10 Most Divisive Marvel Movies & Shows That Prove Critics And Audiences Don’t Always Agree

10 Most Divisive Marvel Movies & Shows That Prove Critics And Audiences Don’t Always Agree

by

Critics and audiences don’t always see eye to eye on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and other projects with the illustrious red banner, resulting in some sharp differences in evaluation between the two. As successful as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been, not every Marvel TV show and movie has been well-received by professional reviewers or casual audiences, with the worst-reviewed MCU films languishing in critical admonishment. But sometimes, the two evaluations can be sharply distant, as demonstrated by the critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Good essay

Most of these differences result in critics being far harsher on a Marvel release than patient fans would be, as recently happened with the polarizing reception of Captain America: Brave New World. But occasionally, professional movie and TV reviewers might actually be kinder to a Marvel project than audiences are, connecting better with more unconventional superhero stories. It seems as though the gulf between public and professional opinion on Marvel movies is growing wider all the time.

You are watching: 10 Most Divisive Marvel Movies & Shows That Prove Critics And Audiences Don’t Always Agree

10

What If…?

22 point difference

Kahhori and Captain Carter enhanced in What If...? season 2

As an anthology series, What If…? is admittedly quite a difficult project to rate as a whole, with a such a wide disparity in quality from episode to episode. The first season started things off strong, with both critics and audiences alike granting the series a favorable overview expressing excitement about the show’s potential. However, as the seasons went on, both aggregate scores fell, though the audience rating plummeted at a dramatically faster rate.

By the time of What If…?‘s third season, the series had reached a staggering 46 point difference. Fans were repeatedly frustrated by the series’ “safe” choices in alternate universe storytelling and the strange overarching frame story, whereas critics were quick to praise the improved animation and unique themes, perceiving it as gracefully ending on a high note rather than allowing itself to be stretched out in perpetuity. It’s a shame the animated show wasn’t able to retain audience interest as well as critical appeal.

9

Iron Fist

29 point difference

Danny Rand with the Iron Fist in Netflix's Iron Fist series

Rounding out the Netflix universe of the Defenders, Iron Fist was the last solo series to come out of the franchise that spawned with smash hit Daredevil. Lead actor Finn Jones was criticized by both sides of the aisle for his ineffectual kung fu skills and unfitting performance, but fans eventually came around on the series, slowly climbing the audience rating of the first season to an impressive 71%. Perhaps repeat viewings were kinder to the series after more room to breathe from its admittedly better predecessors.

Critics, on the other hand, were far from impressed by the first season, landing it at a lowly 20% score. In addition to the same criticisms leveled by audiences, those unfamiliar with the comics were uncomfortable with what they deemed a white savior narrative with Danny Rand’s character. The second season was much more even, with a mere 6 point difference between critic and audience ratings, averaging out at a 29 point difference for the series as a whole.

8

Eternals

30 point difference

Ikaris shooting his lasers in Eternals

Largely considered to be the worst MCU movie for a long time, Eternals has since undergone something of an audience renaissance since the time of its release. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues, the film that introduced a whole new branch of heroes to it became more and more fondly remembered by audiences, causing the Rotten Tomatoes score to creep up to an impressive 77%. Specifically, retroactive reviews have praised the action, performances of the all-star cast, and the emotional core of such a cosmic and esoteric story.

Meanwhile, critics have held fast on their negative judgments of the film, which continues to wallow at 47% on the Tomatometer. The narrative was critiqued for being at such a great remove from the rest of the MCU, and some reviewers found it impossible to attach themselves to the dreamy cast of immortals. Perhaps one of the most underrated Marvel movies ever, at least initially, perhaps the years will only be kinder to Eternals from a critical perspective, as well.

7

Captain America: Brave New World

31 point difference

Split image of Captain America and Red Hulk in Brave New World

Image Made By Zoe Miskelly

The first Marvel Cinematic Universe release of three films to be unveiled in 2025, Captain America: Brave New World has quickly established itself as one of the most divisive films in the entire series. Audiences seem to have received Anthony Mackie’s new take on the enduring legacy of the titular hero quite well, saluting him as a worthy successor to the star-spangled shield. Appreciation has also been extended to the high-flight action scenes that make the most out of Sam’s wingsuit at the hopeful message, allowing the film to ascend to a lofty 80% audience rating.

Critics have been far less kind to the latest MCU outing. Even if most reviewers can acknowledge the strength of Anthony Mackie’s earned place as a leading man, he isn’t enough to save the muddled plot and bizarrely executed “twist” that was already spoiled in all the advertising. The resulting exercise was felt to be a miss for many professional moviegoers, lauded as an ominous portent for the MCU’s continued cinematic relevancy.

6

Captain Marvel

34 point difference

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers smiling in Captain Marvel (2019)

Another Captain that critics and audiences couldn’t seem to agree on, Captain Marvel’s solo film was far from the expected easy win for the MCU’s as its first female-led superhero movie. Sadly, the film was subjected to intense review-bombing by many insecure and misogynistic reviewers who felt outrage at the concept of a female superhero. Captain Marvel‘s plight was so bad that it actually caused Rotten Tomatoes to change its algorithm entirely, no longer allowing audience reviews until a film has been released globally.

