Today’s list: The Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies, ranked in order from weakest to strongest (see also my ranking of MCU Villains and The Worst of Marvel). Normally I end up discussing some reasonably terrible films on the low end of a list, but that’s less true here. The lesser MCU films are better than most other superhero films, and all are generally fun flicks. For a change, this is a list of films mostly worth seeing in a theater and owning.
(Updated for The Marvels)
So, time to start with the least of them.
33 – Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)Â 
Doctor Strange is extremely irresponsible with a spell which ends up ripping holes in the universe and allowing Spider-men and villains from other universes to enter this one. Peter Parker then one-ups Doctor Strange by making irresponsible and stupid decision after irresponsible and stupid decision, causing death and pain all around, including for himself.
Walking in, I figure my problem with the film would be all the fan service and nostalgia related to bringing back previous actors and characters from the non-MCU Spider-Man films, after all, I liked all those films less than MCU movies. But nope, that all worked well, really surprisingly well, and retroactively made those films, particularly The Amazing Spier-Man pair, better. The problems came with the MCU Peter Parker. They’ve always played him as naive, but they double-downed on that with a character who should be a bit more worldly as he is older, and it just made him into an annoying brat. He was more of a child when he should have been more of an adult.
Now just because I didn’t like him didn’t mean I wanted to see him tortured, and this film really wants to torture him. The ending is painful and pointless. And then there’s the whole “Guess we can’t kill Uncle Ben… Who can we kill?” bit. This is still an MCU film, so there’s lots to like, but more than any other, there’s lots to annoy.
32 – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)Â
As the people of Wakanda mourn the death of King T’Challa, Namor, Lord of Atlantis, shows up to threaten Wakanda if they don’t give him an American student who’s discovered how to track vibranium. Although there are an almost infinite number of smarter things to do, Atlantis attacks Wakanda which then attempts to respond in as stupid a way as they can. Oh, and in America there’s a white dude because apparently there can’t be a movie without a white dude.
This isn’t a terrible movie, but it is a mess. Of course the problems come from a tragedy (the death of Chadwick Boseman), so they were screwed. That’s an explanation, but it doesn’t make the film any better knowing it. And of the not-good options they had, they didn’t choose the best. On top of that, it was a rough production, interrupted by the pandemic as well as foolish actions from an anti-vaxxer actress.
But wow, just basic mistakes. I’d say it was too long for their story, but I suppose not since they never chose a story and dipped into far too many. They needed to choose a main character, and stick with her. They didn’t. It would have been nice to have characters I liked and cared about, but nope. It would also have helped if characters didn’t keep making stupid decisions. And with so many characters, it was a poor move to introduce Iron Heart, who was completely unnecessary here, just so she’d be around for later films and series.
Then there were a few problems that have cropped up before, but they were worse here: tech being able to do anything one minute and nothing the next, a “war” consisting of a few dozen people; a token white dude.
Generally MCU films can dig out of any holes by being fun and witty — but this one was pretty serious — probably too serious. The way they set it up, they had little choice, but then, I’d have set it up differently. I can’t think of a single thing that was done well. After seeing what they did, I am more sympathetic to the people who wanted T’Challa recast, but I also see why they felt they couldn’t. They were in a lose-lose situation, and they lost.
31 – Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)Â
Scott, his daughter Cassie, Hank Pym, Janet Van Dyne, and Hope are pulled into the Quantum Realm, where they are separated into two group, both trying to find a way home. They eventually meet to fight Kang The Conqueror, who has a past with Janet.
The problem here is character, or lack there of. Director Peyton Reed is unable to to deal with five main characters. Everyone is underdeveloped and underutilized. In this film, Scott is Cassieâs dad. Thatâs it. Thatâs all he is. He has no other traits. He isnât Scott Lang; heâs Cassieâs dad. Cassie is Scottâs daughter. Thatâs it. All we have is Cassieâs dad and Scottâs daughter. They donât have a story. They have no arc. They do nothing. Hope is barely in the movie. Physically she is. We see her standing or sitting or walking, but she has zero character. Janet isnât a character either, though in a different way. Half the time, sheâs an exposition machine. The rest of the time sheâs an anti-exposition machine, refusing to tell even the most essential information, instead simply saying how bad things are and leading the others forward. Which leaves Hank, who is the only one who has a personality. Since he does no more than Hope, that’s only so helpful.
