is the other movie that reinvigorated the genre.  Where Batman Begins was dark, this one was funny.  Where Batman is driven, Tony Stark is brilliantly conflicted.  It is everything that Nolan's movie wasn't, and that's why it works.

22. The Incredible Hulk (2008) ***1/2

This movie was sidelined by the overwhelming success of Iron Man, but I loved it.  I loved Edward Norton's take on the character, I loved the script he wrote for the film, and I loved the Greco-Roman take on The Hulk.  My only complaint is that he let The Abomination live at the end.  I found this hard to believe.

23. Punisher: War Zone (2008) *

A more violent take on Frank Castle.  It's a solid film, but maybe a little too depressing for its own good.  I consider it an improvement on the first.

24. X-men Origins: Wolverine (2009) *

This movie is standard popcorn fare, much along the lines of Ghost Rider. Hugh Jackman goes through the motions, an attempt to bring Deadpool and Gambit into the mix is handled badly, and by the end you're thankful that it's not as dreadful as X3.

2010s

25. Iron Man 2 (2010) ***

I liked this almost as much as the first one.  Downey Jr. is given even better one-liners in this film, and Mickey Rourke characteristically chews the scenery.  Sam Rockwell is also great as Justin Hammer, and my only complaint is that Don Cheadle isn't given enough to do.

26. Kick-Ass (2010) **

I have friends who love this movie.  I don't.  I think the first half is good, but after Big Daddy dies it just gets silly - especially the jet pack.  A nice warm up for The Amazing Spider-Man, however.

27. Thor (2011) *

Considering how hard it must have been to adapt Thor to the big screen, I would consider this movie a success.  Still, compared to other movies Marvel Studios has made, I think this is the weakest one.  I've never been a big fan of Kenneth Branagh.

28. X-men: First Class (2011) ***

Michael Fassbender makes this movie.  Forgive the pun, but he is positively magnetic as Magneto.  I thought the end was weak, but it's still miles ahead of the first three films.

29. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) ***

Still one of my favorite Marvel movies.  It might seem a bit slow for some people, but the mixture of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark really worked for me.

30. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)

Ghost Rider journeys to Europe on an extremely low budget.  The screenplay was probably good, but the direction is all over the place and Nicholas Cage overdoes the "manic" elements.  The only good thing I can say about this film is that the actress who plays "the Devil's baby-momma" is extremely beautiful.  Fun Fact: Idris Elba, who appeared in Thor the year before, is Johnny Blaze's sidekick.

31. The Avengers (2012) ***1/2

There are entire websites devoted to how awesome this movie is.  It's a good film, but not one of the best.  Considering how difficult it is to put characters as diverse as Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor into the same movie universe, this one is an unqualified triumph.  I'm only sorry the Oscorp Tower didn't make an appearance.

32. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) ***

This is a good movie, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.  Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have some terrific chemistry, and it's a solid effort.  The Lizard is a bit too Hulk-like for my taste, but this is a vast improvement over Spider-Man 3.

33. Iron Man 3 (2013) *

I was super excited about this movie, but walked away from it disappointed.  It starts out well, but neither of the villains are very compelling, and the stunt work is too over the top.  My biggest complaint is the ending, which gives us a Tony Stark who no longer has any reason to be Iron Man.

34. Kick-Ass 2 (2013) **

It's not a great movie, but it's not bad.  There are some funny scenes in this one, but it could have been a lot better.

35. The Wolverine (2013) **1/2

I had high hopes for this one, but it wasn't all that good.  It's certainly much better than X-Men Origins: Wolverine and all the other X-Men films, but that's not saying all that much.

36. Thor: The Dark World (2013) ***

This was a great movie.  I didn't love the first Thor, but this one was a vast improvement.  Reminded me a lot of the Walt Simonson run on the comic book.  Hoping to see Beta Ray Bill in Thor 3!

37. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) **1/2

Steve Rogers struggles with the modern world and his role in S.H.I.E.L.D.  After encountering the Winter Soldier, he has even more reasons to doubt the nobility of certain causes.  A very topical movie, with some great action sequences.  Didn't like it as much as Thor: The Dark World, but it was well done.

38. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) **

Too much CGI, but some great performances from Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone.  I liked this movie more than "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," though the action sequences in Cap were better.  This film has more dramatic tension, better ensemble performances, and more heart.  Looking forward to the third film!

