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?
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00:00Multiversal epics, street-level thrillers, and even a sitcom or two. Phase 4 of the MCU
00:06really had it all. But which projects soared, and which ones sank?
00:11The MCU's first half-hour sitcom, She-Hulk Attorney at Law, is, as Jennifer Walters
00:15repeatedly insists, a lawyer's show — except when a rampaging antagonist forces
00:19Jen to hulk out and smash stuff. The show recounts She-Hulk's origin story and explains
00:24how she reluctantly becomes a part-time superhero. Plus, Jen's new She-Hulk status
00:28opens the door for all kinds of MCU cameos, and nearly every episode includes at least
00:34one big-name guest star.
00:36"...I know you can't wait to see Wong, I get it. I just want to make sure that you don't
00:40think this is one of those cameo every week type of shows. It's not."
00:44All of this proves to be a lot of laugh-out-loud fun, but it also makes for a wildly uneven nine
00:50episodes, where the show's penchant for meta-comedy and mocking MCU tropes often
00:54come at the expense of the story. Still, critics and audiences were polarized over
00:58whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, critics mostly praised the series,
01:03appreciating what made it funny and enjoyable over its flaws. However, common fan criticisms
01:08include the show's weak plotting, the CGI, and the comedy, which some found to be more
01:13cringey than chuckle-worthy.
01:14Out of all the films in the franchise, Eternals feels the least like an MCU film. The story of
01:19a group of ten immortal, super-powered aliens who came to Earth millennia ago to protect the
01:24world against the destructive Deviants, Eternals sees the titular heroes reuniting after a Deviant
01:29emerges in modern-day London. With so many new characters and a story spanning thousands of
01:34years, Eternals was always going to be an odd fit within the greater MCU.
01:38The movie is undeniably ambitious, and Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao ensures it
01:43features stunning visuals, absorbing exposition, and a calmer, quieter tone than many of its more
01:48frantic counterparts. But critics complained that the film is also overly long and burdened
01:53with uninspired action sequences, unoriginal plot points, and a chemistry-free central romance
01:58between Gemma Chan's Cersei and Richard Madden's Icarus. Eternals does introduce some intriguing
02:03new elements into the MCU, but on balance, it never quite captures the imagination like the
02:08franchise's other entries.
02:10Thor Love and Thunder is a fun and buoyant addition to a universe that has begun to feel
02:15a little weighed down by its attempts to forge new directions in the wake of the Infinity Saga.
02:20Yet many critics have complained that Love and Thunder feels like a less innovative redo of
02:242017's Thor Ragnarok, making for a film that's locked too much in its own past. The movie's
02:30story picks up with Thor still traveling the universe with the Guardians of the Galaxy
02:34following the events of Avengers Endgame. Everything changes when he returns to New
02:38Asgard to discover his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster fighting as the mighty Thor against a new threat,
02:43Gorr the God Butcher, who is intent on eradicating the gods.
02:47So this is my vow.
02:52All gods will die.
02:54Love and Thunder is a vibrant journey through space accompanied by plenty of humor, heart,
02:58and even a touch of horror, all set to a rollicking metal soundtrack. Yet while the
03:03movie offers plenty for longtime MCU fans to love, for some, the story may feel a little
03:08redundant or disjointed. For others, it may even seem like a step back for Thor,
03:12a character who has been through a lot but doesn't seem to have grown all that much.
03:17There was plenty of excitement when it was announced that Sam Raimi,
03:21director of the original Spider-Man trilogy, would helm the second movie in the Doctor
03:25Strange series. Fans were eager to see how a superhero veteran like Raimi would handle an MCU
03:30film. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Raimi's approach to Doctor Strange in the
03:34Multiverse of Madness, however, is that his style appears more in the movie's horror beats,
03:38which often recall Raimi's Evil Dead movies. Moreover, while this is a Doctor Strange movie,
03:43it's as much about Elizabeth Olsen's grieving Wanda Maximoff as it is the one-time sorcerer
03:48Supreme. The story finds Strange and Wong rescuing America Chavez, a girl with the ability to hop
03:54across the multiverse. Chavez is being pursued by Wanda, leading to an epic chase across universes.
03:59Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a distinctly dark entry in the MCU,
04:04which makes it stand out from the lighter tone of many of its predecessors.
04:08For this one, though, fans and critics' mileage will vary depending on how much they buy into
04:13Wanda's story, as well as how much they enjoy the movie's scarier side.
