Marvel Cinematic Universe - Ranking the Movies

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By Darian Scalamoni

Back in 2008, Marvel Studios along with producer Kevin Feige set a blueprint for a cinematic universe that would feature characters from the Marvel comic books on screen. It started with Iron Man featuring Academy Award nominated actor, Robert Downey Jr. and now this past weekend, we have already seen the thirteenth film in the universe, Captain America: Civil War. Most of these films (with the exception of a few), have their own brilliant individual stories and studies of character, while also providing implications for the bigger picture as an extended universe. I’m here to give the ranking of these movies as individual films, going from worst film to best film.

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13. Thor: The Dark World

This film, though it has big implications on the MCU as a whole, is not a very good film for its individual aspects. Within The Dark World, there are highlights like Loki shapeshifting as Captain America and the final battle as we see Thor along with Sif and the Warriors Three, team up with his brother Loki to take down Malekith. Yet, the film disappoints on so many levels from its predecessor. Malekith, is the absolute weakest villain in the MCU which is filled with terrible villains as it is, along with Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster being fairly pointless and a terrible character overall. One of the Infinity gems, the Aether is important to the story and is even given to The Collector by Sif and Volstagg to further the plot point to get the gems to fellow villain, Thanos. Other than that, it isn’t filled with much humor and charm as the former Thor film. It is a very forgettable and is the weakest entry into the MCU to date. 

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12. Iron Man 3

Where to begin with this movie… Iron Man 3 was an epic failure in terms of a movie trying to take itself seriously. After Jon Favreau directed the first two movies featuring the charming but controversial billionaire, Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) took over directing duties. Though Marvel is known for assigning other genres to their films other than being deemed as “superhero movies”, Black’s attempt to turn Iron Man 3 into a darling of his own took away from the whole point of what the film needed to accomplish. It’s oversaturated with action pieces and though seeing the Iron Legion together is cool, the final battle scene throws the audience in different directions getting an outcome that they ultimately weren’t expecting and didn’t want in the first place. Though, Aldrich Killian is one of the better villains within the universe, the twist done with The Mandarin is almost a spit in the face to comic book fans and doesn’t have the payoff that Black wanted for Ben Kingsley’s character. Along with that, Rhodey is annoying in the film, Pepper does some things that are downright laughable and the whole Extremis storyline isn’t all that great. The picture was a bit of a disappointment from start to finish as it had to follow another one of Marvel’s worser films…

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11. Iron Man 2

I can already hear tons of people screaming across their computers thinking I’m crazy for putting this film ahead of Iron Man 3 but as bad as Iron Man 2 is, there are things to like about this film. First thing, we get to see Black Widow on screen for the first time. Scarlett Johansson does a fantastic job of playing the Russian spy and looks damn good doing it. Along with that, we see the debut of another new face in a role that was re-casted from the first Iron Man as, Don Cheadle suits up to play War Machine. Cheadle brings a more vibrant personality and tougher demeanor to Rhodey than Terrence Howard did in the first film. In terms of Tony Stark and his impact on the movie, you see him finally have a real struggle as the world knows him to be Iron Man which sparks interest from a man in Russia by the name, Ivan Vanko, or his super villain alter-ego, Whiplash. Stark becomes even more of a superstar and even begins to form a real romantic relationship with Pepper which makes it harder as he is now doing his best to protect her. Though the film has it’s good moments as I’ve disclosed, there are some painfully cringe worthy moments as well. Mickey Rourke’s portrayal of the villain had begun the real weak slew of villains that Marvel has dealt with over time, Nick Fury isn’t given much to work with in this film, along with the overall underwhelming last battle scene that Tony and Rhodes have with Vanko and his created bots funded by Justin Hammer, played by Sam Rockwell, in an underutilized performance as the brains (or lack thereof) behind Vanko’s suit against Stark.

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10. The Incredible Hulk

This film probably has the least to do with the overall cinematic universe due to the leading role of Bruce Banner being played by Edward Norton, who does a solid job of encapsulating who Banner really is as he struggles to deal with his exposure and new “other being” due to Gamma radiation. Banner tries to recreate the super serum used to make Steve Rogers (more on him in a bit), to help his girlfriend’s father, Thunderbolt Ross, played brilliantly by William Hurt, create super soldiers. Though Norton does a good job in the title role, he doesn’t have the same effect that Mark Ruffalo has in later Marvel movies. The romance between Bruce and Betty is one of the better ones in the MCU, but the action is decent at best and the film just acts as a bounce board to move along in the cinematic universe. Abomination is a lackluster villain that can keep up with the Hulk but is another example of a guy just going after hero with no real motivation. Seeing Tony Stark at the end of the film is no doubt very cool, especially when he utters the words, “I’m trying to put a team together” because we all know where that was headed.