39. X-men: Days of Future Past (2014) ***1/2

A surprisingly good movie.  As mutantkind faces extinction, Wolverine journeys into the past to change the future.  Excellent performances, and one of the most emotionally resonant superhero films to come along in quite a while.  Fun Fact: Although played by a white midget (Peter Dinklage) in Days of Future Past, Bill Duke, a rather large black man, plays Bolivar Trask in the earlier X-Men: The Last Stand.

40. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) **

A good movie, though it features too many characters for its own good.  Humor holds the film together, and makes some of the less plausible plot elements seem more plausible.  As with many other recent films from Marvel Studios, seems less inspired than calculated.  Maybe the second one will be better?

41. The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)**1/2

I can't say it's flawless, but I did like it much better than Guardians of the Galaxy.  It's less talky than the first Avengers, and the battle between Hulk and the Hulkbuster is truly awesome.  Quicksilver seemed a bit  underused, and I would have liked to see more of the Vision, but it's still a great movie.

42. Ant-Man (2015)**

Any great scenes in this movie involve a) Michael Pena, b) shrinking, or c) both.  As for the rest of it?  It starts off well enough, but it takes too long to get going.  "The heist" at the end is a bit of a non-event, but the fight scenes between Ant-Man and Yellowjacket are good.

43. Fantastic Four (2015)*

This movie is not bad up until the four return from Planet Zero.  After that point it's a mess.  Once Reed escapes from the military facility the dialogue is awful, the characters do things that make no sense, and the movie somehow ends without building up any kind of dramatic tension.  It feels like an hour of this film was removed before it hit theaters, and Dr. Doom looks like he escaped from another, much lower-budget film.

44. Deadpool (2016)***

The good news: as far as films within Fox's X-men universe go, this one is second best.  It's not as riveting as X-men: Days of Future Past, but it's better than all the other ones.  Compared to the Marvel Studios films, I'd rank it above lesser efforts like Iron Man 2 and 3, though it comes nowhere near their best.  It's refreshingly profane, yet it struggles during most of the "serious" parts.  A sequel to this movie would probably be much better than the original.

45. Captain America: Civil War (2016) **1/2

I liked it, but it was WAY to long and that fight at the airport seemed entirely unnecessary.  The inclusion of both Black Panther and Spider-Man also did very little to advance the plot, though I was happy to finally see Marvel's approach to these characters.  I think a smaller-scale movie, concentrating on the dynamic between Steve, Bucky, and Tony would have worked much better.

46. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) **

Continuity be damned!  Never mind the fact that many of the events occurring in Apocalypse happened much later (or is it earlier?) in the first three X-men movies.  Never mind the fact that many of the characters from First Class ought to be in their 50s by the 1980s.  The biggest problem with this movie is the villain, and the fact that he's just not threatening.  When you title a movie "Apocalypse" it ought to feel like the end of the world, and this movie just doesn't deliver on that promise.

On the Way 

 47. Doctor Strange (2016)

All I can say is... finally!  I've been waiting for this movie for so long.  Scott Derrickson is directing, and Benedict Cumberbatch will star as Stephen Strange.  The first trailer was released today, and it looks GREAT.  Time to get strange!

48. Deadpool 2?  X-Force? New Mutants? (2016)

The Gambit movie has been put on hold for the time being.  A Deadpool sequel so soon seems unlikely.  X-Force also seems unlikely without Deadpool.  New Mutants is a distinct possibility, however.

49. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017)

Who would have thought the first Guardians of the Galaxy would be such a success?  And who would have thought that a sequel would be on the way so soon?  Most of the original cast and crew will return for this film.

50. Third Wolverine Film (2017)

Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold will be returning.  Hopefully they can improve upon The Wolverine, which wasn't the stylistic triumph I hoped it would be.  Hugh Jackman has indicated that they'll be going for "Old Man Logan," though of course Fox will need to change a lot of the story to make up for characters they don't have the rights to.

51. Deadpool 2? X-Force? New Mutants? (2017)

Fox just greenlit the Deadpool sequel, and it seems likely that it will take over Fantastic Four 2's release date.  Either that or they'll skip straight to X-Force and put Deadpool on the roster.  New Mutants is also a possibility.

52. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

The Hulk will be in it, though nothing is known about the plot.  Taika Waititi will be directing, and Chris Hemsworth will return as Thor.

53. The Black Panther (2017)

Chadwick Boseman will play the Black Panther.  Creed's Ryan Coogler is directing.  I think it's safe to say that elements of his backstory will appear in the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron.  Nothing else is known about this movie.

54. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Sony finally set a release date for this film.  After years of negotiations with Marvel, Tom Holland will finally star as a much younger Spider-Man, with Jon Watts directing.  I thought the Amazing Spider-Man films were... OK, but I'm glad to see the character back under Marvel's supervision.  Last I heard Michael Keaton (Batman!) was in talks to play (one of the) villain(s).

55. The Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (2018)

It was bound to happen.  Thanos will be the villain, and his quest for the infinity gems (stones) will probably cause Earth's mightiest heroes a great deal of misery.  The interplay between this and DC's two Justice League movies will be fun to watch.

56. Captain Marvel (2018)

A female superhero film - even if it will appear a YEAR after DC's Wonder Woman.  And Captain Marvel ain't no Wonder Woman!  My guess is that Marvel will struggle with the script for a while and eventually give up.  Captain Marvel just isn't that interesting a character.

57. Inhumans (2018)

It's kind of hard to imagine the Inhumans in the absence of the Fantastic Four, but I'm sure Marvel will figure out a way to make it work.  Last I heard this movie had been delayed, and its release date may be given to another film.

58. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) 

No details on this movie as yet.  It was announced this week, and the release dates for both Captain Marvel and Black Panther have been adjusted to accommodate it.

59. The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 (2019)

With a rumored budget of a BILLION dollars, this and Infinity War Part 1 will, if nothing else, be something to talk about.

60. Untitled (2020) 

Have fun guessing.  My guess is that we finally get another Hulk movie.  Yeah, I know about that business with Universal, and yes, he often works better as part of the Avengers, but a Planet Hulk or World War Hulk movie would be amazing.  Marvel also knows how bad many of us want this one.

61. Untitled (2020) 

Have fun guessing here, too.  We can safely rule out Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America.  Ant-Man's sequel and Guardians of the Galaxy 2 are also listed above.  What does that leave us?  Could Marvel have won back the rights to the Fantastic Four?  Or will it be Guardians of the Galaxy 3?

62. Untitled (2020) 

Go CRAZY guessing!  Ghost Rider?  Daredevil on the big screen?  The Punisher?  Ego the living planet?  The U-Foes?  Spider-Gwen?

Thoughts on the Future of Various Cinematic Universes

Batman v. Superman premiered two weeks ago, Civil War is due (in Taiwan) 21 days from now, and X-Men: Apocalypse is due 21 days after that.  This means that three separate cinematic universes are in full swing, and with this in mind I'd like to discuss what the future might hold for each.

1. The DC Extended Universe

We are only two films into DC's Extended Universe.  The first of these was 2013's Man of Steel, and the second is the recently released Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.  A third film, Suicide Squad, will appear later this summer.

And later still: 

Wonder Woman (2017), Justice League Part 1 (2017), The Flash (2018), Aquaman (2018), Shazam (2019?), Justice League Part 2 (2019), Cyborg (2020), and Green Lantern Corps (2020).

How it's looking now: 

Batman v. Superman is a very divisive film.  Some of us love it, others hate it, with very few people in the middle.  I think it has flaws, but the initial critical reaction was far out of proportion to any flaws this movie might have.  It's not perfect, but if you really think it's worse than the first Thor, or the third X-men, you might want to question your loyalty to Marvel properties and/or your rampant dislike for anything DC.  There's a lot of "brand loyalty" at work in people's reactions to this film, both to its benefit and to its disadvantage.

Obviously replacing Snyder as director of the upcoming Justice League Part 1 would change many people's perceptions of the DC Extended Universe.  So will the success or failure of the upcoming Suicide Squad.  Yet I think that as of now the DCEU is on much firmer footing, and if Suicide Squad does well, future critics will be much kinder to Batman v. Superman.  As it is, BvS made a TON of money, and I don't think Warner Bros. has too much to worry about.

What I think they should do: 

a. Replace Snyder.  I think the guy's got talent, and finding another director will certainly delay production of Justice League Part 1, but it seems like the right thing to do.

b. Keep hiring good directors, and have faith in them.  Right now Marvel resembles the "studio system" of 1940s Hollywood, and DC won't be able to compete if they emulate the same system.  Instead of the top-down approach that Kevin Feige embodies, find directors with talent, and trust that they'll make a good movie without so much oversight.  David Ayer (Suicide Squad) and Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman) both have proven track records, and both can deliver quality films if Warner Bros. trusts in their respective visions.

c. Beat Marvel to the punch.  What do I mean by this?  Darkseid!  Darkseid and his Fourth World mythos are to Thanos what the anthill is the the ant.  I've heard talk that Justice League Part 1 will use the Atlanteans as the villains, but hopefully Darkseid will figure into that film as well.  DC has always done villains better than Marvel, and Darkseid represents an opportunity to deliver the original article (Darkseid) before Marvel re-releases the copy (Thanos) in Infinity War.

d. Don't try to copy Marvel's formula.  A lot of the negative reaction to Batman v. Superman can be boiled down to "not Marvel."  That's OK.  Not everyone's going to get it at first.  Don't be afraid to get "dark" just because Marvel has a lighter touch.  The recent talk of Suicide Squad undergoing reshoots to make it "more fun" is worrying, and would seem to indicate a lack of confidence in the course they've chosen.