Other aspects of the film donât work as well as they should: Kang is generic and his power levels fluctuate wildly; Bill Murrayâs cameo comes off as Bill Murray, not a character; The art design is pretty, but nothing stands out. But none of that matters. MCU films are about characters, and this film doesnât have them. I donât want to spend time with Scott and Cassie and Hope and Janet because thereâs nothing there to spend time with. I donât care about what happens to them because thereâs nothing to care about.
29/30 – Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame (2018/19)Â
Thanos sets out to collect the six infinity stones which will allow him to carry out his plan to reduce the universe’s population. His quest brings him into conflict with The Avengers, The Guardians of the Galaxy, and just about everyone in the previous MCU films. When he succeeds, the remaining Avengers set out to undo his “snap.”
Avengers: Infinity War is not a movie. It’s half a movie. Endgame is its second half. With them both out now, I no longer have to dwell on the incomplete nature of the first, and instead look at how the whole works, and for an MCU film, it doesn’t work very well. Fan service rules, without properly building to those moments or giving them context. Jump editing leaves far too much missing and yet at times the pace is too slow. Characters shrug off their personalities and major traits from previous films just to give the moments the directors wanted, without integrating those moments into a coherent, flowing story. Infinity War/Endgame isn’t a bad film, but it is a disappointing one, where little is earned, and spectacle and “cool moments” take precedence over good storytelling and character development.
Finally, this franchise looks less like refreshing, exciting, fantasy pop art, and more like the giant ticking machine run by a mega-corporation that it is. Infinity War/Endgame cannot even masquerade as being made for art or to tell a story. It was made to make money. Sure, movies generally are, but itâs nice if thatâs a little less obvious, or at least if there is some secondary motivation visible.
Its 2œ-Reel rating is an indicator that if you wish to see it, you should see it at a theater, where all that spectacle can shine. If you miss the opportunity to see it on the big screen, think of it as a 2-Reel film, more comfortable sitting next to Justice League than its MCU brothers.
(Full review of Infinity War here) (Full review of Endgame here)
28 – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)Â 
Shaun, his friend Katy, and his sister Li are kidnapped by his super-powered, warlord father whoâs convinced that his dead wife is talking to him and will destroy his wifeâs mystical village to find her.
The action is great, which is a given for an MCU film, but the fights are a step up from even most MCU movies. If youâre coming for the martial arts, youâll be happy, at least if youâre not asking for much else.
The character work is less enthralling. Shaun, when heâs not fighting, is a generic nice guy, which is a drab, action hero clichĂ© that the MCU has generally avoided. Heâs not witty, heâs not complex. Heâs just kinda pleasant, which isnât enough to lead a film. Michelle Yeoh and Ben Kingsley do their best, but arenât in the film enough to give it some personality.
Which leads me to the real problemâthis movie really wants me to care about Shaunâs fatherâs feelings and his redemption arc, and also about Shaun and his fatherâs relationship, and I did not. I just wanted Shaun to kill him, but since Shaun is a generic nice guy, that wasnât going to happen, so itâs clear from the start that coincidences will save the day.
27 – The Incredible Hulk (2008)Â
Bruce Banner hides out from authorities as he tries to find a cureâa cure that will take him back into the life of Betty Ross, and put him into conflict with her obsessed father and a megalomaniac soldier.
Rebooting the green rage monster after Ang Lee’s miserable Hulk, Marvel decided to aim low, and they hit their target. Edward Norton never feels like a brilliant scientist, but does manage a likable and engaging blue-collar Banner. The relationships are simplistic, the motivations even simpler, but it’s all good fun with giant monster hitting giant monster. There’s enough story to keep me caring about who wins the battles, but not much more.
It would be four years till Mark Ruffalo created the definitive Banner/Hulk when the part was recast for The Avengers. When Ruffalo isn’t around, this will do.
26 – The Marvels (2023)Â
A Kree leader wants vengeance on Captain Marvel and to restore the empire with the aid of a pair of legendary bracelets; she finds one, but the other is on the arm of Ms Marvel, Kamala Khan. The bracelet causes Khan, Carol Danvers, and Monica Rambeau to swap places whenever they use their powers, forcing them to team up.