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9. Thor

Marvel’s first foray into a film not taking place entirely on Earth was done adequately by director Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet, Cinderella), as he helps describe the mythos of Thor and his family featuring the king of Asgard, his father, Odin and his brother, Loki. Thor’s aggressiveness and arrogance in the eyes of his father leads to his exile to another realm which happens to be Earth, while his evil brother, takes the throne from Odin. The movie does a great job of establishing the difference between realms as Thor is completely lost his first time on Earth. Ultimately, he must re-acquire Mjolnir and go back to Asgard to defeat Loki. The film has great use of humor in the right moments and Loki is probably the best villain in the MCU, but it also lacks a great action scene which makes it feel much more grounded. The romance that buds between Jane and Thor is nothing more than a device to help move along the plot. The introduction to Thor, however, who is played wonderfully by Chris Hemsworth makes this a fine addition to the MCU.

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8. Captain America: The First Avenger

This was the start of the best trilogy of the MCU so far, The First Avenger provides us with the origin story of how Steve Rogers became Captain America. The film is a great, historical period piece as it takes place during World War II and America’s battle against the German led HYDRA organization. Cap is first relegated for doing shows as a clown-like act for the military soldiers until the threat becomes too big and SHIELD agent Peggy Carter alongside engineer Howard Stark, help Rogers free American military soldiers. The film is tons of fun and features a romance that is built over time that you care about between Rogers and Carter, along with a friendship between Cap and Bucky that had lasted since their days in Brooklyn. Positives include the memorable villain of Red Skull, played by Hugo Weaving; great action pieces and important introductions to characters that will play a very large part in the culmination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There aren’t really much negatives other than how dated the film feels in terms of its successors and a somewhat simple plot due to it being an origin story, but Marvel has put out so many great films that the simple nature of The First Avenger puts it all the way at number eight on this list.

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7. Ant-Man

A film that was expected by most to be an epic fail, Ant-Man is one of the most charming and humorous entries into the MCU. It is a crime film headed brilliantly by Paul Rudd as Scott Lang when he goes for one last big heist before being given an amazing opportunity by Hank Pym, played by Michael Douglas. The film exceeds all expectations as the ant sized hero has stakes and emotional reason to take down the villain, Yellowjacket. The villain isn’t the best but also far from the worst and there aren’t many gripes maybe other than an underutilized Hope van Dyne and pointless roles for great acting talents Bobby Cannavale and Judy Greer. The final action sequence that takes place on the train tracks is brilliant; the script, written by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay and Rudd himself, is filled with heart and a plethora of laughs. You also can’t forget the amazing and hilarious supporting role of Luis, played by Michael Pena. Who knows, you also might see an Avenger in the film.

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6. Avengers: Age of Ultron

The sequel to the first true ensemble superhero movie within the MCU had people very excited and though the film has a lot of positives, it has its issues as well. The introduction of the twins in the film is done well and effectively. It’s also hard to ignore the introduction of the amazing character, Vision, played by Paul Bettany (when he picks up Mjolnir it’s an ultimate OMG moment). On the other hand, Ultron is another weak villain with an army of robots to battle the Avengers as a distraction to crash Sokovia down to the ground. While Hawkeye’s big personal moment is a great reveal and development for his character, the romance between Natasha and Bruce feels almost forced and is given too much screen time. Having said that, the action sequences are great (especially Hulkbuster), the quick wit and conversation between heroes is brilliant and the acting is top notch yet again. There is real emotion and justification within the movie though, as you feel for a certain character when they meet their demise. Overall, the film is still very good just a bit disappointing coming off of the first Avengers.

