Are Marvel movies “not cinema”? Robert Downey Jr. weighs in

Recently, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese (Casino, Goodfellas, Taxi Driver) offered up a unique take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, calling Disney’s legion of cash cow movies “not cinema.”

"Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks."

Harsh words from one of Hollywood’s most respected directors. Robert Downey Jr., the acting engine that revved up the MCU with 2008’s Iron Man, responded to Scorsese while chatting with Howard Stern.

Downey dances around the issue for the most part, but does fight back against the “not cinema” bit. “I mean, it plays in theaters,” he said. “I appreciate his opinion because I think it’s like anything. We need all of the different perspectives, so we can come to center and move on.”

I agree that opinions are welcome, but personally think it’s pretty unfair to write off the whole of the MCU like that, particularly when directors are trying to expand the canvas with movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier or Thor: Ragnarok.

Anyway, Stern also asked if Downey Jr. felt insulted by the comments. “No,” he responded. “It’d be like saying, ‘Howard Stern isn’t radio.’ It makes no sense to say it.”

All that said, Downey Jr. did appear to see Scorsese’s point of view.

"There’s a lot to be said for how these genre movies—and I was happy to be a part of the ‘problem’ if there is one—denigrated the era, the art form of cinema. When you come in like a stomping beast and you eliminate the competition in such a demonstrative way, it’s phenomenal."

Scorsese has had a lot of box office success over the years, and he got it making “the art form of cinema.” The MCU has changed the game when it comes to what a successful movie looks like — for better or worse, the mid-budget, riskier sort of movies Scorsese likes to make aren’t considered a good bet by studios anymore. With that in mind, it’s no shock that Scorsese isn’t wild about the new normal. But if you prefer his way of doing things, you can always watch The Irishman on Netflix.

Downey Jr. isn’t the only Marvel mainstay responding to Scorsese’s comments. Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn weighed in…

…as did Samuel L. Jackson, Nick Fury himself:

And the debate goes on.

Downey also revealed that Disney wanted to put him forward for consideration for a Best Actor Oscar for his curtain call as Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, but he turned them down. “There was some talk about it, and I said, ‘Let’s not,'” he recalled. “Because I’m much more like you than you might really want to believe.”

That seems like a strange reason to turn down a potential Oscar nom — anyone brought to tears by Iron Man’s final moments can’t argue that Downey doesn’t deserves a nod — but whatever floats your boat.

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h/t SyFy Wire