One of the more comedic films of the MCU, The Marvels is packed with exceptionally funny lines and some of the best scenes in the franchise. The planet of song and dance and the cats on the space station make this movie a riot. And Nick Fury having to deal with Khanâs parents is also a high point.
But this is a COVID-time movie, meaning its production was difficult and prolonged, and it shows. I doubt the script started anything like how it ended up. The main world-ending plot is lackluster. And The Marvels wants to bring in elements from the TV shows that were best left where they were. The subplot of Rambeau being angry with Danvers is underwritten and unneeded. And Danversâs guilt over messing up Kree society also feels jammed in. They had a great little comedy with the 3 superheroes switching places and Fury caught in the middle, and thatâs all they should have had. That stuffs gold. The rest is not.
25 – Iron Man 3 (2013)Â
Tony Stark, suffering from PTSD, battles the terrorist known as The Mandarin while trying to pull his life together.
It’s charismatic, witty, Tony Stark, with 50% more whining. If your complaints with Iron Man 1 focused on it not being emo enough, you’ve found your film. There’s a lot of good here, but the fun level has been lowered, without raising the meaningâjust the whining. Iron Man 3 wants to be a drama, or Batman, but luckily it can’t quite manage it. There’s still too much of a light in Robert Downey Jr. Aldrich Killian makes for a lackluster villain, but The Mandarin is everything he isn’t. I read one review which claimed how you feel about this movie is all down to how you feel about the Mandarin twist. I disagree, as I love the twist, but only like the film. Iron Man 3 works well when Stark is allowed to be Stark, and it has that rarest of creatures, a non-annoying child in an action flick.
The ending is painful. The fireworks (trying to avoid too many spoilers) are supposed to be part of a metaphor for his relationship with Pepper, but fail, as does everything connected to the Tony-Stark-growing-up metaphor. It is even worse now that Age of Ultron is out since the newer film tosses out the ending of Iron Man 3 without comment.
24 – Black Panther (2018)
Soon after TâChalla’s coronation as king and Black Panther, he is informed that Klaue, a vibranium smuggler and murderer, has resurfaced. The pursuit of Klaue brings TâChalla into conflict with Killmonger who has a claim on the throne.
Black Panther is the first Black blockbuster, making it an important film. And it needs to lean on that importance, because without it, it is just a nice action film. Iâd have liked a lot more depth and emotion. The major heroes all have great potential, but because there is so many of them, we donât get to know any of them. Killmonger also had potential. He had the high ground both philosophically and personally, which should lead to an interesting morally gray conflict, but we didnât get that. Instead, Killmonger has “evil murdering psychopath” tacked on to his character so it is very clear who is right and who is wrong.
Black Panther is a dumb but enjoyable action flick, elevated by its cultural significance. The characters are mostly good if underdeveloped, the style is fantastic if filmed in a mediocre fashion, the dialog is acceptable if a bit too serious and mostly forgettable, the action is above average if nothing special, and the plot is workable as long as you werenât showing up for the story.
23 – Black Widow (2021) 
Following the events of Civil War, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) attempts to live off the grid, but is pulled into a conflict leftover from her younger days. She and her similarly trained faux-sister Yelena gather their faux parents Alexei, who used to be a Soviet super-soldier, and Melina, a super-scientist, in order to stop Dreykov, who still runs the secret organization that kidnaps young girls and turns them into Black Widows.
Black Widow is a solid action filmâno surprise there as all MCU films are solid action filmsâthough the action is just OK. Like most MCU films, Black Widow is at its best in character moments. The plot and fights are entertaining enough, but itâs the conversations between Yelena (Florence Pugh), Alexei (David Harbour), and Melina (Rachel Weisz) which elevate this over the average popcorn movie.
This is a good movie, with few flaws, fewer than many of the other MCU films, but it also doesnât rise as high. It has no transcendent moments. It is relentlessly good, but rarely great.
22 – Ant-Man (2015)Â
Super scientist and ex-Ant-Man, Hank Pym, recruits cat burglar Scott Lang to become the new Ant-Man in order to stop yet another scientist/industrialist from selling shrinking tech to terrorists. And Hankâs daughter, Hope van Dyne, sheâŠsheâŠumâŠwell, sheâs there too.
