In the marvel discourse it seems there are a few “good” films that utilise the superhero conventions and highlight it’s validity in current cinema. Ever since Avengers: Endgame tied up all the 10 plus years of set up, as well as many instances before then the increase in superhero films trying to replicate and/or build off the success of 2012’s ‘Avengers’ has triggered much discourse on its place and effect on cinema. It was around this time the studio fell in favour of the formulaic storytelling and heavy cgi limiting stylistic opportunity for the director. With Marvel studios pushing out a three film a year minimum and other studios primarily Fox and Warner Bros. trying to emulate this it gave audiences a sense of superhero media fatigue. Within this period there was a debate on Marvel’s place in the cultural zeitgeist with a big discussion over its similarity to the western. Primarily it's a commercial decline. However I see more similarity in the Wuxia genre in early and modern Chinese cinema.
All three share heroic traits within the leading action hero. Usually these leads follow a (in some cases) strict morality that drives their fight between good and evil. This enforcement of good or justice being a violent one by action scenes following each of their genres own conventions. Whether that's tense shootouts, gravity defying sword fights or flying around the sky beam fighting off hordes of aliens. They all follow a protagonist who follows the call to action and learns a moral or personal journey along the way. Westerns and Superhero media, Marvel and DC specifically all have deep ties in old American culture and values. Some more subtly than others.
Superheroes films usually fall under action, adventure and sci-fi. Westerns also share exclusive elements to Wuxia like the tendency to specifically focus on loner travelling characters with a more anti-hero persona. A persona specifically shaped by a code of honour within the world's established laws shaped around the warrior or cowboy code. As well as the usual pattern of their redemption arc regaining honour or a status they lacked or lost. The superhero genre follows a more grounded approach favouring realism and an everyman character developing a skill or supernatural ability and using it to do good out of a sense of honour. However this honourability is more generalised and out of doing good. It's also the most flexible out of the three as I hesitate to call it a genre as its basic premise can span into almost anything. Especially with marvel characters borrowing from sci-fi, horror, action and even westerns themselves for their concepts, stories and characters.
This makes the superhero film very versatile in nature. Which also highlights the effects and restrictions on these films being put in the hands of large studios. While people blame Disney and the Marvel studios formula ever since marvel began selling it’s properties to movie studios it seemed to try a lot and fail. For every Blade and X-men there was a daredevil or Fantastic Four. All four films preluding to the avengers carries a intimate feel while giving the origin of Ironman, Hulk, Thor and Captain America. Until after it began a checklist for characters and storylines to adapt. More and more most of what you would see on screen was literally over-saturated coverage for CGI with some quips. Then when the magic and more alien aspects were introduced it was muted and dull. While carrying narrative conventions they lacked nuance more and more until everyone became tired of the formula. So even when they mixed genres it was so diluted you could barely taste the difference between sci-fi and horror. Most of the most critically acclaimed Marvel films after endgames are the ones embracing Wuxia and horror.
Wuxia never lost its hold on the eastern and western audience while sharing the use of cgi, elaborate action set pieces. As well as balancing humour with drama and comedy. It mirrors certain aspects of having its roots in American history seeing as Wuxia has the same with China. However while being modernised it tries to strip itself of it’s camp and outlandish nature. Wuxia embraces its past elements and elevates while also modernising certain aspects without scraping aspects out of shame. While Wuxia holds his own even having its own influence in Marvel for Shang Chi 2021.
While Westerns, Wuxia and Superhero films all share aspects. Wuxia and westerns specifically almost mirror each other, but in the case of Marvel specifically in how it shaped the “genre” compares best to Wuxia. In style, writing, cultural influence and impact, however it differs in how it’s handled and seen by audience and critics alike.
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