Multiversal epics, street-level thrillers, and even a sitcom or two — Phase 4 of
the MCU really had it all. But which projects soared… and which ones sank?
The MCU's first half-hour sitcom, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is, as Jennifer Walters
repeatedly insists, a lawyer show — except when a rampaging antagonist forces Jen to Hulk out
and smash stuff. The show recounts She-Hulk's origin story and explains how she reluctantly
becomes a part-time superhero. Plus, Jen's new She-Hulk status opens the door for all
kinds of MCU cameos, and nearly every episode includes at least one big-name guest star.
"I know you can't wait to see Wong. I get it. I just wanna make sure that you don't
think that this is one of those 'cameo every week' type of shows. It's not."
All of this proves to be a lot of laugh-out-loud fun, but it also makes for a wildly uneven nine
episodes, where the show's penchant for meta-comedy and mocking MCU tropes often
come at the expense of the story. Still, critics and audiences were polarized over whether that
was a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, critics mostly praised the series, appreciating
what made it funny and enjoyable over its flaws. However, common fan criticisms included the show's
weak plotting, the CGI, and the comedy, which some found to be more cringey than chuckle-worthy.
Out of all the films in the franchise,
Eternals feels the least like an MCU film. The story of a group of 10 immortal superpowered
aliens who came to Earth millennia ago to protect the world against the destructive Deviants,
Eternals sees the titular heroes reuniting after a Deviant emerges in modern-day London.
With so many new characters and a story spanning thousands of years,
Eternals was always going to be an odd fit within the greater MCU. The movie is
undeniably ambitious, and Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao ensures it features stunning visuals,
absorbing exposition, and a calmer, quieter tone than many of its more frantic counterparts.
But critics complained that the film is also overly long
and burdened with uninspired action sequences, unoriginal plot points,
and a chemistry-free central romance between Gemma Chan's Sersi and Richard Madden's Ikaris.
Eternals does introduce some intriguing new elements into the MCU, but on balance,
it never quite captures the imagination like the franchise's other entries.
Thor: Love and Thunder is a fun and buoyant addition to a universe that has begun to feel
a little weighed down by its attempts to forge new directions in the wake of the Infinity Saga.
Yet many critics have complained that Love and Thunder feels like a less innovative
redo of 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, making for a film that's locked too much in its own past.
The movie's story picks up with Thor still traveling the universe with the
Guardians of the Galaxy following the events of Avengers: Endgame. Everything changes when
he returns to New Asgard to discover his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster fighting as the
Mighty Thor against a new threat, Gorr the God Butcher, who is intent on eradicating the gods.
"This is my vow. All gods will die."
Love and Thunder is a vibrant journey through space accompanied by plenty of humor, heart,
and even a touch of horror, all set to a rollicking metal soundtrack. Yet while the
movie offers plenty for long-time MCU fans to love, for some, the story may feel a little
redundant or disjointed. For others, it may even seem like a step back for Thor,
a character who has been through a lot but doesn't seem to have grown all that much.
There was plenty of excitement when it was announced that Sam Raimi, director of the
original Spider-Man trilogy, would helm the second movie in the Doctor Strange series.
Fans were eager to see how a superhero veteran like Raimi would handle an MCU film. Perhaps the
most interesting thing about Raimi's approach to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,
however, is that his style appears more in the movie's horror beats, which often
recall Raimi's Evil Dead movies. Moreover, while this is a Doctor Strange movie, it's
as much about Elizabeth Olsen's grieving Wanda Maximoff as it is the one-time Sorcerer Supreme.
The story finds Strange and Wong rescuing America Chavez, a girl with the ability to hop across the
multiverse. Chavez is being pursued by Wanda, leading to an epic chase across
universes. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a distinctly dark entry in the MCU,
which makes it stand out from the lighter tone of many of its predecessors. For this one,
though, fans' and critics' mileage will vary depending on how much they buy into
Wanda's story — as well as how much they enjoy the movie's scarier side.