The critical score is a much fairer assessment of Brie Larson’s superhero star vehicle. The film is far from perfect, suffering from a lack of memorable action and a particularly by-the-numbers MCU formula in lieu of a plot. Yet reviewers were still able to appreciate Larson’s chemistry with a younger version of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, not to mention the movie’s comedic chops, resulting in a 79% Tomatometer score.

5

See more : 10 Intense Heist Thrillers From The 1970s That Are Worth Checking Out

Hulk

34 point difference

Ang Lee's Hulk dirty and fighting the army.

One of the oldest modern Marvel movies and easily among the most obscure, Ang Lee’s Hulk is seldom even remembered by most Marvel fans. Telling the classic origin story of Dr. Bruce Banner’s transformation into The Incredible Hulk, the 2003 film had a surprisingly dark and gritty tone for a colorful superhero movie. Contemporaneous audiences weren’t impressed with the film’s somber story, lukewarm special effects, and waxing poetical script, resulting in a meager 29% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

However, Ang Lee’s Hulk fared a good deal better with critics, who admired the attempt at merging the superhero narrative with an almost Shakespearean sense of tragedy. To this day, the film remains the only movie featuring The Hulk to truly explain Bruce Banner’s adversarial and abusive relationship with his father, turning him into the primary villain. Certainly not considered a masterpiece by any professional movie reviewers, the film is at least regarded as an interesting enough experiment to inspire a 63% critical evaluation.

4

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

35 point difference

Link Image

The ultimate nail in the coffin for Kang’s relevance as the next big bad of the MCU, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is still one of the franchise’s biggest financial flops. No one would know it just by looking at the film’s audience approval, which has steadily risen to a shocking 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Although the messy narrative of the microscopic adventure has been acknowledged by many, fans were still thoroughly entertained by the colorful and bizarre romp through Marvel’s subatomic alternate dimension.

It takes more than colorful scenery and creative action scenes to impress professional movie reviewers, however. Critics lashed out at the film, still chastising the silliness of Ant-Man himself as a hero and roasting the cheap-looking green-screen sets that scream sound stage at every corner. The resulting 46% rating only climbs as high as it does due to some appreciation for Jonathan Major’s performance as Kang, acting his heart out despite the inherent irrelevancy of the setting and series.

3

Dark Phoenix

42 point difference

Vuk watching Phoenix in Dark Phoenix

The final gasp of the new Fox X-Men timeline featuring the revamped cast, Dark Phoenix was the franchise’s second stab at adapting the infamous comic storyline of the same name after the disastrous X-Men: The Last Stand. Audiences appreciated that Sophie Turner’s Phoenix followed the comic-accurate cosmic origin. A few choice action sequences were also praised enough to positively overcome the film’s faults, earning it a 64% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Critically, however, the film was an absolute flop. Critics were able to sense the tiredness with which the majority of the cast and crew seemed to approach the production, all too aware of the film’s status as the last mainline gasp of Fox’s take on the X-Men before the rights would be absorbed by the MCU. Beyond that, the quality of the empty special effects and action sequences were called into question, plummeting the critical Rotten Tomatoes score to a paltry 22% rating.

2

Helstrom

44 point difference

Daimon Helstrom with fire in Helstrom

It’s interesting to note that one of the most obscure Marvel TV shows ever made is also easily one of the franchise’s most divided between critics and audiences. Helstrom was a brief season-long show that told the story of siblings Daimon and Ana Helstrom, the children of a serial killer who join forces to hunt down the worst of humanity. The series was meant to start off Hulu’s “Adventure into Fear” franchise, which would have also included a Ghost Rider adaptation.

Audiences were keen enough on the series, admiring the series’ charm and ability to merge traditional superhero storytelling with supernatural horror. The show didn’t fare so well with critics, however, who deemed the series a bland waste of time full of plot threads that go nowhere and unimpressive performances. In the end, the show’s 71% audience rating wasn’t enough to save it from the 27% critical score, resulting in a very early cancelation.

1

She-Hulk: Attorney At Law

47 point difference

She-Hulk in her gala dress in She-Hulk Attorney at Law

Perhaps one of the most controversial Marvel Cinematic Universe releases ever, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was soon thrust into a negative spotlight. Compared to Captain Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law‘s review bombing was somehow even worse, whittling the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes down to a mere 32% score. To be fair, the negative reviews did also include some fair criticism about the series’ jokes that failed to land, poor special effects, and over-reliance on meta commentary.

Surprisingly, critics reacted much more favorably to these elements. The series’ issues were still pointed out, to be sure, but professionals seemed to admire a Marvel project that was able to create with its own distinct voice and even point fun at the tropes embodied by the franchise’s typical fare. Certainly the most divisive product of the MCU along the lines of critics and audiences, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law still bears something of an infamous reputation.

Upcoming MCU Movies

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment