With all the negative online discourse surrounding Thor: Love and Thunder and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, positive discussion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in short supply. The movies and streaming shows of Phase Four have divided the MCU’s fan base, and the most vocal viewers on message boards seem to be the dissatisfied ones.
But not every unpopular opinion about the MCU is negative. From enjoying Eternals to deeming Captain Marvel a great origin movie, Redditors have expressed plenty of unpopular positive opinions about the MCU.
She-Hulk Is An Absolute Delight
Although She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been warmly received by critics, Marvel fans are divided on it. Some fans enjoy the show’s low-stakes, lighthearted sitcom storytelling, while others are unimpressed with its charms. Redditor u/clothy described the show as “an absolute delight.”
Tatiana Maslany has anchored the series with a lovable lead performance as Jen Walters and the writers have gotten a bunch of unique laughs out of legal procedural narratives involving superpowered defendants.
Eternals Was A Good Movie
Chloé Zhao’s Eternals became one of the MCU’s most poorly received entries when it arrived in theaters last year. Critics and fans alike were unimpressed with the film’s dull tone, sparse action, and bloated runtime, and felt that there were too many protagonists for any of them to be developed enough.
Redditor u/Vessera writes, “I genuinely enjoyed Eternals. It is not without flaws (looking at you, Kro), but I felt the character motivations and conflicts were moving and interesting.”
Marvel’s Humor Works Really Well
One of the most polarizing aspects of the MCU is its quippy humor. The franchise has been accused of using “bathos” to undercut its dramatic moments, like Stephen Strange swatting away the Cloak of Levitation while mourning the death of the Ancient One.
But Redditor u/Business-Panda24 writes, “I like the humor in the MCU. I like that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It works way better than trying to make superhero movies all dark and edgy.”
Endgame’s A-Force Moment Was Great
During the final battle of Avengers: Endgame, a makeshift MCU A-Force line-up assembles to help Carol Danvers get the Infinity Gauntlet across the battlefield. This line-up includes Gamora, Nebula, the Wasp, Valkyrie, and Shuri.
The scene has been criticized for pandering to female fans, but Redditor u/HereWeF*ckingGooo counters, “I loved the all-female line-up. The whole final battle was pandering to fans so I don’t care that this scene did too.”
Ultron Was An Awesome Villain
Marvel fans were underwhelmed with the eponymous cybernetic villain in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The titular “age” only lasts a few days and the android who can hack into any computer in the world simply assembles an army of goons and attacks a city like the last baddie Earth’s Mightiest Heroes faced.
Still, James Spader gave a chilling voice performance and the movie has a few standout sequences. Redditor u/Hinoto-no-Ryuji writes, “I genuinely really like Age of Ultron, including Ultron himself.”
Captain Marvel Is One Of The MCU’s Best Origin Movies
By the time Captain Marvel hit theaters in 2019, the MCU’s formula for origin movies was pretty well-established and the film received mixed reviews. But Redditor u/acandrews12 thinks that Captain Marvel is one of the finest origin movies in the MCU.
There’s a lot that makes Captain Marvel an unconventional take on the formula, from its ‘90s setting to its Nick Fury team-up to its in media res opening and nonlinear narrative.
The Third Act Of Shang-Chi Is Great
For the most part, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was praised by both fans and critics. Its nonlinear storytelling subverted the familiar superhero origin tale and the martial arts fight scenes – from the bus brawl to the scaffolding scuffle – are all thrilling.
But the third act was criticized for its CG-heavy battle between an ancient lake dragon and an interdimensional demonic spirit. According to Redditor u/Caciulacdlac, “The third act of Shang-Chi was great and the Great Protector looked majestic.”
Gwyneth Paltrow Doesn’t Get Enough Credit For Playing Pepper Potts
Robert Downey, Jr. has received heaps of praise for his portrayal of Tony Stark, but Gwyneth Paltrow’s performance as his love interest Pepper Potts is often swept under the rug. Paltrow always made a great deadpan foil for Downey, going back to the first Iron Man movie.
According to Redditor u/icup2, Paltrow’s turn in the MCU deserves more attention. The Redditor writes that she was always “amazing opposite RDJ,” and that she was “badass with the [Rescue] suit on” in Endgame’s final battle.
Multiverse Of Madness Is A Really Fun Movie
Critics and fans alike were divided on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Some enjoyed the macabre thrills that Sam Raimi brought to the table, while others found its script to be heavy on exposition and light on emotion.
According to Redditor u/the7thbeatle, the sequel deserves more love: “Multiverse of Madness is a really good movie. Its script and plot had some problems, sure, but it’s an extremely fun time.”
The MCU’s New Direction Is Closer To The Comics
In Phase Four, the MCU has taken a wildly different direction than its previous phases. The filmmakers are embracing stranger elements of the source material, and the weekly installments of Disney+ shows feel more like serialized comic storylines than the big event movies.
The MCU’s new direction isn’t to every fan’s taste, but Redditor u/aTreeThenMe writes, “The new MCU direction is far more comic-booky and less blockbuster-y and I love it.”