Marvel Cinematic Universe Film Ranking

There Was an Idea -- Written by Scott Larsen.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a colossal titan in the film industry. At the time of writing this blog post, there are 22 movies in the MCU. Today, I will be ranking each one from my least favorite to most favorite. Keep in mind that this list is my own opinion and is not a definitive list. Now let's dive into the best that the MCU has to offer!

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#22 Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World is not the worst movie ever made. It is however my least favorite MCU movie by far. I do think that this is probably the only “bad” movie in the MCU. Here is why, the film is extremely forgetful. I have seen the movie at least four times and I honestly can’t remember anything from it. The highlights for me stem from Loki and Thor’s relationship. This is by far the most intriguing thing in the film and past the halfway point the film really picks up. Loki faking his death is the best scene in the movie. But everything else in the film is forgettable. Malekith, and his whole plot with the Reality Stone is by far the least memorable thing a villain has ever done in the MCU. All the shenanigans on earth completely detracts from the narrative. Especially Kat Dennings horrible attempt at being funny in every scene she is in.

I guess I should mention Natalie Portman. I am a huge fan of her. But that does not really help this movie all that much. Really, all she does is sit around in Asgard and mope about her feelings towards Thor. It's not the greatest.

When I turn this movie on, I find myself most enjoying the ending where we see Loki on the throne of Asgard. This is a great twist and a cool cliffhanger. Overall The Dark World is a decent time but is not really a strong entry in the MCU.

Favorite Scene: Loki and Thor escaping Asgard

#21 The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible Hulk is a bizarre black sheep when it comes to the MCU. It's disconnection to the film prior and after almost removing it from the minds of everyone. Being produced and made by Universal is an explanation for this. It is however still part of the MCU. The main problem with The Incredible Hulk is its clear lack of solid focus. This version of Bruce Banner is alright, but I don't think that is really is the best version. Ed Norton is a very odd choice for the role because of his rather humorous monotone voice and performance.

The plot as well is rather messy revolving around Tim Roth's character looking to stop Bruce in his search for a cure to his rather odd dilemma. Eventually, we see Abomination fight Hulk during the climax of the film. Muddled with subpar digital effects, this comes across as a very underwhelming ending to a rather mediocre film.

Favorite Moment: "Don't make me hungry"

#20 Thor

Thor is a weird combination grounded in reality and fascinating fantasy. Kenneth Branagh crafts a near Shakespearean film with an interesting premise. Powerful Norse god Thor loses his power and is banished to earth. This ultimately does not play out as well as it sounds. The mixture of the real world and the lore of Asgard is intriguing! But it doesn't mix as well as it should. It certainly feels that Marvel was still figuring out how to deal with their more cosmic properties. The biggest mistake of this film is banishing Thor to the middle of New Mexico.

Introducing Thor into the MCU is bold and fast! We are not given much time to really understand who he is and what he believes, thinks, feels, enjoys, hates etc. Hemsworth was not able to truly shine as Thor until his later appearances in the MCU.

As stated before I am a massive Natalie Portman fan, and I think this is her best appearance in the MCU. Jane Foster is not a great character but Portman does her best with what she is given, even if falling for such a bumbling crazy god man seems a bit off. The love story really reminds me of another Portman appearance in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. The plot is bogged down in how much she cares about him and how she doesn't want him to go back to Asgard to stop his brother.

This film also introduces the best villain of the first phase in the MCU: Loki. Loki is a fascinating character full of mischief and mystery. He feels hurt and betrayed by his father Odin, and vows to take the throne over Thor. Thor overall is a fun romp in the desert with a slight venture into the cosmic possibilities of the MCU while also setting up Loki as the main antagonist of The Avengers.

Favorite Scene: Still not worthy.

#19 Ant-Man

As this is a personal list, this placement is personal.

