Me too, but that is not what I expect from MCU. I just come in with an baseline expectations of flashing lights. If a MCU movie rises above that at all, gives me anything more, it’s a top tier MCU film. I enjoyed this more than Dr. Strange and is easily my 2nd favorite Thor movie. I enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed Loki or and slightly less than WandaVision. It might not be amazing but it didn’t bore me either.
I’ve been told I have the sense of humor of a 12 year old so maybe that’s the difference because I thought it was funny… in the way that MCU is funny. I wasn’t busting up laughing at Ragnarok or Guardians of The Galaxy or Spider-Man or Ant-Man either but like with all of those there a few moments each film that made me chuckle. A Fat Russell Crowe as Zeus telling Thor if he didn’t stop pursuing the God Butcher he was gonna be excluded from the Orgy, was comedic gold!
I liked RC, liked the screaming goats. But on the whole it just felt to me like it was trying WAY too hard to be funny, most of the jokes just didn't land with me. Which generally is not like Taika, he's usually a bit more... subtle with his writing. But he's got like a zillion things on the go so I'd imagine his focus was... split.
So I want to clarify what this means, coming after a post complaining the movie lacked depth and character development. Are you saying you don't want these things from the MCU? Or that we shouldn't expect them?
I am saying I don’t expect these things from MCU movies. If I get them it’s a pleasant surprise and if you go in expecting these things you’re probably going to be disappointed. The MCU is the McDonalds of entertainment. It’s fine, but it’s mostly empty calories. If I go in to a McDonald’s expecting Noma, heck if I go in expecting Olive Garden; You’re probably going to be disappointed. That doesn’t mean a Big Mac Extra Value Meal can’t be good it just means it is what it is.
Yeah, I can't give them this same pass, sorry. It's fine that you personally feel this way. Your own viewing experience is really all that matters, because no one else can or should tell you how to watch or enjoy something. But as someone who was growing up during the 2010s, this idea that these movies should automatically be viewed with low expectations just feels like a massive moving of the goalposts to me. Have people forgotten what a big deal, both commercially AND critically, movies like Iron Man, The Avengers and Civil War were? How Endgame nearly became the highest grossing film ever made? That Black Panther was nominated for Best Picture?? Sure, not all of these things are necessarily markers of quality, but I know for a fact a lot of people considered the MCU to be way, way above the standard you're describing in your post, because I have hard time believing that audiences would have sat through ten years and 30 movies worth of film otherwise.
I think this is probably the delineation. I personally don’t think there has been a drop off in quality Iron Man and/or the Black Panther to what has recently been released. I think you likely find those movies to be better and more important than I do. I rarely rewatch MCU movies usually I just move on to whatever it next. There is no need to revisit them because the world keeps moving forward.
I would say the biggest difference is churn. We used to get one or two new projects every year, now there are multiple projects constantly going throughout the year. The biggest changes in quality IMO has to do with the graphic effects side where all these series and movies are destroying these independent non-union effects house creators by grinding them to the nub.
And I think the side projects have an impact on viewability. I remember when the Disney + series started rolling out they said that while they would inform the movies, they wouldn't be 'necessary' viewing. I can't imagine Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness making much sense as far as Wanda's character arc without having viewed Wandavision.
I have to admit so far she-hulk is the funniest project of the mcu