04:17When Chris Evans' Captain America departed the MCU at the end of Avengers Endgame,
04:21he left a void at the heart of the franchise that fans knew would have to be filled. The
04:26six-part Disney Plus series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, was created to illustrate
04:30exactly how that happens.
04:33We built this country. Bled for it. I'm not gonna let anybody tell me I can't fight for it."
04:41The show also tackles the rise of the U.S.-sanctioned Captain America,
04:45John Walker, as well as the threat posed by the super-soldier Flag Smashers and the
04:50dastardly Helmut Zemo. Although the series starts slow, once it takes off,
04:54critics found that it packs in plenty of heart-pumping action, some timely political
04:59and social commentary, and a hugely enjoyable dynamic between Sam and Bucky. The show is a
05:04little unfocused at times, sure, but it's still a rewarding insight into these two
05:08less-well-known MCU characters.
05:11After a lengthy delay due to the pandemic, Black Widow was the first movie to finally
05:15be released as part of Phase 4. The film sheds light on the backstory of Natasha Romanoff,
05:20a character who entered the MCU back in 2010 with Iron Man 2. Yet because it's a movie about
05:25a character who died in Avengers Endgame and takes place between Civil War and Infinity War,
05:30the movie feels like more of an afterthought than it might have had it been made and released
05:34earlier in the franchise. Still, Natasha finally gets the solo movie she always deserved,
05:39and her story leads to the introduction of several exciting new characters.
05:43Moreover, critics found the film funny, touching, and relatable. Some noted that it casts Natasha
05:48in the spotlight she always deserved, placing her in a pleasingly standalone adventure
05:52unlike anything we've seen her in before. Unfortunately, the film's rote action and
05:56underwhelming villains pull much of the focus, making for an entertaining but
06:00uneven swan song for one of the OG Avengers.
06:04By the time Moon Knight was released, magic was an established part of the MCU,
06:08but it had never been used quite like it is in this series. The Disney Plus series is the
06:13tale of Mark Spector, a mercenary who is also the avatar for the Egyptian god Khonshu. Mark's life
06:18would be complicated enough if doing the cranky deity's bidding was the only thing he had to worry
06:22about. However, Mark also has Dissociative Identity Disorder, and when one of his alters,
06:27Stephen Grant, discovers what he's been up to, things get even dicier.
06:32With its deep dive into Egyptian mythology, superhero antics,
06:35and multiple main characters sharing one body, Moon Knight is a decidedly unusual MCU outing.
06:41The show's mythology-driven plot gets awfully technical at times,
06:44and that combined with some ho-hum action sequences can lead to a few lulls in the story.
06:49Overall, though, critics praised Moon Knight for being absorbing and entertaining,
06:52especially as it dives deeper into Mark's backstory,
06:55and it's all anchored by an impressive dual performance by Oscar Isaac.
07:02We are an unusual couple, you know.
07:05Oh, I don't think that was ever in question.
07:08WandaVision kicked off Phase 4 of the MCU in early 2021. It was also the very first
07:13MCU TV show on Disney+. That's a lot of pressure for a new series, but WandaVision
07:18more than rose to the occasion, with critics praising how smart, creative,
07:22and compelling the MCU could be in an episodic TV format. The series begins as Wanda Maximoff
07:27and Vision live out their happy lives in the small suburban town of Westview, New Jersey,
07:31mere months after the events of Avengers Endgame. The only problem?
07:35Viz died back in Infinity War, and for some reason, each episode of the show
07:39perfectly mimics a different era of sitcom television. As the episodes go on and more
07:44light is shed on the mystery of what's really happening in Westview, WandaVision deepens
07:49from an impeccably realized homage to television to a poignant and heartbreaking meditation on
07:54loss and grief. WandaVision proved that TV was a worthwhile avenue for exploring MCU characters
07:59who enjoyed limited screen time in the franchise's movies. It also proved that the format was capable
08:04of introducing new fan-favorite characters, such as Catherine Han's Agatha Harkness.
08:08The show wouldn't have worked at all without Olsen and Bettany, however,
08:12who give alternately hilarious, moving, and devastating performances.
08:17A follow-up to 2018's lauded Black Panther, Black Panther Wakanda Forever had to walk
08:22a difficult tightrope after its lead actor Chadwick Boseman, who played T'Challa in
08:27multiple Phase 3 films, died before he could reprise his role in the sequel.
