Will this be the last time Cap leads the Avengers into battle? (Image from IMDB.com)
In 2008, Iron Man burst onto the scene and forever changed the movie-going experience. I know it did for me. I was unfamiliar with the comics, but I liked Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man) so I decided to go check it out — twice. Before Iron Man, my previous exposure with superhero movies were the Superman movies with Christopher Reeve. They were fun, cheesy movies, but with Iron Man (and especially with RDJ’s portrayal), the movie was filled with heart, action, romance, and smart storytelling.
I admit, I didn’t watch the successive films (The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger) when they first came out, but when I heard Joss Whedon was writing and directing The Avengers, I went out and rented the films to catch myself up. At the time, I liked Whedon (see my previous column about why I fell out of love with him), so I was excited to see him step into the Marvelverse.
If Iron Man was me dipping my toe into Marvel, then The Avengers was me jumping headfirst into the world. Wow, I loved everything about that movie! The stakes were high. Loki, Thor’s adoptive brother, was an interesting villain. The action was fun. The dialogue was classic snappy Whedon. And each character had their hero moment. When all six Avengers came together in the last battle scene, it was the culmination of five movies. Everyone cheered in the theater. If you watched all the movies, THIS was the moment you were waiting for.
After The Avengers, Marvel pretty much owned my soul. I watched the movie at least four times in the theater. I bought the DVD. I bought so much merchandise, from T-shirts to a lunch box. I even dressed up as Captain America for Halloween one year.
Since The Avengers, I’ve gone to the theater to see every single Marvel movie. Phase One ended with The Avengers, and Phase Two ushered in Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man. I was skeptical about the new additions (Guardians and Ant-Man), but thanks to the acting and writing, I ended up enjoying those movies, too.
Phase Three consisted of Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, and the recent Black Panther. What I enjoyed about this phase was the characters’ journey we saw in each movie. The universe was expanding and it was exciting.
Ten years have passed since audiences first saw Iron Man on the big screen. With Avengers: Infinity War scheduled to come out April 27, 2018, loyal fans are finally going to see the epic build-up of 18 movies come together for the ultimate showdown. The trailers and interviews leading up to this movie have everyone on edge. I know the big question in my mind and in the mind of others is will one (or more) of our beloved Avengers die? Some are speculating it’s going to be Steve Rogers since Chris Evans has already gone on the record that he’s done playing Captain America. Others are thinking it’s Tony Stark, which would be a bittersweet ending since he’s the one responsible for kicking off this franchise.
I’m in awe of the intricate storytelling between all the movies as well. Can you imagine having to keep track of all the storylines between all the movies (and the TV spin-off Agents of Shield)? The Marvel movies succeeded in creating a shared universe between so many different characters. It all goes back to the first Iron Man. Heart. Action. Romance. Smart storytelling. Those are the ingredients that have made this franchise loved by so many people.
Yes, Infinity War marks the end of an era, but it’s also the beginning. There are plenty of more Marvel movies on the horizon, but what makes these first three phases so special is the fact that they were the first ones.
Whatever happens on April 27, just remember — stay after the credits have rolled.
What about you? What are looking forward to in Avengers: Infinity War? And what are some of your favorite memories watching the Marvel movies over this past decade?
I guess there wasn’t room for Hawkeye and Ant-Man? (Image from IMDB.com)
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