Ant-Man is far from a bad film, but I can't help but notice the wasted potential. Originally pitched as an Edgar Wright film, I was beyond excited to see what he would bring to the MCU. The way that he crafts scenes and comedic moments seemed like a perfect fit for the MCU! However, this was not the case. Sometime during filming, Wright left the production. The film instead was picked up by Peyton Reed. Reed is a fine filmmaker, but hasn't made anything before Ant-Man that got me excited about him picking up the project. I would say, however, that both his Ant-Man films are his best work. There are many things in Ant-Man that can be seen as something that came from the creative mind of Edgar Wright. For example, Michael Peña’s character’s goofy story telling method to deliver funny and enjoyable exposition. So sitting down watching this movie I can't help but have in the back of my mind, what could have been.

Structured as a heist film where Scott Lang must learn how to use the ability to shrink to steal Darren Cross’ shrinking suit, the film has some very cool special effects that elevate it for me in many ways. It presents cool ideas with the shrinking technology and ties itself into the MCU in a very fun way with a fight at the Avengers Compound.

I think this film could have been much better, but the way the film creatively uses shrinking is so much fun and builds to an interesting climax.

Favorite Scene: The final fight!

#18 Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel is a bit of a mess when looking at it. Sure the film delivers an entertaining flick with some great action, but I think that it ultimately does not hold up well.

Whenever you have an out of order narrative being told, things don't always go smoothly. The plot does its best to present the previous life of Carol Danvers to us, but we aren't given much time to understand what it means to Carol. In fact, we get a scene when her best friend (played by Lashana Lynch!) gives us the best emotional moment when she tells Carol how losing her changed her life. The character of Carol feels very out of touch and not in a good way. Her personality seems hidden under the confusing mystery narrative.

My favorite thing about the movie is the dynamic between Carol and Nick Fury. The fun antics that the two get up to in the Pegasus base is some pretty funny stuff. The train sequence is also a good time that delivers a cool chase scene. With an unclear sense of direction, each scene and sequence feels like it's in its own movie, along with the muddled performances. The 5 writers certainly show their heads throughout. Overall just disjointed. But it has its moments intertwined.

Favorite Scene: Infiltrating Pegasus and meeting Goose.

#17 Black Panther

Black Panther is an interesting one. It has some more mature themes in the film and raises some interesting questions. I do think as well that this movie is not as good as everyone seems to think it is. Hear me out.

The world building is brilliant and the filmmakers crafted a living, breathing world. However, the characters living in that world are what bothers me about the film. T’Challa has a much weaker representation in his solo film than his appearance in Civil War. He basically goes through the same character arc in this film and draws the same conclusions. The main difference is his choice to open Wakanda to the world at the end of the film.

The action scenes are a bit over the top for a film of this smaller size, but that isn't really a problem when the effects are not the greatest either. Of the more recent Marvel films, Black Panther has pretty subpar effects.

It goes without saying as well that Killmonger is one of the best villians in the MCU. It is a shame however that it takes so long for the movie to finally put him center stage. I really like when he takes the throne in Wakanda and decides to execute his plan. The main plot twist behind the identity of Killmonger is really wack. It was poorly executed, the film flounders around twisting the viewer around before it is finally revealed that Killmonger is the son of some guy. It doesn't really make much sense and is distracting from the core main idea of fighting colonialism.

Favorite Scene: The Casino Fight

#16 Ant-Man and the Wasp

Fully in control this time, Peyton Reed constructs a better cinematic experience than his first. Probably the most light-hearted film in the MCU Ant-Man and the Wasp is really, just as the film implies, a story about a guy and a gal fighting crime and stopping the bad guys.

The movie revolves around the lab that Hank Pym made to study the Quantum Realm. His wife is stuck in there and he wants to get her out. Scott Lang is under house arrest and creates a tense moment every time he is brought out of his house to help the Pyms out. I really like the dynamic between Scott and Hope. They play off each other well and they have some cool moments together throughout.

The most interesting thing in the film to me is the Ghost character. I really like her and her backstory. I hope that her fate that we see at the end of the movie can lead to having more stories with her in the future.

