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MCU Movies: My Ranking, Best to Worst
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Showing 23 items
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2094
7.6
8
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Everyone except me seems to utterly adore this movie. It's not bad, but it's probably my least favourite MCU film of all. It has one of the clumsiest, most tonally jarring openings I've ever seen, and I simply never liked the characters. Now, the Telltale game, that's a different story! :-)
MaxL's rating:
1828
7.4
7.7
Another unpopular opinion here: this is definitely one of my least favourites. I know the idea was for Cap's beliefs to be challenged by a world where morality isn't so clear-cut anymore, but the film's overall form is a politically charged spy thriller, which doesn't interest me in the slightest.
MaxL's rating:
1097
7.2
7.6
I like this sequel slightly more than its predecessor, mainly because the story is more interesting, the characters are fleshed out more and it sometimes addresses their flaws. All the same, they still didn't fully win me over. Again, I prefer the Telltale game, especially concerning the character of Mantis.
MaxL's rating:
978
6.9
7.9
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Another one that everyone seems to love except me. While I do think it's well written and a worthy continuation of Thor's adventures, I hate the sudden full-on comedic approach after the first two movies took themselves fairly seriously โ especially considering the movie is named after what's essentially the apocalypse.
MaxL's rating:
2214
6.5
7.2
Iron Man 3 (2013)
This one, while still decent, is easily my least favourite of the Iron Man trilogy. On one hand, the story has Tony at his lowest point, suffering from anxiety attacks and forced back to basics with minimal tech. On the other hand, the villains and their plan never impressed me.
MaxL's rating:
587
6.4
7.4
As a Spider-Man adventure, and especially as the final film in Phase Three, it's pretty underwhelming and kind of disposable. The story progression is sometimes discordant, and even the humour isn't really on par with its predecessors. But the highlight is Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio, including one spectacular illusory sequence.
MaxL's rating:
2784
6.2
6.7
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Despite being a solid film and arguably the best Hulk movie ever made (much better than Ang Lee's Hulk, anyway), it's become inconsequential to the MCU: Edward Norton was recast, and none of the events from this movie have been mentioned since. I'd recommend it just for its own merits.
MaxL's rating:
3752
6.6
7
Iron Man 2 (2010)
This sequel is definitely inferior to the original, because it doesn't seem as tightly written. There are several subplots constantly vying for attention, lessening the effect of what, in theory, should have been a more personal story. But it all comes together near the end, resulting in a brilliant climax.
MaxL's rating:
3364
6.7
7
Thor (2011)
Director Kenneth Branagh somehow makes a story involving gods and magic far less epic than it could have been. It's when Thor loses his powers that makes the movie for me, as that's when his character truly shines through. Overall, not one of my personal favourites, but still pretty good.
MaxL's rating:
626
6
6.9
Captain Marvel (2019)
For the most part, I find this one just generally competent โ nothing too special โ but the last act is so much fun that it makes all the difference. The mystery of Carol's identity holds your interest, and Carol herself is a pretty fun character, as is the young Nick Fury.
MaxL's rating:
1151
6.8
7.5
Doctor Strange (2016)
Now we're definitely getting better. :-) The action scenes make terrific use of the newly introduced magic, and the final villain encounter is one of the cleverest I've ever seen. I was introduced to Doctor Strange through the 2007 animated film, but I have no problem recommending this one to newcomers.
MaxL's rating:
5215
7.5
7.9
Iron Man (2008)
The movie that started it all is simply a blast. It treats its characters with respect but has an utterly gleeful sense of fun (despite the distractingly obvious CGI). But what holds it all together is Robert Downey Jr.; I think, with any other actor, this movie would have died.
MaxL's rating:
1840
6.3
6.8
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
I'm in a minority who considers this the best of the Thor movies. It's much more focused and consistent than the first one. Each scene adds to the previous one so seamlessly that your investment and excitement rises like a straight, constant incline, and the portal-hopping climax is a riot.
