Old Marvel movies are better than new Marvel movies

When you ask anyone what comes to mind when they think of Marvel, more often than not they will say the OG Marvel: Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk and more. Older Marvel films, featuring the classic characters such as the original X-Men and Spider Man, presented exciting narratives and launched the modern superhero film into becoming a major part of the movie industry. The premise was engaging, and the execution was a success, garnering approximately $1.75 billion just from the first phase. 

And Marvel, recognizing the importance of nostalgia, is trying to recycle the classic characters people know and love, albeit in many cases forgetting that nostalgia itself cannot override the lack of a good story. With the exception of a few new films, like the new “Spider Man” movies, most new Marvel films lack the complexity and depth that old Marvel films had. Most new Marvel films gloss over character origins and also portray the villains as a mere obstacle to the heroes, which contrasts with old Marvel villains like Magneto and the Green Goblin. 

Moreover, the classic Marvel movies dive deeper into moral values. “Iron Man” draws on the War on Terror for context and imagery; this is seen in the first film, which is set in Afghanistan and references themes of wounding and corruption. The original “X-Men” drew on underlying themes of equality and executed that message brilliantly. “Captain America: Civil War” centered around the debate on government and accountability. The old films explored political themes and questions of diversity and representation. They just had a depth to them that has not yet been replicated in new Marvel releases. 

When it first arrived on the scene, Marvel was ahead of its time. It created something novel–an interconnected universe of movies, that were each unique and complex in their own rights. They were built off one another and ended with a product that was entertaining and put together well. They also held emotional value. New Marvel releases not only pales in comparison in terms of each individual movie’s originality, but also in terms of their interconnectedness. For example, “Eternals” is disconnected from the larger Marvel universe and hasn’t contributed anything to the narrative as a whole, with only a few “Avengers: Endgame” references to tie it to past movies. 

While superhero fatigue may be somewhat at fault, it’s important to recognize that new Marvel is fueling that fatigue. New Marvel is attempting to recreate the ingenuity of old Marvel instead of focusing on experimentation and really trying to understand what audiences want to watch. The oversaturation of the classic heroes emphasizes the inability of new Marvel to consistently push out storylines, characters and visuals that rival those of old Marvel’s. 

Marvel’s current path leads it towards an uncertain future, and it seems increasingly likely that it will be one of defeat.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Ivy Zhen at [email protected].