8 Exact Moments That Ruined the Worst MCU Movies
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VOICE OVER: Rudolph Strong
WRITTEN BY: Adrian Quidilla
Marvel's cinematic universe isn't always perfect. We're diving into the most cringe-worthy, disappointing, and downright frustrating moments that completely derailed some of the MCU's weakest films. From Taskmaster's controversial identity to Kang's underwhelming defeat, these scenes showcase the missed opportunities and narrative missteps in some of Marvel's most criticized movies. Our countdown explores how even the biggest franchise can stumble, leaving fans wondering what could have been. When do you think MCU movies most infamously went off the rails.
The Exact Moments That Ruined the Worst MCU Movies
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at scenes that epitomize why these are the worst MCU movies. Keep in mind that some moments contain spoilers.
These cosmic heroines just didn't have what it takes to stand out. That may have been because of studio interference or lack of planning. Either way, most can agree that the writing didn’t make use of the actors’ chemistry. We’re instead treated to some of the genre’s most tired cliches, such as codename workshopping. Variations of this scene used to be in just about every superhero movie. At this point, the gag is pretty drawn out. Why didn’t Monica just immediately settle on her mother’s callsign as her name? “Photon” would've been perfect. “The Marvels” was widely criticized for being just another typical superhero flick. This is sadly a perfect representation of that issue.
If viewers weren't happy by this point in the film, they were certainly disappointed by this villain reveal. Instead of being the witty mercenary from the comics, Taskmaster turned out to be Antonia Dreykov, a brainwashed Red Room assassin. Writer Eric Pearson claimed that this change was meant to keep the story grounded while also having that fantastical Marvel element. We understand where he's coming from, but the decision didn't satisfy anybody. Comic fans felt the character wasn’t portrayed accurately. General audiences found her to be a bland villain. Some minor tweaks to the plot could have made a world of difference, and Taskmaster would've been a good place to start.
Despite his great directing, Sam Raimi couldn't save the script's bad dialogue. Take for instance Billy and Tommy's song about wanting ice cream. It's easy to use the word “cringe” when talking about bad Marvel moments, but it’s the only way to describe this. On paper, it's a good idea to remind us why Wanda is desperate to find her sons, even if they're from another reality. She is after all a mother who just lost her family. But in execution, it falls short. The scene tries way too hard to tug at our heartstrings, which ends up making it harder to empathize with the Scarlet Witch. Their sappy song only makes them feel more artificial than her actual kids.
This female-led prequel received mixed reactions. One issue is that it wasted the potential of its characters. Nowhere is that clearer than Nick Fury. Towards the end of the film, the alien feline, Goose, scratches the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's eye, leaving him permanently scarred. If you were expecting a more dramatic backstory for his eye patch, you're not alone. Just about everyone believed there was some kind of tale to tell about it. The explanation turning out to be a bad joke felt like a huge letdown. It seemed to waste years of clues spread throughout the movies. It sadly represents a lot of the missed opportunities in “Captain Marvel.”
One of Marvel’s boldest projects didn’t quite connect with audiences. This may be a reason why. In the film, it’s revealed that the Eternal Phastos helped evolve human technology. He later comes to regret this after the fallout of the atomic bomb. While it does expand the MCU’s history, it seems rather insensitive. Did they really need to shift the blame of a real-world atrocity onto a gay character? It also just doesn’t make much sense that this is the event that makes him feel guilty. What about the thousands of years of war before the twentieth century? If they wanted to give Phastos good character motivation, that would have sufficed.
Most can agree that this movie was plagued with forced humor and some poor CGI. A scene in which Heimdall’s son contacts Thor is the best example of both flaws. It starts with Axl’s floating head appearing out of nowhere, accompanied by visual effects that make this look more like a parody than an actual superhero movie. And the less said about the terrible banter, the better. On a budget of a quarter million dollars, you’d think we’d get astounding VFX and jokes that actually land. It seemed to work with “Ragnarok.”
We could chalk up the film’s failures to MODOK, but he was just a sidekick after all. In a better movie, he could have been a fun addition. What drags down this movie is its main villain. Kang loses nearly all of his fights – whether against MODOK, Ant-Man, or an army of ants. On one hand, we get that the filmmakers wanted to show how Scott would deal with an Avengers-level threat. But in the end, they overplayed the underdog angle, which made Kang’s defeat feel too easy. They also completely lacked a compelling rivalry. The film not only failed to be a solid bookend to the trilogy. It was a poor setup for the MCU’s next big bad… well, intended next big bad.
After absorbing a weapon known as the Aether, Jane Foster is taken to Asgard, finding herself as the proverbial “fish out of water.” In the first film, she acted as Thor’s guide on Earth, so flipping their roles for the sequel seemed like a decent idea. Unfortunately, that’s about where the fun of this concept ends. Jane essentially becomes both a MacGuffin and a typical damsel in distress, removing any agency she had before. Now she’s largely sidelined, and her clash with Asgardian culture is barely explored. She kind of just follows Thor around. It’s hard not to see why the subsequent film dropped Jane altogether.
