Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked (2018)

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     After a 2018 that saw two out of three releases earn over a billion dollars at the box office, it’s safe to say that Marvel Studios is still on top of superhero cinema. Before the studio brings Phase Three to an end with Avengers 4 next summer, here’s another look back at the 20 films that make up the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far.

CATEGORY ONE: 12% OF A GOOD TIME

20. THE INCREDIBLE HULK (2008)

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     Although it’s the second movie released as part of the MCU canon, in many ways The Incredible Hulk feels like it belongs to a different era of superhero movies: the sillier, more action-forward Fox superhero flicks of the early 2000s. It does reflect some of the admirable impulses that the MCU would come to be known for, like recruiting top-notch performers and making an effort to round out the protagonist’s human side. But when it comes down to it, The Incredible Hulk doesn’t provide enough characterization to motivate its big, destructive action sequences.

19. IRON MAN 2 (2010)

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     Iron Man 2 isn’t the breath of fresh air that Iron Man is, in part because of its heavy load of Avengers set-up homework. But between its side quests, Iron Man 2 still gives Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow a chance to shine. Plus that first fight scene on the racetrack is pretty damn exciting, if we’re being honest.

18. THOR: THE DARK WORLD (2013)

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     Thor: The Dark World brings plenty of enjoyable Asgardian world-building to the table. We witness see a prison break, an attack on the city, a clever inter-realm action sequence, and some of Loki’s best magic tricks. In every other facet, however, The Dark World is pretty bland, and Thor himself is no exception: he’s easily one of the least interesting characters in the whole shebang.  

17. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)

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     It’s always going to be fun to get the whole gang together, and Age of Ultron capitalizes on that opportunity with solid character moments, tons of action, and a few bold choices (like a Hulk and Black Widow romance). Still, despite all of the things stuffed into this movie, it never quite matches its predecessor for thrills, possibly because it doesn’t give Ultron the chance to be a truly formidable villain. The result is a movie that settles for more of the same blockbuster action… except this time with pacing issues.

CATEGORY TWO: I CAN DO THIS ALL DAY

16. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (2017)

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     Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 brings back all the things audiences loved about the first Guardians, but this time the filmmakers curb back unwieldy plot points in favor of a more intimate, character-driven story. In fact, they probably curb it back a little too far, because Vol. 2 drags quite a bit in the second act. It also seems like the filmmakers have fallen in love with their own sense of humor, which delves into sillier, cheesier stuff than we find in the original film.

15. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (2018)

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     This bizarre little corner of the MCU is still charming as ever in Ant-Man and the Wasp, which gives an official introduction to Marvel’s first headlining female superhero. The freshest thing about Ant-Man and the Wasp is the plot, which trades in huge blockbuster stakes and formulaic action sequences for what is essentially a two-hour, superpowered game of keep-away. Even so, Ant-Man and the Wasp isn’t as strong as its predecessor (contrary to my initial review). It doesn’t quite know how to handle its villain, Ghost, and series mainstays (the family dynamic, offbeat humor) don’t come through with the same effortlessness.

14. DOCTOR STRANGE (2016)

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     Doctor Strange takes the MCU to an exciting new mystical world, complete with wizards, incantations, and your occasional all-consuming being of darkness. As a fun by-product, it features some truly out of this world visual sequences that help set it apart from other Marvel films. On the narrative level, the strength of Doctor Strange’s character arc helps overcome the movie’s underwritten female lead and interchangeable love story.

13. THOR (2011)

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     It might seem crazy now, but Thor represents the MCU’s very first steps outside of its earthbound, SHIELD-centric storylines. The movie introduces audiences to the colorful and exciting world as Asgard, as well as the Thor franchise’s most distinctive feature: the brotherly relationship between Thor and Loki. So even if Thor’s romance with Natalie Portman isn’t exactly the stuff of myths and legends, at least we got Tom Hiddleston’s Loki out of it.

12. ANT-MAN (2015)

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     Ant-Man borrows the bulk of its plot—at least the superhero side of it—from Iron Man. But that aside, Ant-Man is a superhero movie like you’ve never quite seen before. For one thing, it focuses on a family man: Scott’s relationship with his daughter Cassie is just as significant as his romance with Hope. And then there’s Ant-Man’s sense of humor, which is fun, unique, and frankly, bizarre at times. Thomas the Tank Engine, anyone?

11. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (2011)

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     Captain America’s first solo film might not pack the same punch as its sequels, but it’s still pretty fun. The First Avenger includes some great action, a bona-fide mad Nazi scientist, and, thanks to its period setting, some great costumes and sets. Most importantly, it introduces several great characters who go onto shape their respective corners of the MCU.

