The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked - Definitively.
The correct order of what are the best and worst MCU films.
When I grew up, I was into DC Comics like Superman and Batman, and - if I’m being honest - a bit freaked out by Marvel comic heroes like the Silver Surfer and the Submariner, who seemed a bit too mystical and deep for what I was looking for. I had an old Iron Man toy figure that I must have either been given or found, because I can’t say I knew squat about him. But I did love the Hulk TV show, the Spiderman cartoon and so forth. And it’s quite clear that the MCU has absolutely revolutionized cinema and is a massive accomplishment. It’s outstanding and I’m all in.
But they aren’t all winners. With the caveat that I have yet to see Spiderman: No Way Home yet, or that for some reason Into The Spiderverse doesn’t seem to count as part of the MCU (it would rate VERY highly here if it did, I now present to you the DEFINITIVE ranking of the films of the MCU. Commentary where needed.
Eternals. This might be the only truly BAD Marvel movie. I sort of can’t believe how bad it actually is.
The Incredible Hulk. I actually only got around to watching this recently and it’s a hot mess. In fairness, it was only the second MCU film and they hadn’t found their stride. But boy oh boy it’s very, very ungood.
Apparently Abomination is coming back for She-Hulk. I say … hard pass.
Thor: The Dark World. You screw up a movie with Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston and others, you really have to work at it. So…congrats?
Iron Man 2. I always kind of remember the Formula 1 Monaco scenes, and Mickey Rourke being very “extra” as the kids say, but it’s kind of incredibly bad.
Ant-Man and the Wasp. You’re gonna see here that I am not a huge fan of the Ant-Man series, but this was maybe the most forgettable of all the MCU films.
Avengers: Age of Ultron. Given how vital this movie is to the story of the MCU, it’s remarkable how much it kind of missed. The tongue-in-cheek James Spader dialogue as Ultron just whiffed far too often, and the reliance on a main “character” that was really CGI based taught (thankfully) the MCU a lesson that the DC films haven’t learned yet - real actors make all the difference.
Iron Man 3. I’ll admit that a few years ago I probably would have ranked this lower - and the nonsense with “The Mandarin” is…not great, Bob. But it’s actually an interesting movie, dealing with the PTSD Tony Stark experiences after the Battle of New York (the original Avengers movie, which we’ll get to), and foreshadowing the father/son role Stark has with Peter Parker when he befriends a young boy who ends up helping him out. I’m also here for Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley at really any time.
Black Widow. With a rewatch this might fall lower in the standings - which is a shame, because this film should have come out much earlier, and it should be great with the cast not just of Scarlett Johannson but Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour and others. It’s definitely played more for laughs than other films but overall it’s just .. lacking.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. I’ll stop here to say that we’re definitely in territory now where I’d guess almost every film from here on out is a top-5 MCU film for somebody. And I’ll also admit that I’m not nearly as big of a Guardians fan as others, it feels far too cartoony and campy and I think it gets a lot more mileage out of the soundtrack than anything else. But mostly, Kurt Russell’s character Ego is so stupid that I just can’t.
Thor. The first film here is not awful. It’s entertaining for sure! But like many of the early MCU films, it’s clear that they hadn’t yet figured out what they had on their hands. It’s also worth noting that I never felt a lick of chemistry between Portman and Hemsworth, if that’s important to you. Note: This list was inspired after listening to my friend Steve Morris review Thor on his excellent Cine-Files podcast, along with John “The Outlaw” Rocha. Give it a listen and subscribe.
Captain Marvel. I know there was a lot of backlash to this when it came out, which I have to think was at least partially sexist. Also, the big “twist” in the film was completely ruined by anyone who watched Agents of Shield, which seems a bit silly. But more than anything, despite some fun nostalgia trips and some impressive CGI work to make Samuel L. Jackson look much younger, the film was a bit passionless. (The other massive, massive problem is that Captain Marvel is just too powerful. They literally had to send her to other universes so they could fight villains without it being too one-sided an affair.
Ant-Man. Look, Paul Rudd is a national treasure and any film largely centered in San Francisco is going to be something I favor, but it’s fairly middle of the road for me. The movie is stolen by Michael Peña and Rudd is very, very charming. I like how the story here starts becoming an important part of the MCU universe and the Infinity War/Endgame films. We’re now in a territory where all the films on the list from here on out are really, really good.
The Avengers. If you had told me after I first saw this film that there’d be more than a dozen MCU films that were better than it, I’d have been very shocked. That’s both a testament to how good some of the films we haven’t talked about yet are and how this film has gotten a bit weaker upon rewatches. On the other hand, I’m not sure there’s one single moment that made me laugh harder than the simple phrase, “Puny God.”
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. I’ve only seen this once, and probably will rank it elsewhere after a rewatch but I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this. Especially as it has little to nothing to do with the MCU I’d come to know and love. Plus, it made Awkafina totally not obnoxious! That’s impressive work.