2. The Marvel Cinematic Universe

The upcoming Captain America: Civil War will be the 13th film in the series, and the first film in Marvel's "Phase Three."  It's also the third Captain America film, following 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, and 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  Expectations for this movie are high.

And later still: 

Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Spider-Man (in partnership with Sony, 2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War - Part 1 (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Infinity War - Part 2 (2019), and Inhumans (2019).

And of course the Netflix shows should also be mentioned, since they occur in the same universe.  Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and the Defenders are all in various stages of production, though the dates of their release are more tentative.  And yes, there's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and the upcoming Damage Control, though - full disclosure - I have to say that I don't bother with the non-Netflix shows.

How it's looking now:

Marvel is still king of the castle, and should continue to be so with the release of Civil War.  I think Civil War will be a huge success, but the reaction to Doctor Strange will be more telling.  Marvel is well into its B-level heroes now, and by the time they arrive at Luke Cage and Captain Marvel they'll have arrived at the C-level.  Will the public get tired of their tried and tested formula?

What I think they should do: 

a. Don't be afraid to get weird.  Doctor Strange is of course their first opportunity to do this, since he's a magical hero who travels into other dimensions.  The Marvel films are definitely starting to feel a bit formulaic, and throwing in an eccentric one now and then will make their entire cinematic universe more interesting.

b. Make it topical.  Marvel does issues well, and the popularity of the Civil War idea reflects this.  Marvel has always done social issues better than DC, just as DC has always done the cosmic stuff better.  I think if the Marvel films can stay relevant they will continue to do well.

c. Don't oversaturate the market.  This is of course the biggest danger that Marvel Studios faces, aside from the soon-to-expire contracts of its leading men and women.  Success invites overexposure, and the public can only care about so many superheroes and so many storylines at one time.  "Holding back" a little will ensure that there's still an audience for these things down the line. 

d. Have a plan B.  What is Marvel going to do without Evans, Downey, and Hemsworth?  These actors will inevitably exit stage left at some point, and Marvel should be preparing for this outcome.  It is an interesting question: Will they go with newer heroes, or reboot the older ones? 

3. Fox's X-Men Film Series.

As stated above, X-Men: Apocalypse will be appearing in May, to be followed by a third Wolverine film in 2017.  X-Men: Apocalypse is the 9th movie in this series, and marks Bryan Singer's fourth outing (if you'll forgive the pun) as director.

And later still: 

Deadpool 2, X-Force, Gambit, and the New Mutants are all possibilities, but Fox isn't assigning release dates to their future films as yet.  I think this is a smart move, as it frees them up to pursue whatever projects seem most viable.

How it's looking now:

Deadpool was an astounding and unexpected worldwide success, produced on what was - in superhero terms - a miniscule budget.  X-Men: Days of Future Past was also well received, though it wasn't the game-changer that Deadpool was.  I would describe the anticipation for X-Men: Apocalypse as "moderate," though of course positive reviews can always change people's minds.

What I think they should do: 

a. The New Mutants.  This was a popular (if not super popular) comic book from the late 1980s, that would translate well into a film.  It would also make the X-men films much richer, showing us aspects of that world we haven't really seen before.  Magik and Warlock would also look amazing onscreen.

b. Enough with Mystique already.  I get that Jennifer Lawrence is a talented and beautiful actress, but her role in the X-men films is beginning to resemble that of Wolverine.  Mystique leading a team against Apocalypse?  Really?  Who thought that idea made sense?  This character is already far more important that she ever was in the comics, and her importance comes at the expense of other, more interesting characters.

c. Deadpool sequel please.  Of course this is bound to happen at some point, but I'm hoping it's sooner rather than later.  Cable also comes with the sequel.

d. X-Force.  It might be better to do this after a New Mutants film, especially since X-Force was a natural outgrowth of the New Mutants.  Having the mutants go "paramilitary" would be a great idea.

e. Get rid of Singer.  Really.  It's time for him to go.  I thought Days of Future Past deserved the critical praise it received, and Apocalypse may deserve similar accolades, but his version of the X-Men continues to look as if it's stuck in the past.  I'm also getting really, really tired of black leather body armor and the endless inclusion of Magneto.  Someone needs to do something new already.

f. Recast Wolverine.  Hugh Jackman has already stated that the third Wolverine will be his last run as the character.  And as much as I think the X-men film series owes its continued existence to him, it's high time we got a Wolverine that was rougher around the edges.  This, I think, should be done as soon as possible.

