Today we are going to look at several challenges the MCU has been facing recently. We will review how they could respond to them, and whether we think their response will be enough.

Far From Satisfactory

So what problems is the MCU encountering at the moment? Well firstly, as Tatiana Siegel has pointed out, the franchise has had to drastically change its plans after Jonathan Majors, who was to play Kang the Conquerer, the MCU’s next big villain, was charged with domestic violence. The MCU, therefore, has to change all of its plans to pivot away from Majors. This will require time and money to do as the character was apparently already a major part of several upcoming projects.

A tall order but as the world’s most successful franchise the MCU has access to the capital to shift things. However, the franchise has also just had its worst box office performance ever with The Marvels. Regardless of its overall quality, The Marvels marks the first time an MCU film has made an outright box office loss. Which could signal the start of more uncertainty in the studio’s box office footing.

Additionally, we have seen many stories about Marvel butting heads with its creatives. VFX artists who work for Marvel have recently made moves to unionise in the face of large workloads and a lack of adequate time management and compensation. The studio has also faced many accusations of undercutting its creatives work through constantly changing direction and underpaying its writers. Something that might not be viewed favorably in the aftermath of the industry strikes.

Plus with much discussion about Marvel potentially losing its audiences as they age or become alienated by the number of intertwined movies, Marvel could be in trouble if it doesn’t think of solutions fast.

No Way Out?

So what is Marvel planning on doing? Well as Siegel stated there are talks about the potential of bringing back the original Avengers stars for a new film which could regain fan confidence and box office attendance. Marvel has also already announced that releases would be slowing down to try to retain good-quality output.

There is also potential to reinvigorate the franchise with the release of the new projects that Disney got from Fox. Coupled with the incorporation of the Netflix properties.

And Marvel is also taking steps to change the direction of some of its upcoming projects. Marvel even plans to have dedicated executives oversee the development of its television projects. Which will hopefully produce more focused results.

Marvel’s Endgame

It is entirely possible to see Marvel bounce back. Dialling back the number of productions to combat audience fatigue and allow more time for creatives to make good films and deal with the troubles currently faced by too many titles and Jonathan Major’s departure is a positive thing. However, the MCU is still at risk if it doesn’t fix its attitude towards creatives and think about its overarching goal.

With some of its VFX artists now unionised (which could hopefully influence more artists) Marvel will have to operate with more regard for its workers if it wants to keep them on board in the future. This means they should expect higher production costs/time if they want good quality end results. Equally, if the company doesn’t fix its relationship with writers and directors, it’s easy to see the brand being avoided by many creatives. If Marvel wants to continue making these movies it needs creatives onside to keep people watching. The recent strikes taught us that Hollywood cannot live without its creative blood and if the studios refuse to recognize their contributions then the price will be costly.

And if the MCU still aims to indefinitely produce interconnected media then it will eventually begin to alienate audiences as individual projects keep requiring more and more things to be watched. Marvel certainly needs to think more about its plans for the future.

Also Read: The MCU Phase 4: Dividing Audiences?

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When your lifelong friend becomes your boxing rival

Jordan takes you back to 2000, when the 15-year-old foster kid, Adonis (Thaddeus James Mixson Jr.), gets in a lot of trouble with Damian “Dame” Anderson (Spence Moore II). Their relationship is more like the one between brothers than between friends. Adonis looks up to Dame, the first person who taught him how to box. One night, Dame is arrested and locked up after pulling his gun towards a man who picked a fight with Adonis.

So many years later, the two best friends come across each other outside Adonis’ box practice. Adonis is now a retired boxer living with his wife (Tessa Thompson) and daughter (Mila Davis-Kent) in LA and training upcoming boxing talent. Meanwhile, Dame (Jonathan Majors) has just been released from prison. It seems their friendship is still powerful, but it soon turns out that time and prison change a man. Someone who was once Adonis’ friend has now become a threat to his legacy, livelihood and family.

Different direction and style but the same knock-out performances

If you have seen the previous Creed movies, you will notice how different this film’s direction, style and vibe are. Ryan Coogler (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Black Panther), who helmed the first movie, and Steven Caple Jr. (The Land), who sat in the director’s chair for Creed II, had similar approaches to the characters, the fights and the story development. However, this time, it’s different. Jordan isn’t afraid to show you the tough moments his character has to go through, both during his teenage and adult life, and highlight topics such as gangs, gun violence, betrayal and secrets. Yes, it’s a new-ish take on Creed, which is excellent, especially if you want to keep this franchise going.

This is the third time Jordan (Black Panther, Fruitvale Station) steps into the ring as Adonis, and now that he’s helming his first Creed film, his on-screen performance becomes even better, more powerful and more exhilarating. Thompson (Passing, Selma) and Davis-Kent deliver stunning performances, and they absolutely deserve more screen time. We would have loved to see a bit more of Adonis’ family and which impact the return of Dame has on his wife and daughter.

Despite their strong performances, Creed III certainly is Majors’ (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Harder They Fall) movie. The menace, anger, darkness and pain he brings to this movie are out-of-this-world. Don’t expect a boxer who’s only out for blood. No, expect a broken sportsman torn between his violent past, resentment for Adonis, and friendship and strong connection with Adonis. Majors brings an incredible layered and nuanced performance to this movie.