There are more things wrong with these films than we’ve listed. What did we miss? Yon Rogg’s defeat? Thor’s awkward humor? Let us know in the comments below.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at scenes that epitomize why these are the worst MCU movies. Keep in mind that some moments contain spoilers.
Superhero Names
“The Marvels” (2023)These cosmic heroines just didn't have what it takes to stand out. That may have been because of studio interference or lack of planning. Either way, most can agree that the writing didn’t make use of the actors’ chemistry. We’re instead treated to some of the genre’s most tired cliches, such as codename workshopping. Variations of this scene used to be in just about every superhero movie. At this point, the gag is pretty drawn out. Why didn’t Monica just immediately settle on her mother’s callsign as her name? “Photon” would've been perfect. “The Marvels” was widely criticized for being just another typical superhero flick. This is sadly a perfect representation of that issue.
Dreykov Reveals Taskmaster's Identity
“Black Widow” (2021)If viewers weren't happy by this point in the film, they were certainly disappointed by this villain reveal. Instead of being the witty mercenary from the comics, Taskmaster turned out to be Antonia Dreykov, a brainwashed Red Room assassin. Writer Eric Pearson claimed that this change was meant to keep the story grounded while also having that fantastical Marvel element. We understand where he's coming from, but the decision didn't satisfy anybody. Comic fans felt the character wasn’t portrayed accurately. General audiences found her to be a bland villain. Some minor tweaks to the plot could have made a world of difference, and Taskmaster would've been a good place to start.
The Ice Cream Song
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022)Despite his great directing, Sam Raimi couldn't save the script's bad dialogue. Take for instance Billy and Tommy's song about wanting ice cream. It's easy to use the word “cringe” when talking about bad Marvel moments, but it’s the only way to describe this. On paper, it's a good idea to remind us why Wanda is desperate to find her sons, even if they're from another reality. She is after all a mother who just lost her family. But in execution, it falls short. The scene tries way too hard to tug at our heartstrings, which ends up making it harder to empathize with the Scarlet Witch. Their sappy song only makes them feel more artificial than her actual kids.
The Real Way Fury Lost His Eye
“Captain Marvel” (2019)This female-led prequel received mixed reactions. One issue is that it wasted the potential of its characters. Nowhere is that clearer than Nick Fury. Towards the end of the film, the alien feline, Goose, scratches the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's eye, leaving him permanently scarred. If you were expecting a more dramatic backstory for his eye patch, you're not alone. Just about everyone believed there was some kind of tale to tell about it. The explanation turning out to be a bad joke felt like a huge letdown. It seemed to waste years of clues spread throughout the movies. It sadly represents a lot of the missed opportunities in “Captain Marvel.”
Phastos & the Atomic Bomb
“Eternals” (2021)One of Marvel’s boldest projects didn’t quite connect with audiences. This may be a reason why. In the film, it’s revealed that the Eternal Phastos helped evolve human technology. He later comes to regret this after the fallout of the atomic bomb. While it does expand the MCU’s history, it seems rather insensitive. Did they really need to shift the blame of a real-world atrocity onto a gay character? It also just doesn’t make much sense that this is the event that makes him feel guilty. What about the thousands of years of war before the twentieth century? If they wanted to give Phastos good character motivation, that would have sufficed.
Axl’s Head
“Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022)Most can agree that this movie was plagued with forced humor and some poor CGI. A scene in which Heimdall’s son contacts Thor is the best example of both flaws. It starts with Axl’s floating head appearing out of nowhere, accompanied by visual effects that make this look more like a parody than an actual superhero movie. And the less said about the terrible banter, the better. On a budget of a quarter million dollars, you’d think we’d get astounding VFX and jokes that actually land. It seemed to work with “Ragnarok.”
Kang’s Easy Defeat
“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (2023)We could chalk up the film’s failures to MODOK, but he was just a sidekick after all. In a better movie, he could have been a fun addition. What drags down this movie is its main villain. Kang loses nearly all of his fights – whether against MODOK, Ant-Man, or an army of ants. On one hand, we get that the filmmakers wanted to show how Scott would deal with an Avengers-level threat. But in the end, they overplayed the underdog angle, which made Kang’s defeat feel too easy. They also completely lacked a compelling rivalry. The film not only failed to be a solid bookend to the trilogy. It was a poor setup for the MCU’s next big bad… well, intended next big bad.
Jane Absorbs the Aether
“Thor: The Dark World” (2013)After absorbing a weapon known as the Aether, Jane Foster is taken to Asgard, finding herself as the proverbial “fish out of water.” In the first film, she acted as Thor’s guide on Earth, so flipping their roles for the sequel seemed like a decent idea. Unfortunately, that’s about where the fun of this concept ends. Jane essentially becomes both a MacGuffin and a typical damsel in distress, removing any agency she had before. Now she’s largely sidelined, and her clash with Asgardian culture is barely explored. She kind of just follows Thor around. It’s hard not to see why the subsequent film dropped Jane altogether.
There are more things wrong with these films than we’ve listed. What did we miss? Yon Rogg’s defeat? Thor’s awkward humor? Let us know in the comments below.