Comic Book Interlude 1

Barring unforeseen baseball games, camping trips, concerts, and other such distractions I plan on reading A LOT of comic books in the next few weeks!

Bone: Rose

Magic, and dragons, and princesses.  The story is pretty dumb, but the art is just pretty.  Apparently this comic series has won awards, so maybe I just read the wrong part of the series.  As it is, this one is quite silly.

Battling Boy

A godlike boy descends to the world of mortals to do battle with monsters.  The story's rather uncomplicated, but I think the author might be building up to something good.  The art is very quirky - in a good way.

Captain America: Two Americas

Following the conclusion of Civil War, Bucky takes over as Captain America while Steve Rogers recovers from his "death" at the hands of the Red Skull.  Shortly thereafter Steve's doppelganger resurfaces in Idaho, at the head of a group of survivalists/insurgents.  It's a great comic - well drawn and well written.

Batman: Through the Looking Glass

A retelling of "Through the Looking Glass" (Alice in Wonderland) via Batman.  The Mad Hatter slips Bruce Wayne some 'shrooms at a dinner party, and the result is a surreal trip through Gotham's sewer system.  This one is pretty good.

Brightest Day - Birds of Prey: End Run

Not really sure what the purpose of this comic was.  For guys to stroke themselves over?  For people to read?  Despite writer Gail Simone being (gasp) a woman, the female characters in this comic book are incomprehensible.  They cry and have "girl feelings," but their emotional displays are either out of context or out of character.

The Brave and the Bold - The Lords of Luck

A well-written comic by Mark Waid and George Perez.  Every time I see Perez's art I instantly feel about eight years old.  The dialogue is snappy and it's well plotted.  Sure, some of the time travel elements make no sense, but then again they rarely do.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Saw this movie a couple of hours ago.  Been looking forward to it for some time, and I wasn't disappointed.  If you haven't seen it yet, you might want to avoid reading what follows.

For more context on this film, you are welcome to read my Review of Every Marvel and DC Superhero Movie from 1951 to the Present


1. The Story

Steve Rogers continues to adjust to modern life.  At the beginning of the film he is still employed by S.H.I.E.L.D.  After he and the Black Widow rescue several hostages from mercenaries, a power struggle develops between Nick Fury and Alexander Pierce, his supervisor.  Unknown to Fury, Pierce is secretly an agent of Hydra, an organization that has been infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. since its inception.  Hydra, acting through S.H.I.E.L.D., intends to eliminate several million "threats" to its goal of world domination, and Rogers must enlist the aid of the Black Widow, Maria Hill, Nick Fury, and his new friend the Falcon to foil the plot.  He also has to contend with his former friend Bucky Barnes, now dubbed the Winter Soldier.

2. How It Compares to the First Captain America

This movie is a lot faster paced.  Whereas the first one kind of plodded along (albeit intentionally), the action in this film flows seamlessly from beginning to end.  The fight scenes are miles ahead of the first movie, and the plot is a lot more intricate.  While the first film had an earnestness that I liked, the sequel broods over the fine line between right and wrong.  Chris Evans, all American forthrightness in the first film, has a lot more to do in this movie, and there's a sadness about his portrayal of Captain America that's very compelling.

3. How It Compares to Other Marvel Films

My least favorite Marvel Studios film is Thor, and this movie is A LOT better than that one.  My second least favorite Marvel Studios film is Iron Man 3, and this movie is still better than that.  Taking all of the Marvel Studios films into account, I'd tentatively rank this one fifth, behind The Avengers, Iron Man, Thor 2, and the Incredible Hulk.  It's a good movie, but it didn't blow me away.

4. Trivia

There are two post-credits scenes.  The first features Baron Von Strucker in his lair, discussing the fate of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, whom he has imprisoned.  The second involves Bucky going to the Smithsonian, and learning about his past before becoming the Winter Soldier.

I won't discuss in full any connections to previous Marvel films, though there are many references to such films.  Iron Man/Tony Stark is probably mentioned the most often.