The action is a lot of fun, and they manage to make shrinking and ant-friendship into powers you can take seriously. The same can’t be said for everyone’s plans. Pym’s initial trick to pick up Lang is just silly. The evil guy’s plot to sell shrinking suits (instead of the really useful shrinking gun) to terrorists is stupid, but the ringer is the ridiculous and completely unnecessary plan by our heroes. Pym could have driven by and tossed a shrink bomb out of his car windowâdone. Stupid plans are part of the MCU, but this film dwells on them. In other films, the eye-rolling plans are hidden with action or by our hero not knowing what’s going on, but Ant-Man is all about the plan.
Then there is the whole problem with The Wasp. If you don’t think you can sell a female-led superhero film, then don’t make it so obvious this should have been one.
21 – Thor (2011)Â
Thor, the arrogant and unworthy son of the Asgardian King is exiled to Earth, giving his troubled brother, Loki, a chance at the throne.
Thor is two movies: A bold, beautiful, epic fantasy of gods and monsters, and a small-scale relationship/self-improvement flick. One of these works. Everything in Asgard is bright and huge and fun. It’s an opera and it is nearly flawless. On Earth, well, it’s a mess. The real problem is timing. Thor needs years and many trials to transform from a brave fool to a true hero. His relationship with Jane Foster requires weeks at the very least. It all happens in days.
“Hi, I’m Jane Foster, I love you.”
“Hi, I’m Thor, I love you too, and I think I’ve just reevaluated my entire life. Yup.”
Hemsworth and Portman have zero chemistry, but then the script never gives them a chance. Watch Thor by pausing the movie mid-way through the Earth section, go out for dinner, and pretend that while you’re away, the movie is still going on filling in all the missing material, come back and hit play, and you’re good to go.
20 – Doctor Strange (2016)Â
Arrogant surgeon Steven Strange damages his hands in a car accident and in desperation travels to the far East for mystical healing, finding instead sorcerers who defend the world from magical threats. The threat of the moment is from a rogue sorcerer who plans to open Earth to The Dark Dimension and to the giant demon that rules it.
Where Doctor Strange excels is in its fantasy action. The fight choreography is superb, being quick but clear and filled with the unexpected. Better still is the twisting cityscape and constantly changing background. Combine those with the acid trip moments of Strange opening his third eye and weâve got the new king of drug movies.
The humor works, the characters are well defined, and the pace is excellent. Still, Doctor Strange is in the lower half of the MCU films. It is too familiar. Merge Iron Man with Nolanâs Batman Begins and youâve got the outline. Besides the plot being old-hat, the problem is that Steven Stange is unpleasant for much of the film and he isnât given the time needed to either learn his new craft or come to his epiphany.
So, Doctor Stange should have been better, but it is still quite good.
19 – Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)Â
Peter Parker is waiting for a call from Tony Stark to bring him back into the Avengersâa call that doesnât come. Peter stumbles upon Adrian Toomesâs black market alien weapons business and decides to deal with the problem on his own, which displeases Stark.
Finally, a Spider-Man movie that correctly tells the story of a teenage Peter Parker, with an actor who looks close to the right age and a feeling inspired by John Hughes films. Though this does mean the film is aimed more at younger viewers than me. Luckily, it is also funny.
It makes up for the youth of our hero with an older villain, who has adult problems. I understood him. He just wants to take care of his family, and I found myself cheering him on as often as Spider-Man. Michael Keaton perfectly layers his everyman persona with something a little crazy and a lot dangerous. Itâs a great performance.
This first solo outing for Spider-Man in the MCU is exciting, funny, and captivating. The web-slinger has never been treated better.
18 – Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)Â
Scott Lang re-teams with Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyne to retrieve Janet Van Dyne from the quantum realm. All they have to do is avoid FBI agent Woo, crime-boss Sonny Burch, and mysterious super-opponent Ghost while they activate their new super-tech.
Ant-Man and the Wasp is a romantic comedy stuck inside a non-stop action film. It’s the character moments where the real fun is. There were big laughs and strong emotional beats. The stakes are personal and while it is nicely tied into the other MCU films, this film stays mainly in its own box. Itâs a light, fun romp
The action ranks with the best Marvel has done. If this isnât my new favorite car chase movie, it is certainly a contender. The fights, particularly those involving The Wasp, flow really nicely.