08:31Thankfully, the movie rises to the occasion. By having T'Challa's fate mirror Boseman's,
08:36director Ryan Coogler and his co-writer Joe Robert Cole honor the actor while offering
08:41an avenue for fans to mourn both Boseman and his character. This ensures that the movie
08:46is powerful and poignant, and also serves as a catalyst to further the stories of
08:51other leading Wakandans, as each one of them move into the future.
08:55The film also includes a bevy of new and exciting characters, including antagonist Namor,
09:00leader of the underwater empire of Tal Kahn, and Riri Williams, who's poised to become Ironheart,
09:05the heir apparent to Iron Man. While this leads to an often overstuffed story, in general,
09:11critics and audiences agree that Wakanda Forever is a compelling,
09:14emotionally satisfying installment in the franchise that does right by the fallen T'Challa.
09:19The first Muslim superhero in the MCU, Ms. Marvel focuses on Pakistani-American teenager Kamala Khan,
09:26who is granted superpowers by a Bengal with deep roots in her family history.
09:30For many critics, Ms. Marvel stands out for how breezy and charming it all feels.
09:34Before Kamala develops her own powers, she's a huge Marvel fan, especially of Captain Marvel,
09:40so she responds with surprise and a certain amount of glee when it seems
09:43she's following in her hero's footsteps.
09:48"'Cosmic.'"
09:53Ms. Marvel does a good job of weaving in the daily rituals and expectations of a Muslim family,
09:58but it's less interested in presenting this as social commentary than simply as a normal part
10:03of Kamala's life. The show isn't concerned with Kamala's role as a Jersey City high school student,
10:08either. Instead, the focus — and its most interesting element — is Kamala's exploration
10:13of her family's history, which forces her to grapple with who she is and who she wants to be.
10:18Ultimately, though, the best reason to watch Ms. Marvel is Iman Valani, who, in her very first
10:24acting role, proves to be so magnetic that it's impossible not to enjoy her exuberant performance.
10:30Valani is a true talent, and her bright-eyed take on Kamala Khan
10:33will bring some welcome enthusiasm to future MCU projects.
10:37Marvel's first holiday special, Werewolf by Night, is a fascinating experiment for the MCU.
10:43Released just in time for Halloween, the atmospheric one-off tells the tale of Jack
10:48Russell, a mysterious monster hunter who joins a hunt to kill a terrifying creature in order
10:53to win a mystical relic. Although Werewolf by Night is based on the Marvel comic character
10:57and considered part of the MCU, the story stands entirely on its own, and its lack of
11:02connective tissue to the rest of the saga makes it a unique entry in the franchise.
11:07The special also stands out for the direction, which is deftly handled by Oscar-winning composer
11:12Michael Giacchino, who crafts an immersive black-and-white yarn that ultimately owes
11:16just as much to Universal's monster movies of the 1930s and 1940s as it does Marvel.
11:21That means Werewolf by Night is bloodier and more frightening than the franchise's
11:26traditional fare, but it's also wryly funny and gripping, and the story is all the more
11:30intriguing for its open-ended conclusion, which suggests this won't be the last we see
11:35of these characters. Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye debuted in 2011's Thor, yet despite being
11:40one of the original members of the Avengers, he's never been fleshed out as much as some
11:45of his counterparts. Hawkeye aims to correct this by showcasing the realities of Clint's
11:50life after Avengers Endgame, including a bout of hearing loss, his grief over the death of
11:55his best friend Natasha Romanoff, and his love for his family, to whom he's desperately trying
12:00to get back to in time for Christmas. After Hawkeye's past as the Ronin comes back to haunt
12:05him, he's forced to team up with his number one fan, Kate Bishop. Renner plays Clint as a skeptical
12:10curmudgeon who, underneath his gruff exterior, hears deeply about the people he loves. Kate
12:15makes for an amusing counterpoint, as her overly enthusiastic desire to jump into the action both
12:20frustrates and endears her to Clint. The entertaining push and pull between Hailee
12:24Steinfeld and Renner endeared critics to the show, too. In addition, the show offers a welcome
12:29appearance by Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, who improves every scene she's in, as well as the
12:35surprise return of Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin, marking his long-awaited entry into the MCU.
12:42It's long been said that the MCU suffers from a lack of good villains. While there have certainly
12:48been bright spots, the franchise's bad guys have generally had a hard time living up to the heroes.