As for other trivia, some of it might have gotten by me.  I did notice that during one scene, when they're interrogating a Hydra agent, the agent mentions that Hydra was targeting a "Stephen Strange," whom comic book fans will know as the alter ego of Doctor Strange.  Maria Hill also goes to work for Stark Industries after the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.

5. What's Coming Next

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the ninth film in Marvel's Cinematic Universe, and the third film in Marvel's "Phase 2" set of films.  Guardians of the Galaxy will arrive in August 2014, followed by The Avengers: Age of Ultron in May 2015.  After Avengers 2, Marvel will release Ant-Man in July 2015.  And after that, probably going head-to-head with Warner Bros. "Batman Vs. Superman," Marvel will release Captain America 3. 

6. Related News

Captain America: The Winter Soldier seems to be getting more favorable reviews than both Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World.  It had a big international release, though the American release is still a few days away.

Comic Book Movies as of December 2013

Saw "Thor: The Dark World" a while back, just a couple days after it premiered in Taiwan.  I thought it was a vast improvement over the first "Thor," and it reminded me of the run Walt Simonson did on the comics when I was a kid.  While "Thor: The Dark World" wasn't as earth-shattering as Surtur forging a sword and signaling Ragnarok, it was a solid, fast-paced action movie.  It was also much better than the disappointing "Iron Man 3."

With Thor 2 out of the way, 2014 will see the arrival of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" in April, "Guardians of the Galaxy" the following summer, and "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" in 2015.  The preview for the next Captain America film has already appeared, and it looks like it will be even better than Thor 2.  

I'm a bit skeptical about "Guardians of the Galaxy," especially after that weak post-credits scene at the end of Thor 2.  It will be quite a departure from what Marvel has done already, and we'll see if director James Gunn's brand of "funny" really works in a Marvel context.  Hopefully we won't have another "Howard the Duck" on our hands.

I have a hard time imagining that the Avengers sequel won't be good.  All of the cast from the first film are returning, and Joss Whedon is once again writing and directing, so it seems like a sure thing.  The Avengers will be facing off against their robot adversary Ultron, with Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch added to the roster.  I'm interested to see what they do with Quicksilver, since the Marvel movies haven't done much with super speed thus far.

I doubt that the cinematic Scarlet Witch will look half as sexy as her comic book counterpart.  The comic book Scarlet Witch has one of the sexiest costumes ever, and I suspect that director Whedon will be under pressure to make her less of a sex object.  This is unfortunate, since it is this very sex appeal that has made her one of the more interesting characters in the Avengers lineup.

Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man," which kicks off Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is also due out in 2015.  It's too early to say much about this one, aside from the fact that they're still writing the script, and Paul Rudd has been rumored for the lead.

In the X-men camp, there is "Days of Future Past," which just looks boring to me.  The trailer is already on YouTube, and despite reaching for a more "epic" feel the whole thing just looks like another episode of the same, tired superhero soap opera.  Wolverine is the only interesting character that movie franchise has, and I think he would be better served by another solo film.  "The Wolverine" wasn't as good as ANY of the Marvel films, but it was still much better than any of the X-men films.

And I'm not going to argue that Hugh Jackman isn't a great actor, or that he hasn't done a good job with Wolverine, but he really doesn't LOOK like Wolverine, and that has always bothered me.  They need to find a much shorter, much hairier, much uglier actor for this part.  Wolverine (like Spider-man) is everyone's favorite underdog, and a Wolverine that looks like Hugh Jackman isn't really anyone's underdog.  I think that if you could go back to the early 80s, and tell Danny Devito to start lifting some serious weights, after a year or so he might start to look something like Wolverine.

In 2015, 20th Century Fox, the studio producing the X-men films, will also release a Fantastic Four movie, set in the same cinematic universe.  It's too early to get hopeful about this one.  The director, Josh Trank, was the guy behind "Chronicle."

And Spider-man?  A teaser for "The Amazing Spider-man 2" is online, but it doesn't show much.  This sequel will pit Spider-man against Electro and the Rhino.  Sony is quite keen on this film series, and there are already plans for an "Amazing Spider-man 3" and "Amazing Spider-man 4."  Elements of this film series (and one dare hope - Spider-man?) might appear in the second Avengers movie.

Warner Bros./DC have plans of their own.  By now I'm sure everyone is aware of the "Batman Vs. Superman" movie, which will appear in 2015.  Ben Affleck will be the Dark Knight, Henry Cavill will reprise his role as Superman, and the woman from the "Fast and Furious" films has been confirmed as Wonder Woman.