The whole mix is a bit over-stuffed. There was no need for any villains and certainly not multiple ones. Because there is so much going on, everything gets a little less time than needed. Iâd have traded away Ghost for a few more minutes of Janet or an extra few minutes of Hank fuming at Scott.
17 – Thor: The Dark World (2013)Â
Thor, Loki, and Thor’s not-so-useful girlfriend, Jane Foster, must stop an army of mumbling dark elves who plan to destroy the universeâŠjust because.
In his third outing as Thor and second solo film, Chris Hemsworth perfectly personifies the superhero-god, and unlike the first Thor film, he has chemistry with costar, Natalie Portman. It helps that the script doesn’t bother to explain why they are together, just takes it as a given. However, the title should have been Thor and His Far More Interesting Brother as Loki steals every scene he’s in. Tom Hiddleston is enough reason to see this film. He’s funny and moving and I couldn’t get enough of him.
The plot wobbles between fun and silly, and should not be examined too closely. The real flaw is the villains. The elves barely register as characters. Christopher Eccleston (of Doctor Who fame) is lost under his makeup and supplies neither menace nor sympathy as Malekith the Dull Elf. He just exists. Thor 2 was always going to be in the bottom half of the MCU films, but one more editing pass on the script and a switch of opponents to almost anyone else would have moved it up a notch.
16 – Iron Man 2 (2010)Â 
The arc reactor which keeps Tony Stark alive is poisoning him. His search for a solution is interrupted by a vengeful genius, with ties to Tony’s father.
Iron Man 2 gets a bad rap. It is often ranked at the bottom of the list by people who were looking for something else. I’ll admit it has a problematic second act, both from a story perspective (his solution comes gift wrapped in old films of his father dropped into his lap) and a science one (oh, the science is so very bad). But that’s more than made up for by great action, plenty of smart dialog, and the introduction of Black Widow. Then there are the villains. Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer is a joy to behold. He’s an unrepentant Tony Stark, with the sleaze factor turned way up. Mickey Rourke’s Ivan Vanko/Whiplash is more controversial, but love him or hate him, you won’t forget him. Dull is the greatest sin (see Malekith). Vanko is quirky and just plain bizarre, but also with a back story and depth that makes his questionable plots reasonableâhe’s not trying to take over the world; he just wants to make Tony’s life miserable. He makes me smile, as does this movie.
15 – Captain America: Civil War (2016)Â
The Avengers split into two camps, one following Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), who thinks they need more oversite to avoid innocent lives being lost, and one following Captain America (Chris Evens), who sees a dangerous attack on their liberty
Civil War is a huge, sweeping film packed with action of all kinds while still managing to be personal. But it isn’t entirely satisfying as it is so incomplete, acting more as a bridge between other movies than a stand-alone film. By its end, nothing is finished.
Tony Stark loses much of his charm as he’s serious and broken, but others take up the slack. Captain America is once again surprisingly engaging. Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Falcon do not get a lot of screen time, but they use it well. Wanda Maximoff proves she was a great addition to the MCU, becoming the emotional heart of The Avengers. I always cared about her. And this is a fantastic introduction for Black Panther who is suave and violent. The standouts are Ant-Man and Spider-Man. Both are minor figures in the film, but they own the screen, adding needed levity, normally while punching things. After a run of bad Spider-Man movies, it was rewarding to see the character done right.
14 – Eternals (2021)Â
Ten powerful, eternal beings are sent to Earth thousands of years ago by the Celestials to protect humans and defeat the Deviants. In modern times, the Deviants have returned, the lead Eternal has been killed, and it is likely everything they believe is a lie.
The juggling of the characters is enough to make this film amazing. Ten major characters and all of them are identifiable and have arcs. MCU films are always about character and this is a master class in how to do that right. Over the course of the film I liked and hated all ten of them.
This is also a beautiful film. Director ChloĂ© Zhaob brings a different feeling to the MCU. Itâs interesting that many are complaining that MCU films are all the same, and then when we get one like this, which is different, those same people are unhappy.
Normally I don’t consider the mid- & post-credit scenes to be part of the film, but in this case the movie would have been better without both.
13 – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Â
Doctor Strange protects a teenage girl with the ability to hop universes from the Scarlet Witch, who wants to steal her power.