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5. Iron Man

The film that started it all. It is important to note that after seeing this movie for the first time, you immediately realize that no one else could play Tony Stark other than Robert Downey Jr.; James Rhodes on the other hand…anyway, this was the first of many building blocks to making a cinematic universe but it still stands as one of the best individual films Marvel has released. Gwyneth Paltrow is sexy and smart as Pepper Potts and the budding relationship between Pepper and Tony is fluid and authentic. Jeff Bridges plays a smart and worthwhile villain which is rare in MCU films. The movie isn’t perfect as it has a familiar type of story, yet the first time you see Iron Man is like no other. Terrence Howard as Rhodes is bland but then again, the escape sequence by Tony with the mark I suit in Afghanistan is a memorable moment for all MCU fans. The film still holds up eight years after we’ve seen Tony evolve and it’s a great beginning to a long journey within interweaving superhero stories.

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4. The Avengers

The ultimate ending to phase one of the MCU is the culmination of what all of the former movies up to the point of this film’s release we’re striving towards. Ever since Nick Fury showed up at Tony Stark’s house providing a plan for the super team known as the Avengers, fans had been watering at the mouth to see multiple superheroes on screen at the same time. Joss Whedon did a tremendous job of providing audiences with a plethora of pause-worthy shots, hilarious banter between characters and a villain who caused ultimate destruction within New York as well as adds stakes to the universe with the first infinity gem. Though The Avengers is viewed by many as just a “popcorn flick”, the film establishes that heroes can band together for an ultimate goal and it’s the first time its established on screen. Though it takes a little long in the beginning for things to get underway and Hawkeye is under mind control for 3/4s of the movie, there is still plenty to love about this ensemble superhero film.

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3. Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy was another film that by concept, had audiences thinking it wouldn’t do well financially, I mean, who wants to see a talking raccoon and a tree that speaks three words? James Gunn was able to take a property that not many knew about (unless you’re a diehard Marvel fan) about a group of ragtag intergalactic misfits and created a sci-fi epic that featured humor, action and a damn good soundtrack. Chris Pratt as Star-Lord reminded audiences of RDJ as Iron Man, while Groot became one of the most lovable characters in the MCU. Whether it was the angry banter by Rocket or lovable stupidity from Drax, Gunn’s space opera is a great film filled with tons of fun for the audience and was loved by everyone, so much so that the movie made a whopping $773.3 million. The prison escape is a great action piece and all the scenes on Knowhere provide viewers with the true identity and demons that Rocket lives with to further develop that character. The only quip with the film is again a weak villain of Ronan played by Lee Pace but there are so many lovable and memorable characters, you forget all about him.

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2. Captain America: Civil War

The newest film in the MCU and start of phase three has been a critical darling as well as a massive box office success for Marvel thus far. The movie takes place a year after the events of Ultron while also being a direct sequel to the second Captain America installment, The Winter Soldier. Civil War features a total of twelve superheroes that battle it out over the Sokovia Accords, a document provided by the U.S. government signed by over 100 countries to regulate “enhanced people”. The film brings the action pieces to an almost unthinkable scale including a 17-minute airport battle that leaves all fans of the genre completely satisfied, but along with that, the film has real internal struggle for everyone involved. Though so many characters are included and even some great new ones introduced (Black Panther, Spidey), the film never feels overstuffed like Ultron. It’s exhilarating from the opening scene and your heart doesn’t stop rushing until the credits roll. The acting is top notch yet again from everyone, Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal of Panther is quiet but powerful and Tom Holland’s introduction as Peter Parker is everything that fans have wanted to see from the character for years. The villain is Marvel’s best in years and overall, it’s hard to not make this the number one movie in the MCU.

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1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the closest thing to a perfect movie that Marvel has ever produced. The film has huge connections to further the MCU, while also still feeling like such a personal story for Cap. Chris Evans knocks it out of the park as usual as the title character, along with other great performances from Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier, Scarlett Johansson reprising her role as Black Widow and especially, Robert Redford who plays SHIELD official Alexander Pierce. The film, is most definitely a superhero movie, but it also feels as if it is a 70s spy thriller. The direction by Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America: Civil War) proves that no one could provide the audience with a better understanding and undertaking of the Marvel character and ultimately universe when they take on the new Avengers: Infinity War films. The action sequences are very fluid and don’t feel forced as in other MCU movies, the ultimate twists leave audiences having a delightful rush throughout and the chemistry between Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff help carry the story to new heights. Not to mention the introduction of future Avenger, Sam Wilson, the film has so many enjoyable moments along with nothing to complain about making it the best Marvel has had to offer on the big screen.

Thanks for reading and keep watching movies!