The problem with Wonder Woman mirrors that of the Scarlet Witch.  Say what you like, but Wonder Woman IS a sex object, and casting one of these thin supermodel types isn't in keeping with the character.  Even hiring a female bodybuilder would be closer to more recent incarnations of Wonder Woman.  The actress that they've hired is certainly pretty, but unless she engages in some serious weight training, I'm not sure how much she's going to look like Wonder Woman.  Wonder Woman also needs BREASTS, for God's sake!  I may just be another male chauvinist pig for saying so, but her "assets" play into the mythology built up around the character.  If she isn't achingly "hot," then she should at least be physically intimidating.

Of all these movies, I'm most looking forward to the next Captain America film and "Age of Ultron."  I'll probably see "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "The Amazing Spider-man 2" in the theater, but I'll wait for the next X-men film on DVD.  "Batman Vs. Superman?"  I'll make that decision when I finally see the preview.  2015 is going to be a HUGE year for superhero movies, and I can't wait to see how the ongoing DC/Marvel/Sony/Fox rivalries play out over the next two years.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (As of March 2013)

I can't very well talk about the DC films, can I?  Right now the only thing definite is this summer's "Man of Steel," and all of those "Justice League in 2015!" rumors have fallen by the wayside.  We'll see, we'll see...

1. Iron Man 3 (May 2013)

Early reports on this movie liken it to a superhero version of "Patriot Games."  The trailer looks promising, and it will be good to finally see The Mandarin (what?  No Fin Fang Foom?).  This movie looks darker than the first two films, and they seem to have amped up the drama.

There is speculation to the effect that Tony will be suiting up and traveling into space at the end of this one, and once there encountering The Guardians of the Galaxy.  There is also speculation that Wasp will make an appearance in the film, or that it will be Ant-Man instead of The Guardians at the end.  I would prefer Ant-Man.

2. Thor: the Dark World (November 2013)

This movie, like "Iron Man 3" has concluded filming.  Still no trailer yet, but many on-set photos have surfaced on the Net.  In this installment, Thor travels around the Nine Realms and squares off against Melekith, Kurse, and the Enchantress.  Too early to say what the end credits might reveal, but I would love it if Beta Ray Bill's ship showed up somewhere.  That, or Surtur's presence was hinted at.  I didn't like the first "Thor" all that much, even though it was better than I expected.  I think this one will be good.

3. Captain America: the Winter Soldier (April 2014)

Kevin Feige has described this as a "70's political thriller masquerading as a superhero movie," so I imagine the tone will be quite different from "Captain America: The First Avenger."  The title suggests that Bucky, his sidekick from the first film, will return from the dead as an assassin.  The Falcon is also in this one, as is Crossbones.  Many of the supporting characters from The Avengers also reappear.

I can't understand why they wanted to include The Falcon in this movie.  Yeah, I realize that he has a long history with Captain America, but he's got to be one of the gayest black superheroes ever.  Seriously, The Falcon?  The guy that talks to birds?

4. Guardians of the Galaxy (August 2014)

There are still very few details available, though some promotional art has been released.  The Guardians are Drax the Destroyer, Groot, Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, and Gamora.  James Gunn is directing, and it begins filming in June 2013.  No one has been officially cast as yet.

Kevin Feige has stated that this film and "Thor: The Dark World" will take the brunt of the cosmic events in the MCU, so perhaps the two films will tie together.  As Thanos appeared at the end of "The Avengers," and The Guardians are known for their battles with Thanos, it seems likely that Thanos will also appear in this movie.

I'm still not sure how this film is going to work.  It does, after all, feature a talking raccoon (anyone remember "Howard the Duck"?).  It could be that it is aimed more at kids.

5. The Avengers 2 (May 2015)

The first "Avengers" was the third highest-grossing film of ALL TIME, and set numerous other records.  This said, the sequel is inevitable.  Even if Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and Scarlet Johannson ALL died in a plane crash tomorrow, you can be certain that we would see CGI versions of them bantering their way through "Avengers 2."

No news on the plot yet.  Still too early to say.  I'm assuming Thanos will be the villain, though I would love it if the Red Skull found his way back through that wormhole.

6. Ant-Man (November 2015)

This movie has taken its sweet time, but it seems more likely now than it has ever been.  Edgar Wright will direct, and the film will feature both Scott Lang and Henry Pym.  Test footage has been shot, the release date has been set, so one would assume that Ant-Man will indeed kick off Marvel's "Phase Three" in 2015.