12:53Ever since the franchise began, however, it has had one reliable black hat — Tom Hiddleston's Loki,
13:00the god of mischief.
13:02"...Surprise!"
13:04Loki has been a frequent adversary and occasional ally to Thor and the Avengers throughout the MCU's
13:09first three phases. Yet while the version we knew for much of the franchise reconciled with his
13:14brother and died heroically in Avengers Infinity War, the one who appears in Loki is a variant
13:19created when he used the Tesseract to escape custody in Avengers Endgame. Loki's new lease
13:24on life draws the attention of the Time Variance Authority, an agency of time travelers who are
13:29tasked with pruning divergent timelines. This sets Loki on a trippy and delightful journey across
13:36space and time, encountering alternative versions of himself along the way. Loki really does it all.
13:41In six episodes, the show digs even further into Loki's captivating chaotic perspective on life,
13:47introduces the multiverse saga's next big bad, and delivers one of the most engaging
13:53and weirdest romances in the entire MCU.
13:56Guardians of the Galaxy director and writer James Gunn has warned that there are heavy
14:00times ahead for his ragtag band of misfit superheroes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,
14:05but before that happens, the team celebrates Earth's most wonderful time of the year.
14:10In the Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special, the story primarily revolves around Mantis and
14:15Drax as they attempt to create the perfect Christmas for Peter Quill by acquiring the
14:20ultimate gift, Kevin Bacon.
14:22"...Oh, I'm so excited."
14:26Mantis and Drax's fish-out-of-water antics on Earth are hilarious, and it's fun to see
14:31these two take center stage as they attempt to figure out humanity's strange customs.
14:36Things only get more bonkers when they finally make contact with Kevin Bacon
14:40and realize he's an actor and not the great hero Quill led them to believe.
14:44The Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special is a brief but delightful yuletide treat,
14:49sure to make any MCU fan's holiday that much brighter.
14:53The MCU is known for being a live-action spectacular, but the franchise got animated
14:58when it flipped the script to ask, what if? The series consists of nine standalone episodes,
15:03each exploring an alternative take on the events and characters of the MCU's first three phases.
15:08With its lively animation, offbeat characterizations, and surprising narrative turns,
15:12what if? is like studio-sanctioned fan fiction, offering Marvel diehards a means for exploring
15:18the many ways the franchise's most iconic stories might have turned out.
15:22It's enjoyable, but low-stakes viewing, and while some episodes are better than others,
15:27the show's half-hour runtime and anthology style ensures that the series offers something for
15:32everyone. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an origin story for the title character,
15:37who, when the film begins, goes by the name Sean and works as a valet in San Francisco. However,
15:42when Sean is attacked on a city bus and forced to defend himself, his true identity is revealed —
15:47Shang-Chi, the wayward son of the leader of a nefarious criminal organization.
15:52This triggers a globe-trotting adventure that builds to a huge showdown involving dragons,
15:57soul-eating monsters, and a fierce battle between Shang-Chi and his father, Wenwu.
16:02The movie features some of the best fight sequences in the MCU, and a few enjoyable
16:07nods to famous Chinese cinema genres, such as wuxia. Though some critics say the movie
16:11sputters out in its second half, many praised the intriguing characters and strong performances,
16:16particularly Simu Liu, who absolutely shines as Shang-Chi.
16:21Since he swung onto the big screen in Captain America Civil War,
16:25Tom Holland has been the MCU's own Spider-Man, but Holland is actually the third actor to embody
16:31the wall-crawler in a Hollywood film. It's a situation that's fairly unusual for characters
16:35in the MCU, given its preference for less popular or more rarely adapted comic book characters.
16:41Yet the franchise brilliantly leveraged Spider-Man's place in the movie landscape
16:45with Spider-Man No Way Home, a film that manages to move the MCU forward by looking back.
16:51The third entry in Spidey's solo series, the story picks up right where the last movie left
16:56off, with the whole world learning that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Peter goes to Doctor
17:01Strange in the hopes he can use magic to make the world forget he has a superhero alter ego,
17:06but Peter interferes with the spell, leading to a breach in the multiverse that summons several
17:10villains from previous Spider-Man series, as well as Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's
17:15versions of Peter Parker. No Way Home is filled with fanservice, but it never allows its
17:21adoration of previous Spider franchises to eclipse the MCU's core characters.
17:26The story puts Holland's Peter and his friends and family front and center,
17:30leading to a heartfelt, emotional, and thoroughly gratifying MCU movie.