When Chris Evans' Captain America departed the MCU at the end of Avengers: Endgame, he left a
void at the heart of the franchise that fans knew would have to be filled. The six-part Disney+
series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was created to illustrate exactly how that happens.
"We built this country. Bled for it. I'm not gonna let anyone tell me I can't fight for it."
The show also tackles the rise of the U.S.-sanctioned Captain America, John Walker,
as well as the threat posed by the supersoldier Flag Smashers and the dastardly Helmut Zemo.
Although the series starts slow, once it takes off, critics found that it packs
in plenty of heart-pumping action, some timely political and social commentary,
and a hugely enjoyable dynamic between Sam and Bucky. The show is a little unfocused at times,
sure, but it's still a rewarding insight into these two less well-known MCU characters.
After a lengthy delay due to the pandemic, Black Widow was the first movie to finally be released
as part of Phase 4. The film sheds light on the backstory of Natasha Romanoff, a character who
entered the MCU back in 2010 with Iron Man 2. Yet because it's a movie about a character who
died in Avengers: Endgame and takes place between Civil War and Infinity War, the movie feels like
more of an afterthought than it might have had it been made and released earlier in the franchise.
Still, Natasha finally gets the solo movie she always deserved, and her story leads to the
introduction of several exciting new characters. Moreover, critics found the film funny, touching,
and relatable. Some noted that it casts Natasha in the spotlight she always deserved,
placing her in a pleasingly standalone adventure unlike anything we've seen her
in before. Unfortunately, the film's rote action and underwhelming villains pull much of the focus,
making for an entertaining but uneven swan song for one of the O.G. Avengers.
By the time Moon Knight was released, magic was an established part of the MCU, but it had
never been used quite like it is in this series. This Disney+ series is the tale of Marc Spector,
a mercenary who is also the avatar for the Egyptian god Khonshu. Marc's life would be
complicated enough if doing the deity's bidding was the only thing he had to worry about. However,
Marc also has Dissociative Identity Disorder, and when one of his alters,
Steven Grant, discovers what he's been up to, things get even dicier.
With its deep dive into Egyptian mythology, superhero antics,
and multiple main characters sharing one body, Moon Knight is a decidedly unusual MCU outing.
The show's mythology-driven plot gets awfully technical at times, and that combined with
some ho-hum action sequences can lead to a few lulls in the story. Overall, though,
critics praised Moon Knight for being absorbing and entertaining, especially as it dives deeper
into Marc's backstory — and it's all anchored by an impressive dual performance by Oscar Isaac.
"We are an unusual couple, you know."
"Oh, I don't think that was ever in question"
WandaVision kicked off Phase 4 of the MCU in early 2021; it was also the very
first MCU TV show on Disney+. That's a lot of pressure for a new series,
but WandaVision more than rose to the occasion, with critics praising how smart,
creative, and compelling the MCU could be in an episodic TV format.
The series begins as Wanda Maximoff and Vision live out their happy lives in the small suburban
town of Westview, New Jersey, mere months after the events of Avengers: Endgame. The only problem?
Viz died back in Infinity War and, for some reason, each episode of the show perfectly
mimics a different era of sitcom television. As the episodes go on and more light is shed
on the mystery of what's really happening in Westview, WandaVision deepens from an impeccably
realized homage to television to a poignant and heartbreaking meditation on loss and grief.
WandaVision proved that TV was a worthwhile avenue for exploring MCU
characters who enjoyed limited screen-time in the franchise's movies. It also proved
that the format was capable of introducing new fan-favorite characters, such as Kathryn Hahn's
Agatha Harkness. The show wouldn't have worked at all without Olsen and Bettany,
however, who give alternately hilarious, moving, and devastating performances.