Guardians of the Galaxy. Despite my earlier comments about Vol. 2, I do like the original film and the setup for some of the key characters that make the MCU so unique. It’s really fun.
Spider-Man: Far From Home. The Tom Holland Spider-Man is by far the best, and the fact that this sequel, which is insanely wholesome and dangerous at the same time, is up against the top 10 is pretty impressive.
Spider-Man: Homecoming. If I have a negative note for these films, it’s that they all use “Home” in the title and I get super confused. But this really set the stage (though we met Spider-Man already in a movie we haven’t discussed yet) and the most reminiscent of the character I liked so much as a kid. He’s fun AND he’s … a kid! Also, whoever decided to cast Marisa Tomei as Aunt May deserves a Medal of Freedom.
Captain America: Civil War. My biggest issue with this film is wondering why it’s part of the Captain America series instead of another Avengers film. Because that’s what it is - and it’s really, really good. This is the first film I unintentionally watched out of order (before seeing Ultron) and had no idea who the Scarlet Witch and others were. Don’t be like me. The action in this film is maybe as good as it gets in the whole series, there are genuinely funny movies (bringing in Ant-Man and Spider-Man adds that levity, and they both essentially provide fan service, being in awe of who they are associating with). The inherent conflict IS a bit silly, but guys…these are comic book movies. It’s all good.
Iron Man. The film that started it all holds up under further review. And the casting of Robert Downey Jr. was so unconventional that it gave the franchise permission to think outside the box for future characters (see: Tomei, Marisa and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk.) Sure, it gets a bit of extra credit for simply being first, but it’s still a very fun movie that holds a special place for me.
Captain America: The First Avenger. As much as Iron Man is great, this is my favorite film to establish one of the Avengers. (He’s the first! It’s in the title!) Chris Evans is completely believable as a courageous weakling and as a complete bad-ass. His relationship with Peggy Carter (the sublime Haley Atwell) is exceptionally well done and the eventual payoff in Endgame is absolutely earned.
Doctor Strange. My favorite joke with this movie is that the character is named Stephen Strange and the actor is Benedict Cumberbatch and my daughter continually thinks both names MUST be fake. It’s a very clever movie that sets up the infinity stones but is completely satisfying as a standalone films.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier. We’re in the top-5! For many, this is their favorite MCU film, and I can get that. The plot is solid, the action is great and the development of the Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan, and once again either of those could be a fake name) is really well done. This one took a bit for me to warm to it, but it’s one of the films I could most easily throw on again for a rewatch.
Avengers: Infinity War. I’d really combine this with #3 because the combination of them is honestly one of the more impressive one-two punch in recent memory. This has some truly amazing moments and I can’t get enough of it. I managed to not get spoiled on this at all, and when it ends (and it’s suddenly VERY clear that it’s Part 1 and another film will resolve the crisis) we were a bit shocked in the Greebs household. Thankfully, these days one can just click onto and start watching …
Avengers: Endgame. What a movie. Heartwarming, funny, sad, and the action is top notch. With all that’s gone on in the years since, sadly there may well be more folks subscribing to the “Thanos Was Right” school of thought. That being said, for my money, there’s no better moment in the entire MCU than when Captain America says, simply, “Avengers….ASSEMBLE!”
Black Panther. The only film on this list to get - justifiably - nominated for Best Picture and it’s not even at the top of the list? What gives, Greebs? Man, I love this movie. Even looking at Michael B. Jordan’s skin after all those bumped tattoos (which seriously grosses me out, just thinking about it) doesn’t knock it down. Listen, I know some folks think people like this movie because it makes them seem woke. Those folks are both idiots and quite possibly latent racists. Because it’s simply a GREAT movie. What’s amazing is that when you go back through the series, they are talking about Wakanda and vibranium so much earlier than you possibly remember. And the Black Panther is an amazing hero in all ways. The loss of Chadwick Boseman is a true hit to all of us but this movie was just this high even before his untimely death. But rewatch this and realize he did all of this with Stage 4 cancer. It’s a tremendous, tremendous film.
Thor: Ragnarok. But yet, this is my favorite film. It has EVERYTHING. The opening scene, where Thor is hanging upside down and occasionally spins to where he can’t see who he’s talking is our first insight to the Taika Waititi humor, followed immediately by him absolutely kicking ass to Led Zeppelin. We find out what happened to the Hulk after Ultron, we get Jeff Goldblum, we get Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, and Cate Fricking Blanchett as Hela, to just name a few. Anthony Hopkins final scene in this film is surprisingly tender (especially for a character like Odin) and we get a little Doctor Strange and Black Widow, plus some excellent cameos. It’s a masterpiece and I could probably watch it once a month and not get bored.
So, there you have it. Whenever anyone asks you “what are the best MCU films, in order?” it’s now clear. I’m sure nobody has any disagreements with any of this, but if SOMEHOW you don’t think I’m fundamentally right, leave a comment!
You officially have way too much time on your hands