Favorite Scene: Shrinking Van Car Chase

#15 Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 is a character study on Tony Stark and this is why I love it. It explores his vulnerability as a person, and his relationship with his father. Tony is on the brink of death because of the element inside his arc reactor. He is also faced with the fact that his Iron Man tech has started to make those with bad intentions to create their own versions. And he meets Nick Fury who wants him to join the Avengers. Oh and he is doing crazy things because he is dying. Oh and a guy that used to have a connection to Tony’s father wants to kill Tony and blemish the name of Stark. OH AND Justin Hammer wants Stark out of business. Oh and Black Widow is introduced in this movie. Oh and Rhodey steals an Iron Man suit and equips it with military tech. OH AND TONY CREATES A NEW ELEMENT!!!! OK I think I have illustrated the main issue with this movie. It's a bit bloated.

I do like most of the plot threads in the movie and enjoy the film well enough. I enjoy the flaws that Tony has and how he and the others around him deal with that. Plus, who doesn’t love Tony Stark in a doughnut.

Favorite Scene: “My Greatest Creation Is You...”

#14 Avengers: Age of Ultron

Someone once explained to me that Age of Ultron is like a Saturday morning cartoon that is meant to continue to hold onto the rights of an IP yet deliver a somewhat satisfying product. This is a great explanation to how I feel about the film. Once again, as always, I really enjoy the dynamic of the team. The best parts of this movie is when all the Avengers are chilling in a room and talking to each other. I mean in all honesty this movie could just have been the party the Avengers throw at the beginning and make it the whole movie. The film however is just super busy with subplots and lacks focus.

This film doesn’t have the same level of masterful craftsmanship that the first does. And its main weakness is the lack of a compelling villain. Ultron is just a bad guy that wants to do bad things. It sure is interesting that he is created by our heroes but it's not really all that enthralling. The film introduces new characters that are impactful to the future of the MCU but fail to gain their footing right away. Certainly has its moments, but they aren't enough to elevate the film beyond its current spot on this list.

Favorite Scene: Trying To Lift Mjölnir

#13 Captain America: The First Avenger

The First Avenger is the best period piece film in the MCU. The whole first hour of the film is some great stuff. I love Steve Rogers and his journey to become Captain America. Seeing him struggle at Camp Lehigh is so inspiring because he simply wants to do the right thing. Once Steve gets his powers, the film elevates. Cap going undercover to help Bucky escape is such a good sequence too.

The film is a bit bogged down in the villain. This is obviously a common issue in the MCU. The Red Skull is a pretty cookie cutter bad guy with the simple motivation of wanting to be powerful and evil. Pretty mundane stuff. However it really foils well with Steve Rogers and his pure goodness.

The film also suffers from the third act problem that many other movies in the MCU face. The plot basically pushes itself to reach a point with a world ending scenario. I mean c'mon the movie has a montage of World War Two. A little goofy in my opinion. It's bizarre too how the movie is pretty grounded and realistic up until giant laser weapons are used in the third act.

I love the ending of this movie however. Steve’s sacrifice is heartbreaking and a great way to get him into the 21st century. The emotion shattering line once he wakes up and meets Nick Fury is incredible. One of the best endings in the MCU.

Favorite Scene: I Had a Date

#12 Doctor Strange

Stephen Strange is such an interesting character to me because he basically loses everything. His whole life is turned around when he gets into that car accident. He turns to mysticism to find his true purpose of protecting the time stone.

One of the major criticism of this film is how it's rather formulaic, and too similar to Iron Man. This is true to an extent. A major asshole turned into protector of good. I do think, however, that the ideas and themes present in the movie are different enough to have it stand out. Obviously, the effects are a major focus for a lot of people. It's basically Inception meets Harry Potter and it's great and helps the film have a unique identity.

My favorite scene in the movie is one I want to go a bit more in depth with. And that is the death of the Ancient One. This scene is beautiful and meaningful. "We don't get to choose our time. Death is what gives life meaning... To know that your days are numbered.. your time is short !" is so powerful and I think a great message to share with the world. Wonderfully acted by Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch, it's a great scene and shows the movie has heart. The scene is so well thought out, being frozen in time with death breathing down your neck, and then ending up vanishing forever saying the most beautiful words you've ever heard. Really gets to me.

Probably the most talked about scene in the movie is the Dormammu sequence. This is not only one of the coolest and subversive scenes in the movie, but in the entirety of the MCU. Strange’s intellect and clever thinking is what sets him apart from other sorcerers. The introduction of the Time Stone opens up the MCU to so many possibilities.

