Redditors have expressed many unpopularly positive opinions about the MCU, whether they enjoyed Eternals or thought Ultron was a terrifying villain.
With all the negative online discourse surrounding Thor: Love and Thunder and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, positive buzz about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in short supply. Phase Four’s movies and streaming shows have divided the MCU’s fan base, and the most vocal viewers on message boards seem to be dissatisfied.
But not every unpopular opinion regarding the MCU is negative. From enjoying Eternals to believing Captain Marvel to be a great original film, Redditors have expressed quite an unpopularly positive opinion of the MCU.
She-Hulk is an Absolute Delight
Although She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been warmly received by critics, Marvel fans are divided over it. Some fans enjoy the show’s low-stakes, light-hearted sitcom story, while others aren’t impressed with its charm. Redditor u/clothy described the show as “an absolute delight.”
Tatiana Maslany anchors the series with a lovable lead performance as Jane Walters and the writers elicit a bunch of unique laughs from the legal procedural narratives involving superpowered defendants.
Eternal Was A Good Movie
Chloé Zhao’s Eternals became one of the worst-received entries in the MCU when it hit theaters last year. Critics and fans alike were displeased with the film’s dull tone, sparse action, and bloated runtime, and felt that there were too many heroes for any of them to develop sufficiently.
Redditor u/Vessera writes, “I really enjoy Eternals. It’s not without flaws (looking at you, Crow), but I thought the character inspiration and conflict were ongoing and interesting.
Marvel’s Humor Does a Really Good Job
One of the MCU’s most polarizing aspects is its cheeky humor. The franchise has been accused of using “bathos” to reduce its dramatic moments, such as Stephen Strange tearing away the cloak of levitation while mourning the death of the ancient.
But as Redditor u/Business-Panda24 writes, “I love the humor in the MCU. I like how it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It works better than trying to make superhero movies outright dark and edgy.”
Endgame’s A-Force Moment Was Too Good
During the final battle of Avengers: Endgame, a makeshift MCU A-Force line-up assembles to help Carol Danvers get the Infinity Gauntlet on the battlefield. This line-up consists of Gamora, Nebula, Wasp, Valkyrie and Shuri.
The scene has been criticized for wooing female fans, but Redditor u/HereWeF*ckingGooo counters, “I loved the all-female line-up. The whole final fight was upsetting to the fans so I don’t care that the scene did either.”
Ultron was an amazing villain
Marvel fans were overwhelmed by the cybernetic villain of the same name in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Titanic “Age” lasts only a few days and the android who can hack any computer in the world simply assembles an army of hooligans and attacks a city as the last villain of the mightiest heroes on earth had to face.
Still, James Spader delivered a chilling voice performance and the film has some exceptional scenes. Redditor u/Hinoto-no-Ryuji writes, “I really like Age of Ultron, including Ultron himself.”
Captain Marvel is one of the best original movies in the MCU
By the time Captain Marvel hit theaters in 2019, the MCU’s formula for original films was well-established and the film received mixed reviews. But Redditor u/acandrews12 thinks that Captain Marvel is one of the best original movies in the MCU.
There’s a lot that gives Captain Marvel an unconventional take on the formula, from its ’90s setting to the Nick Fury team-up to its media race 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 were praised by both fans and critics. Its non-linear storyline reverses the familiar superhero origin story and the martial arts fight scenes – from just brawls to staging – are all thrilling.
But the third act was criticized for a CG-heavy battle between an ancient lake dragon and an inter-dimensional demonic spirit. According to Redditor u/Caciulacdlac, “Shang-Chi’s third act was great and the great guard looked majestic.”
Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t get enough credit for playing Pepper’s Pot
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 often gets swept under the rug. Paltrow always made a great deadpan foil for Downey, going all the way 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 unlike RDJ” and that she was “the badass with the [defense] suit” in the final battle of Endgame.
The Multiverse of Madness is a Really Fun Movie
Critics and fans alike were split over Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Some enjoyed the macabre thrills Sam Raimi brought to the table, while others found its script to be heavy on performance and light on emotion.
According to Reddit U/The 7th Beatle, the sequel deserves more love: “Multiverse of Madness is a really good movie. It had some problems with the script and plot, sure, but it’s a really fun time.”
The new direction of the MCU is closer to the comics
In phase four, the MCU has taken a wildly different direction than in its previous phases. Filmmakers are embracing stranger elements of the source material, and weekly installments of Disney+ shows feel more like serialized comic storylines than big event movies.
The new MCU direction isn’t to every fan’s taste, but Redditor u/aTreeThenMe writes, “The new MCU direction is far more comic-bookie and less blockbuster and I love it.”