A follow-up to 2018's lauded Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had to walk a difficult
tightrope after its lead actor Chadwick Boseman, who played T'Challa in multiple Phase 3 films,
died before he could reprise his role in the sequel. Thankfully, the movie rises
to the occasion. By having T'Challa's fate mirror Boseman's, director Ryan Coogler and his co-writer
Joe Robert Cole honor the actor, while offering an avenue for fans to mourn both Boseman and his
character. This ensures that the movie is powerful and poignant, and also serves as a catalyst to
further the stories of other leading Wakandans, as each one of them move into the future.
The film also includes a bevy of new and exciting characters, including antagonist Namor,
leader of the underwater empire of Talokan, and Riri Williams, who's poised to become Ironheart,
the heir apparent to Iron Man. While this leads to an often overstuffed story,
in general, critics and audiences agreed that Wakanda Forever is a compelling,
emotionally satisfying installment in the franchise that does right by the fallen T'Challa.
The first Muslim superhero in the MCU, Ms. Marvel focuses on Pakistani-American teenager
Kamala Khan, who is granted superpowers by a bangle with deep roots in her family history.
For many critics, Ms. Marvel stands out for how breezy and charming it all feels. Before Kamala
develops her own powers, she's a huge Marvel fan, especially of Captain Marvel, so she responds with
surprise and a certain amount of glee when it seems she's following in her hero's footsteps.
"Cosmic."
Ms. Marvel does a good job of weaving in the daily rituals and expectations of a Muslim family,
but it's less interested in presenting this as social commentary than simply as a normal
part of Kamala's life. The show isn't concerned with Kamala's role as a Jersey City high school
student, either. Instead, the focus — and its most interesting element — is Kamala's exploration
of her family's history, which forces her to grapple with who she is and who she wants to be.
Ultimately, though, the best reason to watch Ms. Marvel is Iman Vellani,
who, in her very first acting role, proves to be so magnetic that it's
impossible not to enjoy her exuberant performance. Vellani is a true talent,
and her bright-eyed take on Kamala Khan will bring some welcome enthusiasm to future MCU projects.
Marvel's first holiday special, Werewolf By Night, is a fascinating experiment for the MCU. Released
just in time for Halloween, the atmospheric one-off tells the tale of Jack Russell,
a mysterious monster hunter who joins a hunt to kill a terrifying creature in
order to win a mystical relic. Although Werewolf By Night is based on the Marvel
comic character and considered part of the MCU, the story stands entirely on its own,
and its lack of connective tissue to the rest of the saga makes it a unique entry in the franchise.
The special also stands out for the direction, which is deftly handled by Oscar-winning composer
Michael Giacchino, who crafts an immersive black-and-white yarn that ultimately owes
just as much to Universal's monster movies of the 1930s and 1940s as it does Marvel.
That means Werewolf By Night is bloodier and more frightening than the franchise's traditional fare,
but it's also wryly funny and gripping — and the story is all the more intriguing for its
open-ended conclusion, which suggests this won't be the last we see of these characters.
Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye debuted in 2011's Thor, yet, despite being one of the original members of
the Avengers, he has never been fleshed out as much as some of his counterparts. Hawkeye aims
to correct this by showcasing the realities of Clint's life after Avengers: Endgame, including a
bout of hearing loss, his grief over the death of his best friend, Natasha Romanoff, and his
love for his family, to whom he's desperately trying to get back to in time for Christmas.
After Hawkeye's past as the Ronin comes back to haunt him, he is forced to team up with
his No. 1 fan, Kate Bishop. Renner plays Clint as a skeptical curmudgeon who, underneath his
gruff exterior, cares deeply about the people he loves. Kate makes for an amusing counterpoint,
as her overly enthusiastic desire to jump into the action both frustrates and endears her to Clint.
The entertaining push-and-pull between Haylee Steinfeld and Renner endeared critics to the show,
too. In addition, the show offers a welcome appearance by Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova,
who improves every scene she's in, as well as the surprise return of
Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin — marking his long-awaited entry into the MCU.
It's long been said that the MCU suffers from a lack of good villains. While there
have certainly been bright spots, the franchise's bad guys have generally
had a hard time living up to the heroes. Ever since the franchise began, however,
it has had one reliable black hat: Tom Hiddleston's Loki, the god of mischief.
