Anyone feel like Marvel/Directors don't know how to put a real villian on screen?

[KingOfAllWar]

After having watched Age of Ultron and being a comic book fan and watching all the super hero films I got thinking there's one big problem with all the Marvel and even DC films... The villians.

I enjoyed Age of Ultron but the trailers were one film and the actual film is another story all together, by my count Ultron gets destroyed by Thor, Vision, Iron Man, The Hulk and Captain America holds his own in a one on one and he's just an enhanced human and this is the guy who can tear them apart and end humanity? He gets beaten one on one versus almost every Avenger and when it comes to the final fight against all the Avengers I couldn't help but feel sorry for Ultron and his plastic robot army.

But this isn't just the case for Age of Ultron all the villains are like this, Loki is so under powered he is literally no threat, Iron man's villains suck horribly and what they did with the Mandarin was terrible especially considering he was becoming quite a menacing villain.

And everytime they seem to get they let it go and go goofy and wimpy with these bad guys, I honestly thought Ultron was gonna be the tied turner and be the reason the Avengers split up and a new team forms instead Hulk goes on Vacation, Thor does a Thor and Stark goes cruising in the sunset as per usual.

Only villains I think were done justice are Winter Soldier, Stryker, Joker and Whiplash from Ironman 2.

I'm genuinly worried about Thanos but hopefully the Russo brothers do him justice.

Thoughts?

 

[Organic Damage]

In one of the DLX threads there's a quote from Kevin Feige about how Marvel will never "go dark" and that comedy is integral to their movies.

Obviously Fox doesn't have any such restrictions on their Marvel properties, but it seems to be a conscious decision with no imminent sign of major departures.

IMO, Apocalypse will probably be a bigger badass than Thanos.

 

[Philippou4Life]

This is just another classic "you can't please everyone" example.

There is no set, objective criteria that defines what a "real" villain is. There is no set expectations created to dictate how "powerful" certain characters should be or can be outside of the comic books.

Comic book nerds continue to perpetuate the shackles that the source material creates onto movie adaptations and I think it's a lousy way to take away from how the movies have to create the best possible story and characters.

 

[RollSonnenRoll]

People always glance over Loki ripping a man's eye out with his scepter and killing(off camera) 80 people in 2 days. He was a great villain and brutal enough. These movies do have to appeal to kid's somewhat. Tom Hiddleston was great and his charisma made the character too likable imo and that's why he doesn't get enough villain credit.

 

[CoolB]

I honestly feel like Marvel is not ready to kill of any cash cows yet hence the lack of terrifying villains in the movies.

 

[phoenixikki]

Agree, Marvel is all about the heroes and their relationships

 

[theskza]

PG-13 you doofus

 

[AgentOrange24]

I understand what you're saying.

Ultron was actually very...Likeable in that movie.

We get told what he WANTS to do, but the worst thing he really does is destroy some Eastern European shithole that probably needed destroyed anyway.

However, since Thanos will be in two movies, I actually think the first one will involve him killing some, if not most of the Avengers.

Another problem is the fact that they have to include what are basically...Henchmen, to have someone for Hawkeye and the woman to realistically fight.

 

[GladiatorRPM]

I understand what you're saying.

Ultron was actually very...Likeable in that movie.

We get told what he WANTS to do, but the worst thing he really does is destroy some Eastern European shithole that probably needed destroyed anyway.

However, since Thanos will be in two movies, I actually think the first one will involve him killing some, if not most of the Avengers.

Another problem is the fact that they have to include what are basically...Henchmen, to have someone for Hawkeye and the woman to realistically fight.

"The woman" xD

 

[theskza]

We get told what he WANTS to do, but the worst thing he really does is destroy some Eastern European shithole that probably needed destroyed anyway
.

He actually wanted to wipe out humanity, and was going to do it except heroes.

 

[Thai Otoshi]

They gotta make these movies appeal to kids. As such, no villain will ever be arbitrarily and truly dark.

Btw, I don't know why you included Joker in your OP. He's DC.

 

[MarcoW]

This is just another classic "you can't please everyone" example.

There is no set, objective criteria that defines what a "real" villain is. There is no set expectations created to dictate how "powerful" certain characters should be or can be outside of the comic books.

Comic book nerds continue to perpetuate the shackles that the source material creates onto movie adaptations and I think it's a lousy way to take away from how the movies have to create the best possible story and characters.

Age of ultron would have been a good movie if ultron didn't suck.
Seriously no story can be good when the driving force of the story (usually the villain) is no threat to the heroes...
this isn't a fanboy problem, its a writing problem.

 

[MarcoW]

They gotta make these movies appeal to kids. As such, no villain will ever be arbitrarily and truly dark.

Btw, I don't know why you included Joker in your OP. He's DC.

he doesn't have to be dark, just OP.
Ultron should have been able to one hit KO Cap and done the same to other characters so that the team nature of the avengers actually mattered.
As it was it didn't matter at all.

 

[Frylock]

Agree that they should have made him tougher even without killing anyone.

 

[Tomie]

Comic book villains are never truly threatening enough since we all know that main super heroes always win at the end. Plus most comic book movies are PG-13.

*potential spoilers*

As for Marvel villains, most are not brutal or feared because none of them have actually killed an important character or done serious damage to a character that the audience/fan have connected with. For example, QuickSilver dying in AoU wasn't shocking or sad. His character development in the movie was non-existent, so for me even though I'm familiar with him in the comics, I just shrugged it off like it was nothing. Also the way he died was heroic, it wasn't like Ultron dominated him and killed him off.

Now if Thanos comes in and a huge fight erupts between him and the Avengers, and he snaps Captain America's neck or crushes Tony Starks skull through the Iron Man suit then the audience will know that Thanos is a true bad ass. That would cause some serious shock, awe and tears. But that won't happen because they are the main super heroes and from a business point of view, they won't risk killing off their high rollers. Even if Hawkeye and Black Widow dies it wouldn't have the same effect because they're just regular people. Killing hundreds of people or a planet wouldn't do much either because it's a movie and we're not invested in civilians, we're invested in the super heroes.

Thanos doesn't even need to kill anyone technically, but utterly dominates the Avengers with ease and chaos that should be enough.

Heck a lot of Marvel villains are not really even truly villains, just people who think they're doing the right thing or right cause.

 

[TheStruggle]

Good villains made a good story but Marvel doesn't want to go dark

 

[AgentOrange24]

He actually wanted to wipe out humanity, and was going to do it except heroes.

Yeah, thats what he wants to do.

What he actually DOES is get his ass kicked over and over, chop off some nobodies arm, and destroy a small town in Latvia.

Vladimir Putin has done more evil in the last 2 years than that.

 

[Abezal]

That's cause Marvel actually kinda sucks.

While i enjoy the movies for two hours i never really re watch and know its ending before it starts.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Yeah, thats what he wants to do.

What he actually DOES is get his ass kicked over and over, chop off some nobodies arm, and destroy a small town in Latvia.

Vladimir Putin has done more evil in the last 2 years than that.

Putin is the world's only real life Super Villain. Piss him off and you end up being buried in a lead-lined coffin.:icon_twis

 

[theskza]

Yeah, thats what he wants to do.

What he actually DOES is get his ass kicked over and over, chop off some nobodies arm, and destroy a small town in Latvia.

Vladimir Putin has done more evil in the last 2 years than that.

Ah, classic misread.