Sam Raimi brings his horror sensibilities to a superhero film (which is the only way Raimi should deal with superheros). Heâs got a knack for making creepy things fun, while not completely eliminating that creep factor.
The universe jumping allows for some âWhat ifsâ that are far superior to the Disney+ series. I can complain that the film is a bit restrained and not as imaginative as I might have hoped, and the character work is subpar for the MCU, particularly with America, but those problems are overshadowed by the fast pace, the jokes, and that special Doctor Strange universe-ripping action.
12 – Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)Â
True blue but puny Steve Rogers undergoes an experimental procedure to transform him into a super-soldier. His mission: Defeat the Nazi’s science wing, and its leader, The Red Skull.
This wasn’t the first attempt to bring Captain America to the big screen. And he’s been a fixture of animation for years. Problem is, he’s always been dull. So very dull. Until now. As before, they played him straight, with no apologies for his red, white, and blue, wholesome white bread nature, and succeeded where there’d been so much failure. Chris Evan’s put real heart into what could have been a stereotype, and the script released him into an old-fashioned war picture (well, an old-fashioned war picture that had laser weapons and a guy with a skull for a head). I cared about Steve Rogers. I cared about Peggy Carter and Bucky Barnes, and even Howard Stark. Can’t ask for more than that.
This one and the next 3 are so close I could switch them from day-to-day. While this is the order at this moment, consider 10 through 7 a tie.
11 – Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)Â
Peter Parker’s school trip to Europe is interrupted by Nick Fury who wants him to join in a fight against elemental monsters that are attacking the world. The only other superhero on hand is Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, who has come from a different Earth that has already been destroyed by the elementals.
The MCU course-corrects with the best Spider-Man film to date. The action and adventure are a step up from Homecoming and the comedy is stronger. It doesnât try to look at the after-effects of Infinity War/Endgame on a worldwide scale, instead showing us the changed world through the priorities of high school students, thus avoiding hours of melodrama.
Spider-Man is best when interacting with others, and here he mixes it up with an irritable Nick Fury and Mysterio, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who is a great addition to the MCU. Far From Home is yet another success and a whole lot of fun.
10 – Iron Man (2008)Â
An amoral, genius, playboy has a change of heart after being kidnapped by terrorists, and becomes the first superhero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When I first heard of the casting of Robert Downey Jr. for Tony Stark, I thought they were nuts. I couldn’t imagine it. Now I can’t imagine anyone else. I read the comics and see Downey Jr. He was given a great script with a truly well-written and complicated character, and he was surrounded by exciting action, state-of-the-art effects, and skilled co-stars, but this is RDJ’s film. Without him, the MCU would have been another franchise. With him, it became THE franchise.
The first film of the MCU has lost nothing and works nearly as well on repeat viewing as it did that first time in 2008. It shattered the whining, self-serious mold that had become the norm in superhero films, without falling into camp. It created a new mold that will eventually wear out its welcome, but not for a very long time.
9 – Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Â
Thor heads into outer space to stop Gorr the God Butcher, with the help of a dying Jane Foster, who now wields the hammer Mjolnier, Valkyrie, and Korg.
Love and Thunder had an impossible task. Itâs the 4th film in a trilogy that had the perfect ending. But it was Infinity War that screwed that up, so Love and Thunder canât be blamed. Still, it feels a bit unnecessary.
From such a difficult starting place, Love and Thunder claws its way out of Infinity Warâs pit and becomes an enjoyable side excursion. Director Taika Waititi brings his eye and wit that made Thor: Ragnarok one of the very best superhero films. The movie also benefits from the talents of Chris Hemsworth; heâs a fine actor, but really excels as a comic actor. Heâs funny, and bounces off of the supporting cast well. It doesnât matter where they go; itâs the ride thatâs good.
Christian Bale makes for one of the better MCU villains in a vacuum, but he seems to be in a different film. It works, but a lighter-weight antagonist might have worked even better. Love and Thunder was never going to equal Ragnarok, and shouldnât be held to that standard as it is excellent on its own. Still, itâs hard not to.