7. And Later On....?

Kevin Feige keeps dropping hints that a Doctor Strange movie is in the works.  I would freaking love to see Doctor Strange.  I am tempted to think that after focusing on the cosmic stuff in "Phase Two," the more magic-oriented characters will get their day in "Phase Three."  Not, of course, that an Asgardian thunder god is scientific in any sense of the word.

But beyond Strange, what other characters might we see?  I'm hoping that "Phase Three" won't be too sequel-heavy, and a few of the untried, less recognizable characters will get their own films.  I could do without "Iron Man 4," "Thor 3," and "Captain America 3."  Marvel needs to give other heroes a chance.

As a comic book character, Spider Woman has considerable assets.

More minority and/or female superheroes would be a welcome change from the usual run of white males.  I'd like to see a Spider Woman film, even though that seems unlikely and there may also be issues with Sony over the use of the word "Spider".  Luke Cage would make a great movie, and Ms. Marvel could be interesting.  The Black Panther would be my first choice among the "second tier" heroes, both because he is, well, black, and also because his backstory is significantly different from heroes we've seen already. 

Despite what I said about sequels above, I would like to see another Hulk movie.  Ed Norton's Hulk is still my favorite of the Marvel films, and the Hulk is my favorite Marvel character bar none.  "The Incredible Hulk" set up the Leader as his next adversary, and they could truly go places with that idea.  

Comic Book Interlude....

And now for something completely ridiculous.

I realize how incongruous it is to review something like Captain America and Bucky in the wake of books like American Tabloid and Journey Without Maps (see below), but I am resolved to include these things in the order I read them.

Last week I managed to get a hold of some American comics.  Here they are:

1. Justice League #5

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Cyborg do battle with a guy that looks a lot like Darkseid.  IS it Darkseid?  I'm not sure.  Some of their costumes have been revamped since 52, and I'd have to say that Superman looks much better without the red underwear.


2. Spider-Man: Marvel Adventures #22

The art in this comic book is horrible.  The story is horrible too.  I'm assuming this was marketed more towards younger kids.  Spider-man fights the Mandarin, but - most puzzling of all - we never actually see Spider-man hit anyone!

3. Captain America and Bucky #626

The art in this one is a bit more stylized than the others, but it still has a journeyman quality that I disliked.  Bucky is evil!  Or wait!  Is it really Bucky?  Maybe it's really an android!

4. Aquaman #6

This is the most politically-correct comic book I have ever read.  Mera walks around the surface world, not doing much, and offers many comments on how inappropriate our society is.  In the end she sucks all the fluids out of some guy - definitely not in the way he was hoping for, I'm sure. The art was terrible.

5. Batgirl #6

Batman and Batgirl take on some girl who can control minds.  In the end they find out that she was the product of a botched mafia hit, so it's really not her fault anyway.  Apparently the fact that many of her mafia accomplices were also the product of violent situations is not worth noting.  They're not girls, after all.

6. Avengers Annual #1

This was the best of the bunch.  Wonder Man goes crazy and beats the crap out of the assembled Avengers, but in the end Iron Man tricks him and reverts him to his "ionic form" (whatever that means).  Reminiscent of The Ultimates, but in a good way.

The Avengers

I am dying to see "The Avengers" next year.  Given my fondness for comic books this is to be expected.

I've seen all the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) films at least twice, and if you'll excuse my language, I can't fucking wait for this one.  What?  Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk in the same movie?  Fuck... YEAH!

As far as the MCU films go, I'd have to say that Captain America was the best of them all.  The Incredible Hulk was a close second, and Iron Man 1 and 2 a distant 3rd. 

I thought Thor was just OK.  It could have been a much better movie, if directed by a less Shakespearean director.  When I heard they were making a Thor movie, "Conan the Barbarian" was the first film that popped into my head.  "Yeah," I thought, "If they just make it like Conan, that will kick ass!"  Unfortunately for me, Kenneth Branagh was thinking of King Lear.

As matters now stand, we have about four months to wait for "The Avengers."  You can be damn sure that I'll be seeing it on the first weekend it appears in Taiwan.  The last movie I was in a rush to see was "Tron Legacy," and what a disappointment that was.  Compared to that disaster, "The Avengers" HAS to be better.

A lot of people are comparing this film to the next big DC film, "The Dark Knight Rises," but for me that's just apples and oranges.  The recent Batman films are going for a gritty realism that Marvel would be wise not to imitate.  It works for Batman, but not as well for a big green angry man and a Norse deity. 

Besides, the next Batman will be a film that critics love, but which most moveigoers will only see once.  "The Avengers," if made well, will be the movie we want to see over and over again.