MaxL's rating:
1335
7.2
7.8
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
This is more like Avengers 2.5 than Captain America 3. It focuses on politics tearing friendships apart, and both sides of the debate do raise good arguments. While the frenetic camerawork makes some early action scenes close to unwatchable, the massive central brawl at the airport is definitely a highlight.
MaxL's rating:
1105
7.4
8.5
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
This all-out brawl is full of creative and thrilling action scenes, and the Russos' camerawork is light-years better than ever before. Though I do have issues with it at times, it is a thoroughly enjoyable escapade, making effective use of its huge cast, and the ending is a powerful cliffhanger.
MaxL's rating:
608
6.3
7
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
This sequel has its flaws, yes, but what I really like about it is how deft and straightforward the premise is: it's basically a race between several parties pursuing the same object. Plus, its handle on characters, humour, action and special effects is effortlessly on par with the first Ant-Man.
MaxL's rating:
994
6.7
7.4
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
This is easily the best depiction of Spider-Man we've ever seen in a movie: Tom Holland perfectly captures both the humble high school geek and the wisecracking crimefighter. It's about a lowly hero trying to prove he's worthy of the big leagues, and Michael Keaton's Vulture is an excellent villain.
MaxL's rating:
1360
6.8
7.2
Ant-Man (2015)
This is another tremendously fun one, loaded with uproarious humour. It stands out from the crowd for two main reasons: it's a heist story, and it's the first time the MCU has seen two generations of the same hero, with the original Ant-Man acting as mentor to the new one.
MaxL's rating:
2862
6.7
6.9
Yes, I think this is one of the best in the entire franchise. Thanks to the meticulous build-up in the first two acts, you get a perfect sense of the character's ideals and root for him completely, and it all perfectly balances the line between legit drama and tongue-in-cheek fun.
MaxL's rating:
1800
6.6
7.3
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
A little jam-packed perhaps, but Avengers 2 is almost as good as the first one. It's the same wonderful characters, the dialogue is just as snappy, and there are breathtaking moments aplenty. Plus it constantly acknowledges the danger to civilians in what seems like a counter to Man of Steel.
MaxL's rating:
910
6.7
7.3
Black Panther (2018) (2018)
This one is great. It boasts a full cast of instantly memorable characters, it has outstanding action scenes, and an intriguing story about the responsibilities of running an advanced nation and how different people choose to approach them. Furthermore, it's a self-contained movie with almost no references to the others.
MaxL's rating:
3933
7.6
8
The Avengers (2012)
Joss Whedon was the perfect choice for this original merger: his writing leads to some laugh-out-loud hilarious character-driven comedy. All the edge-of-your-seat action and character development you'd expect is delivered in spades. It's a pitch-perfect team-up that's immensely fun but not brainless, and it still remains one of Marvel's best.
MaxL's rating:
798
7
8.5
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Yep, the epic conclusion to the so-called "Infinity Saga" is, in my opinion, the absolute best of the bunch. It had to wrap up twenty-two movies spanning eleven years, and it went out with a huge bang. It serves as a tribute to the whole franchise in so many ways.
MaxL's rating:
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is pretty much the king of comic book movies at the moment. Ever since 2008's Iron Man, nearly all these interconnected movies have been both critically and financially successful, and impressed legions of Marvel fans too. These movies understand their characters so well that everyone has their own personal favourites, usually based mainly on the characters alone.
Now that Spider-Man: Far from Home is out and Phase Three of the franchise is over, the future of the MCU is not exactly certain. There are plenty of other movies on the schedule, but I wonder how long they'll be able to keep people interested? There may eventually be enough to warrant a top ten of my personal favourites. But for now, here's the entire franchise, arranged in my personal order of preference.
Now that Spider-Man: Far from Home is out and Phase Three of the franchise is over, the future of the MCU is not exactly certain. There are plenty of other movies on the schedule, but I wonder how long they'll be able to keep people interested? There may eventually be enough to warrant a top ten of my personal favourites. But for now, here's the entire franchise, arranged in my personal order of preference.
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