8 – Captain Marvel (2019)Â
In the mid-1990s, Carol Danvers is an amnesiac space soldier of the Kree empire tasked to fight the shape-changing Skrulls. A mission goes wrong and she ends up on Earth, where she sets out, with the help of SHIELD agent Nick Fury, to stop the Skrull, but discovers that there are multiple mysteries that need to be cleared up.
Both familiar and fresh, Captain Marvel mixes a dash of Guardians of the Galaxy with Captain America and comes up with something new. Danvers is a fun new character for the franchise, and Brie Larson does an excellent job of bringing her to life. The de-aging technology is amazing, giving us Samuel L. Jackson as he looked in the ’90s. After a few minutes, I didn’t even think about it. That tech allows this film to be a buddy cop movie, where a younger Fury chats with a determined Danvers as equals. It rounds out Furyâs character and adds an extra layer of fun.
Captain Marvel is exactly what it was advertised to be. Itâs joyful, smart, witty, occasionally funny, exciting, neither shallow nor too deep, and a worthy addition to the franchise. Oh, and it has a cat. The catâs great. If you like cats, this is your film. This is unquestionably the best cat movie ever.
7 – Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)Â
Five misfit criminals find themselves in the middle of an attempted genocide. And there’s a raccoon with a big gun and a dancing tree. Really. Raccoon and tree. How cool is that?
Guardians is old fashioned space opera. It wouldn’t even count as a superhero film if it wasn’t in the same universe as the other movies. Like The Incredible Hulk, it isn’t too deep, and the plot is bare-bones, but the characters are a kick and the action’s top-notch. The villain, unfortunately, is not, sharing the bottom slot of MCU bad guys with Malekith. Ronan is one-dimensional as much as he has any personality at all. He’s angry and wants to kill stuff. That’s about it. No problem as I’m happy to spend time with Quill, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, and Groot. MCU films are always about character first, and Guardians of the Galaxy really works on those characters.
Forget all that: Guardians makes the best use of music of any film in the last decade. Come and Get Your Love somehow is perfect for kicking small alien critters. Really, it is.
6 – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 (2023)Â
Rocket is critically wounded by Adam Warlock, an artificial being sent by The Sovereign for revenge, and the Guardians, including a depressed Quill and an alternative Gamora, must fight their way into the headquarters of the organization that created rocket in order to save him. As they do, Rocket’s cruel childhood is brought to light.
I’ve heard the claim that the Guardians films is a perfect trilogy, and it is the only truly great trilogy in the superhero genre. That may be true. Vol 3 does wrap it all up perfectly. The characters are exactly where they should be. The film is as funny and exciting as the first two, and is even more emotional. If this doesn’t pull at your heart, nothing will. This is a make-you-laugh/make-you-cry movie.
Like most COVID movies, Vol 3 did suffer from the delays and awkwardness of making a film during a pandemic. It also had to deal with Director James Gunn being foolishly fired and then rehired later. The most obvious effect of this is the Adam Warlock subplot, which now feels tacked on, a remnant of what the movie would have been if made 4 years earlier.
5 – Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)Â
Tony Stark’s need to find a way to defend the Earth leads to the creation of Ultron, an artificial intelligence more attuned to destroying the planet. The entire Avengers team, along with a few newcomers and SHIELD agents are needed to stop this threat.
Joss Whedon does it again, brilliantly crafting an extravaganza that’s really a character piece. No one can work with ensembles like he can, making each line count, slipping levels of meaning into every interaction so that it feels like all of the characters have had complete and compelling arcs, even though most only have a few minutes of screen time.
Sure, this second Avengers outing doesn’t rival the first, but then that’s a high bar. The action is a bit much (quite a bitâI’d have exchanged fifteen minutes of crowd saving and building breaking for a couple more group discussions) and a few of the characters are slipping into their clichĂ©s (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, I’m looking at you). No problem. There’s lots of heart, lots of wit, and fabulous new characters to take up the slack. Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Vision are exactly what the franchise needed, and I’d be content with an entirely new Avengers team as long as several of these new characters are a part of it.
Ultron may not be Loki, but he’s an excellent villain, avoiding the dull, emotionless-but-with-a-tinge-of-anger AI stereotype and instead giving us a robot that’s off his rocker. He has issues.
I’m sorry to see Whedon leaving the Avengers’ directing chair. In lesser hands, this could have collapsed into a Transformers movie.
