The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown far beyond what 2008 audiences could have thought possible afterIron Man’s release. 32 movies and 12 series later, Marvel Studios have built a shared universe where multiversal variants and space operas are the norm. Now in Phase 5, audiences having prior knowledge of MCU lore is crucial in understanding the plot of any new release – making it easy to forget how young the franchise actually is. WhileIron Manofficially kicked off the Marvel juggernaut, the true beginnings of the MCU (as viewers recognize it today) did not solidify until a few years later.
The early 2010s began Marvel’s foray into expanded universe storytelling. Minor characters who had only been seen inIron ManandIron Man 2started popping up inThorandCaptain America: The First Avengerbefore culminating in 2012’sThe Avengers, solidifying the MCU as the stand-out cinematic franchise of its generation. Phase 1 of the MCU has its own growing pains, but when most of the recent films have the stakes raised to the point where it seems a stiff breeze could destroy infinite different universes,revisiting a time when Marvel movies prioritized telling a character-driven storyover wacky superhero antics feels like a sigh of relief.
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The earliest films in Marvel’s first phase have stayed in audiences' good graces because of the character-driven nature of the films.Iron Manisn’t a movie about a man who gets powers and chooses to make the world a better place – it’s about a man who already possessed beyond-impressive skills and resources and decided to help others after a change in perspective. Once Tony Stark, a disgustingly wealthy weapons manufacturer, is forced to see how war impacts innocent people, he sets out on a path of self-improvement so he could help the world around him because he had the ability and resources available to do so.
Iron Manworks because it’s genuine. Providing a cornerstone for a connected universe of other superhero media isn’t the primary goal of the film. At the time, the goal was to create a fantastic, singular story for audiences to fall in love with. While this film, and other superhero movies outside the MCU, exist within established franchises,Iron Manstands among the best of them because it honors the same roots of a successful superhero story.
Sam Raimi’s 2004Spider-Mansequel has consistently been hailed asone of the best superhero movies of all time. Audiences have always resonated with every aspect of its story, from showing Tobey McGuire’s Peter Parker as a broke college student to showing Spider-Man stopping a runaway subway car. Raimi nailed the duality in telling a grounded superhero story by literally making that an obstacle in Peter’s journey. At its core,Spider-Man 2is a film about sincerity and acceptance. Audiences see Peter struggle with succeeding in his personal life because of his dedication to his work as a crime fighter. Seeing him purposely isolate himself in an effort to keep his loved ones safer after the events of the first movie provides palpable dramatic tension from the start.
The question of “Who is Peter Parker?” that the first movie poses isn’t answered by the second movie’s ending becausePeter still doesn’t have a full grasp of the answer. Many of his actions are fueled by the guilt he feels over the people he loves being hurt because of their proximity to him. And while a lot of these motivations seem to set up a very bleak superhero flick, Sam Raimi expertly balances these deeply human and emotional themes with heart and light and fun throughout the film’s visuals.
Losses are just as important as wins
What setAvengers: Infinity Warapart from its predecessors wasthat the heroes lost – a devastating amount. Even when the bulk of this loss is recovered by the end ofAvengers: Endgame, the team still has to face the consequences of how they were able to recover the second half of the world’s population lost to the snap. Characters audiences have watched for a decade died in their pursuit of the final victory, and those losses are still felt in later MCU projects.
However, the blueprint for a successful superhero blockbuster that allows its hero to lose lies in Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knight. Largely considered the best superhero movie in the history of all superhero movies,The Dark Knightset a bar that has really yet to be surpassed. Between Oscar-winning performances, tension grounded in real-world stakes, and an ending that took everyone by surprise, it’s no wonder whyThe Dark Knightcemented its spot as the leading example of what a superhero movie could really accomplish.
The Dark Knighthad many moments that subverted audience expectations to tremendous results, but nothing could have prepared viewers for its ending. The movie does not end on a good note. While Christian Bale’sBatmantechnically saves the day, he’s not seen as a hero afterward. He takes the fall for Two-Face kidnapping, and nearly killing, Commissioner Gordon and his family because Gotham needed Harvey Dent as its symbol of hope more than it needed Batman at the time. He allowed himself to be crucified by the city he swore to protect because he knew that’s what they needed to thrive.
In order to save his community, he couldn’t save himself. He allowed himself to lose so Dent could continue playing his part for the betterment of Gotham – a move that shows following a motivation as simple as “What is the best way to help this community?” and allowing that outcome to play out realistically can still provide an incredible final product.
