Ultimately, then (and viewed on the most cynical terms imaginable, perhaps), the Marvel Cinematic Universe - and the Cinematic Universes and world-building franchises it has since inspired - is something akin to a trap. Essentially, it is a factory designed to make you a customer for years on end; stories are purposely told with little emphasis on efficiency, and are sprinkled with tidbits, clues and references that foreshadow future happenings entirely to have you coming back to see the next picture... in the same way that a TV show like Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad or House of Cards would do so between seasons. There's nothing "illegal" going on here, of course; people seem to like this approach to movie-making in their millions, after all, which reflects the way that cinematic tastes have changed. But it's hard to approach cinema rendered in this self-interested style with anything other than suspicion. Movies are a business, it's true, and the intention is - and always has been - to bring in as much money as possible. Really, though... does Hollywood have to make it so darn obvious that that's the case?
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