4 – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)Â
Under attack from the people they just robbed, the Guardians are rescued by Ego, Peterâs long lost father. While Peter bonds with his father, Rocket and Baby Groot become involved with Nebula, Yondu, and the violent infighting of the Ravagers.
Guardians 2 is more fun than its predecessor. It is funny, yet we donât lose the characters in the humor. Every character gets his time to shine. This is done by not wasting a moment. Every joke also reveals something about the character. Every fight has an emotional core. Every action serves two, three, or more purposes. A violent and exciting fight between Gamora and Nebula is about the nature of sisterhood, while being a call back to Alfred Hitchcock, and also a frame for over-the-top humor, and a way to expand Gamora while completely changing our perspective on Nebula. Now thatâs how you jam ten stories into a two-hour movie.
Baby Groot is as cute as they come, the new characters all work, and there are dozens of repeatable lines. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a joyful film and creeping up on my #2 ranked movie.
3 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)Â 
Captain America teams up with Black Widow to uncover a conspiracy at the highest levels of government while also meeting an old friend who’s become a killing machine.
Where Captain America: The First Avenger felt like a 1950s war movie, The Winter Solder feels like a 1970s spy thriller, just with a lot more exploding flying ships. While some MCU films have aimed low and avoided heavier thematic elements, the second solo outing for Captain America goes for broke, and wins. The story is complex, but makes sense and is easy to follow. Steve Rogers goes through substantial changes, and lets us examine the meanings of freedom, safety, and tyranny, through him, and how these three things overlap in uncomfortable ways. The movie does all that while delivering an almost excessive amount of action and slipping into buddy movie mode from time to time. It also introduces a new hero in Falcon, as well as two of the better villains.
I didn’t think Marvel could pull off one good Captain America movie. Two was a shock. It seems, with good writing, clear directing, and the right star, an old-fashioned hero can work in his own time, and in our times, commenting on both.
 2 – Thor: Ragnarok (2017)Â
Thor is captured by Valkyrie on a gladiatorial planet and forced to fight the Hulk in order to win his freedom. And he must escape quickly as back on Asgard, Hela-Godess of Death has taken over and she plans a bloody conquest of the universe.
This is the first MCU movie I’d call a comedy first (and an extremely funny one), and an action picture second. The humor serves the characters’ arcs, undercutting their previous pompous natures. After âcomedyâ the word Iâd use to describe this film is âMETAL.â Ground zero is Led Zeppelinâs Immigrant Songâpresent in the trailers, but far more powerful in the film. Ragnarok then adds the imagery from a metalhead’s dreams. This is gods and monsters and trolls and devils. Shot after shot could be pulled for an â80s album cover. That means that this is epic in a beautifully over-the-top fashion and isnât embarrassed about it. The battles arenât introspective narratives; they are heroic poems of mystic legends. The genius of Ragnarok is its ability to weave the self-deprecating comedy with a larger-than-life, legendary saga.
Thor: Ragnarok has thematic elements making it smarter than most reviewers realize, but what captured me is the comedy and METAL.
1 – The Avengers (2012)Â
Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Captain America join together under Nick Fury’s command to save the world from Loki and an invasion of aliens.
Was there any doubt what film would end up on top? The Avengers is a near-perfect action film. Whedon directs his oversized ensemble cast as if he’s directing a symphony: a complicated flow yet with everything in its place. It seems like it is all about the action, and there is a lot, but it isn’t. It’s all about the characters. Everyone has their moment to shine.
The re-casting of Bruce Banner with Mark Ruffalo was spot on, giving us a thoughtful but troubled scientist. Better still was the crafting of The Hulk. I’d never cared much for the character, and my wife was even more disdainfulâand we were won over. Though no one stood out as much as Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. After The Avengers, he is arguably the most popular character in the MSU, vying with Tony Stark for the title. He’s dangerous, but also funny and sympathetic.
With such care given to the dialog, to character development, and to emotional depth, it is surprising how Whedon is happy to go full-on fanboy and give us some of the greatest “wow, cool!” moments ever. Several of these involve The Hulk, who seems unable to avoid punching Asgardians. I’ve never heard so much cheering in a theater.
I’d love to see Marvel top The Avengers. I’m not counting on it, and if they can’t, that’s OK. There’s a lot of room under it to still be great.