10. IRON MAN 3 (2013)

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     Iron Man 3 can be a little over the top at times, and it certainly annoyed some comic fans with the Mandarin twist. But in the most important areas, Iron Man 3 is a slam dunk. Director Shane Black takes the action to a level we’d never seen in an MCU solo movie (the Air Force One rescue and the final battle with all the Iron Man suits). In between action beats, the movie gives its hero a meaningful character arc, which includes a fairly honest representation of anxiety attacks.

CATEGORY THREE: PERFECTLY BALANCED

9. SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017)

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     For the first Spider-Man film in the MCU continuity, Marvel Studios put some new spins on the character’s mythos. As a result, Homecoming leaves New York behind and settles into a new, fun atmosphere complete with high school drama, relatively low stakes, and, you know, Iron Man. Homecoming’s sharp, funny, and sometimes surprising script earns it a place among Marvel’s best.

8. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)

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     The Winter Soldier occasionally requires some serious suspension of disbelief (yes, even in a movie about superheroes), but there’s no denying that it raised the bar for MCU movies. From a story standpoint, The Winter Soldier brings high stakes, strong pacing, and the paranoid disposition of a political thriller. When it comes to action, the Winter Soldier’s take-no-prisoners approach is responsible for some of the best sequences in any superhero movie to date. 

7. THOR: RAGNAROK (2017)

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     Taika Waititi breathes new life into the Thor franchise with Ragnarok. His trademark, offbeat sense of humor not only makes Ragnarok an altogether unique take on a Marvel movie but also makes Thor himself an interesting and compelling character again. Add in one of the MCU’s best villains in Cate Blanchett’s Hela and a characteristically eccentric performance from Jeff Goldblum, and it’s not hard to see why Ragnarok is such a tremendous success.

6. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016)

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     Captain America: Civil War opens the MCU’s Phase Three, and boy is it an opening. On one hand, it delivers an absolutely huge action set piece that involves nearly every hero in the MCU. On the other, Civil War doesn’t lose sight of the emotional impact, bringing the movie to an end with a devasting, contentious, and deeply personal fight between two of the franchise’s biggest heroes. A movie this stuffed with characters will always sacrifice something, but Civil War is about as smart as they come.

5. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018)

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     Infinity War is simultaneously one of Marvel’s best and worst movies. It features some of Marvel’s thinnest characterization—which makes sense given the sheer number of characters vying for screen time—and its flimsiest character deaths—which doesn’t make much sense at all. And yet it also marks Marvel’s boldest storytelling to date, with a determined pace, real danger, and a willingness to let its characters lose. It’s big, it’s brash, it’s action-packed, and on balance, it’s a remarkable achievement.

CATEGORY FOUR: WE ARE GROOT

4. IRON MAN (2008)

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     The original Iron Man is still one of Marvel’s all-time greatest. Iron Man’s story, which can be as exciting and fantastical as any of the later Marvel movies, is still grounded in reality; the movie literally opens with Tony Stark closing an arms deal with the military. But the real secret is the casting: Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow are exceptional as Stark and Potts. It’s their performances that makes audiences connect with these characters, feel their highs and lows, and root for them going forward.

3. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

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     Marvel Studios isn’t a stranger to taking risks. Case in point: Guardians of the Galaxy, a rollicking space adventure with characters that were completely unknown to audiences prior to release. Seriously, we’re talking C-list superheroes here. Nevertheless, Guardians of the Galaxy is an atmospheric delight, introducing the MCU to new worlds and loveable characters, delivering Marvel’s best humor to date, and packing in a whole lot of heart. Sometimes weird is wonderful.

2. THE AVENGERS (2012)

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     The Avengers is Marvel Studios firing on all cylinders, and, for better or worse, that success has changed the Hollywood landscape. It’s sort of a comic book dream to watch these four heroes come together on the big screen for the first time. And even now, six years and fourteen movies later, when the novelty has most assuredly worn off, The Avengers still impresses. With a clever juxtaposition of tones, solid character moments for each hero, and more than one incredible action sequence, The Avengers sets a gold standard for superhero ensemble flicks.

1. BLACK PANTHER (2018)

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     There’s no two ways about it: Black Panther is in a category of its own. The characters, the action, the pacing is all on point, and even when Black Panther recycles something we’ve seen before—like the car chase in Korea—it finds a way to distinguish itself. The movie’s story wrestles with real emotional depth, thanks in large part to the sympathetic villain, Erik Killmonger. Its world-building is rich and intricate; Wakanda’s costumes, sets, and heritage are detailed and vividly imagined. And its protagonists, King T’Challa and his Dora Milaje, are characters cut from an entirely different cloth than any other Marvel hero. Aside from its status as a landmark in representation, Black Panther is a winning intersection of strong talent (in front and behind the camera) and a bold storytelling vision.