"Surprise!"
Loki has been a frequent adversary and occasional ally to Thor and the Avengers
throughout the MCU's first three phases. Yet while the version we knew for much of the
franchise reconciled with his brother and died heroically in Avengers: Infinity War, the one
who appears in Loki is a variant created when he used the Tesseract to escape custody in Avengers:
Endgame. Loki's new lease of life draws the attention of the Time Variance Authority,
an agency of time-travelers who are tasked with pruning divergent timelines.
This sets Loki on a trippy and delightful journey across space and time, encountering
alternative versions of himself along the way. Loki really does it all:
In six episodes, the show digs even further into Loki's captivating,
chaotic perspective on life, introduces the Multiverse Saga's next big bad,
and delivers one of the most engaging — and weirdest — romances in the entire MCU.
Guardians of the Galaxy director and writer James Gunn has warned that there are heavy
times ahead for his ragtag band of misfit superheroes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,
but before that happens, the team celebrates Earth's most wonderful time of year in The
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. The story primarily revolves around Mantis and Drax as they
attempt to create the perfect Christmas for Peter Quill by acquiring the ultimate gift: Kevin Bacon.
"Oh! I'm so excited."
Mantis and Drax's fish-out-of-water antics on Earth are hilarious, and it's fun to see these
two take center stage as they attempt to figure out humanity's strange customs. Things only get
more bonkers when they finally make contact with Kevin Bacon and realize he's an actor,
and not the great hero Quill led them to believe. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is
a brief but delightful Yuletide treat, sure to make any MCU fan's holiday that much brighter.
The MCU is known for being a live-action spectacular, but the franchise got animated
when it flipped the script to ask What If...? This series consists of nine stand-alone episodes,
each exploring an alternative take on the events and characters of the MCU's first three phases.
With its lively animation, offbeat characterizations, and surprising narrative turns,
What If...? is like studio-sanctioned fan fiction, offering Marvel die-hards a means
for exploring the many ways the franchise's most iconic stories might have turned out.
It's enjoyable but low-stakes viewing, and while some episodes are better than others, the show's
half-hour runtime and anthology style ensure that the series offers something for everyone.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an origin story for the title character, who,
when the film begins, goes by the name Shaun and works as a valet in San Francisco. However,
when Shaun is attacked on a city bus and forced to defend himself, his true identity is revealed:
Shang-Chi, the wayward son of the leader of a nefarious criminal organization. This triggers
a globe-trotting adventure that builds to a huge showdown involving dragons,
soul-eating monsters, and a fierce battle between Shang-Chi and his father, Wenwu.
The movie features some of the best fight sequences in the MCU and a few enjoyable
nods to famous Chinese cinema genres such as wuxia. Though some critics say
the movie sputters out in its second half, many praised the intriguing characters and
strong performances, particularly Simu Liu, who absolutely shines as Shang-Chi.
Since he swung onto the big screen in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland has been the
MCU's own Spider-Man, but Holland is actually the third actor to embody the wall-crawler in
a Hollywood film. It's a situation that's fairly unusual for characters in the MCU,
given its preference for less popular or more rarely adapted comic-book characters. Yet the
franchise brilliantly leveraged Spider-Man's place in the movie landscape with Spider-Man:
No Way Home, a film that manages to move the MCU forward by looking back.
The third entry in Spidey's solo series, the story picks up right where the last movie left off:
with the whole world learning that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Peter goes to Doctor
Strange in the hopes he can use magic to make the world forget he has a superhero alter-ego,
but Peter interferes with the spell, leading to a breach in the multiverse
that summons several villains from previous Spider-Man series,
as well as Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's versions of Peter Parker.
No Way Home is filled with fan service,
but it never allows its adoration of previous Spider-franchises to eclipse the MCU's core
characters. The story puts Holland's Peter and his friends and family front and center,
leading to a heartfelt, emotional, and thoroughly gratifying MCU movie.