Of course, a Creed movie wouldn’t be anything without astonishing fights. Cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau (Thor: The Dark World, Chef) uses many slow motions and close-up, resulting in sweat, bloody and fantastic scenes. That final fight is an absolute masterpiece. We don’t want to say too much about it because the scene is a must-see without knowing anything about it. It makes the experience even more breathtaking and impactful.

The film loses some power due to the lack of Ludwig Göransson’s (Tenet, Black Panther) score. The music is a little bit of a let-down, but the other creative decisions certainly make up for that.

Breathtaking, action-packed and multi-layered directional debut!

While Creed III doesn’t reach the same level as the previous movies, it’s still a knock-out film. Jordan’s directional debut is, without a doubt, a love letter to the legacy of Adonis Creed. The boxing scenes are adrenaline-packed, while the performances are multi-layered and highly effective. This movie is not the end for this franchise, and we hope to see Jordan back in the director’s chair and on-screen soon!

Rating: (3.5 / 5)

Also Read: Review: Creed II

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The return of the Western genre but not as you know it

A Western revenge story? Yes, that’s how you can describe The Harder They Fall in a nutshell. As a child, Nat Love watched his parents getting murdered by Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), and now, so many years later, he (Jonathan Majors) is looking for the person who killed his parents. Together with his Nat Love Gang, which includes gangmates Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and Jim Beckworth (RC Cyler) and love interest, Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), he’s out for revenge. After hearing that Buck escaped from prison, their thirst for revenge get even bigger.

However, it won’t be that easy to kill one of the most ruthless killers, especially not when he’s surrounded by the Rufus Buck Gang. While Buck was in prison, his gang was led by Trudy Smith (Regina King) and a kind-of-spokesperson Cherokee Bill (Stanfield), and they absolutely ensured that they upheld Buck’s brutal and bloody reputation. Both gangs go head-to-head, but there can only be one victor, right? So which gang is it going to be?

What stunning on-screen and off-screen talent!

Sure, the storyline might seem a bit simple or straightforward, but writers Boaz Yakin (Aviva) and Samuel still make sure that they never fall back into the stereotypical characters. While the story itself might be fictional, the characters aren’t. At the start of the movie, you get a “These. People. Existed” warning, due to which the violence, tough times and bloodshed make an even greater impact.

It doesn’t matter how much of the story is true; when portraying real-life characters, you must work with a cast that can deliver strong, honest, genuinely-looking and captivating performances. Casting director Victoria Thomas (Django Unchained) clearly understood that assignment as she brought a top-notch cast together in this film. First of all, there’s Majors (Lovecraft Country) as Nat Love, who’s an absolute pleasure to watch! His charms, the intensity of his performance during the brutal scenes and the emotional impact he has during the more touching moments make sure that you watch the movie from start to finish.

Elba (Molly’s Game) absolutely excels in this movie as his performance is a tour-de-force in more than one way! Not only the violent and ruthless side of Buck is being heightened, but you also see that, despite having a rough exterior, Buck is also a man with human feelings. Yes, Elba’s performance is top-notch on both physical and emotional levels, and it’s not hard to see why director Samuel wanted to work with him.

It’s not only the men who deliver stunning acting performances. No, also Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) is phenomenal as Smith. She oozes power, and her bad-ass vibe shines through the entire movie. She can absolutely stand her ground in The Harder They Fall. Beetz (Deadpool 2) is also putting on a great performance that will absolutely leave a big impression. It’s just a shame that she doesn’t get enough screen time. That being said, when you put Beetz and King together in the same scene, you get absolute firework!

The openings scene is one of the most impressive scenes of the movie, and that’s not only because of the terrific performances. No, it’s also because of the extremely captivating and stunning cinematography by Mihai Malaimare Jr. (Jojo Rabbit). He leaves those more neutral colours behind and goes straights for eye-popping ones. The violence is right in your face, and so are the blood red and the pitch-black dark colours. Malaimare Jr certainly knows how to create a mesmerizing spectacle. 

Just as in any Western movie, music is of vital importance. However, don’t expect the traditional Western-movie music. In The Harder They Fall, it’s all about “the harder and louder” the better. You get songs from Jay-Z (who’s a producer of this movie), Ms. Lauryn Hill, Kid Cudi and Koffee. Based on those names, you know the music absolutely accompanies the film in the best way possible.

What an outstanding debut

Last month, The Harder They Fall was the openings movie of the BFI Film Festival, and it’s no surprise why. The film is made with such passion for the Western genre and edgy filmmaking, and if you combine that passion with a terrific cast and an extremely creative crew, you know that you’re in for a fantastic ride! The Harder They Fall is available on Netflix, but if you really want to get the action, the adrenaline rush and the powerful acting performance, then try and catch the movie on the big screen.

The Harder They Fall is out now on Netflix and in U.K. cinemas.

Rating: (4 / 5)

Also Read: Inclusion In The Director’s Chair: Are Female Directors Finally Breaking Through?

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