Favorite Scene: Ancient One’s Death Speech.

#11 Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy is awesome. I think this movie in some ways is the modern Star Wars. The way this film entered the public eye is unprecedented. The brilliance of James Gunn shines through the music choice for the soundtrack. If there is a new trend in Hollywood, it is using classic rock and pop songs in movies. I think this can 100% be attributed to this movie. Each song used fits it so well. Brilliant BRILLIANT!

The characters introduced in this movie are also household names when before not a single soul could tell you on the street who Star-Lord was. It really shows how well-made the film is that it was able to introduce us to so many new characters and make each one likeable. If a single one of these characters did not work, the movie would have failed. The dialogue and interactions between our crew is well-executed, each scene with them is entertaining as hell.

Great film and a masterclass when it comes to the MCU. For the most part. I do have a few gripes with the film and how events play out, especially when it comes to the villain, but I don't think that is enough to fully detract from its true and utter awesomeness.

Favorite Scene: Twelve Percent of a Plan

#10 Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3 is so creative. Directed by Shane Black, the film has a very unique feel compared to the rest of the MCU. The action in this film strays away from giant set pieces seen in other MCU films. It mainly consists of Tony using his intellect to solve problems. I mean, Tony uses handcuffs in a microwave to explode someone. Crazy stuff. The plan sequence remains one of my favorite moments. It is basically just a scene of Iron Man saving people, as a hero should.

But probably my favorite thing about the movie is the whole idea that Tony is removed from his comfort zone. He doesn't have all his resources and has to figure how to accomplish his goal. Super unique stuff here. His house is destroyed and he is stuck in the middle of Tennessee. This allows for the movie to further explore the character of Tony Stark. The amount of struggle he goes through in this film is pretty remarkable. Pepper is mad at him over his excessive self confidence and his past is catching up to him, including his own demons.

The different direction that the film takes I think should be commended. Especially when so many complain about the same-y nature of the MCU.

Favorite Scene: House Attack

#9 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 I think is better than the first film. I don't know whether or not this is blasphemous, but I honestly don't care. The emotional moments in the film, I believe are higher than the previous. The villain, sure is not the best, and it is rather annoying that the plot completely revolves around the idea that Quill is trying to discover who his father really is. But the amount of emotion behind each and every character in this movie was very surprising to me.

One thing I always say when talking about this film when I praise it, is that Marvel made me cry because of how a CGI raccoon felt about the world around him. This is so powerful especially for a comic book movie that is often seen as bland, but I really think it elevates itself above the previous entry and it really shows that James Gunn cares about each and and every character that he created for this movie. I truly love it and wish more people appreciated it, but that's kind of why I'm here. I'm hoping to be able to show you guys things you never thought about in these movies.

Favorite Scene: I Am You!

#8 Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man Homecoming I don't think has held up too well as it has aged. But really don't let that detract from how good I think this film actually is. It successfully rebooted Spider-Man after a failed attempt that left a bad taste in many people's mouths. The Peter Parker presented in this film is my favorite representation of the character. Peter just wants to do the right thing and it shows through his actions and how he feels about the situation he's in. He looks up to Tony Stark and it's honestly very touching the relationship between him and Tony.

The villain as well is certainly remarkable because I think that this movie contains the best twist in the MCU. The reveal of the Vulture being the father of his prom date is pretty funny yet terrifying. The Vulture is also probably one of the best villains in the MCU. He's basically the MCU equivalent of Walter White. It's pretty funny when you sit down to think about it.

Spider-Man Homecoming delivers one of the best Spider-Man movies that we currently have. Tom Holland gives a fantastic performance, as most of us all know, I love him and his interactions with the characters around him.

Favorite Scene: The Rubble

#7 Iron Man

Iron Man turns 11 years old this month. I think everyone knows how important this film was, and is. I think everyone knows that this movie is amazing. But do they ever really stop to think why? I think it all comes down to the pivotal character of the MCU, Tony Stark. The performance by Robert Downey Jr. should be commended. Probably the most perfect casting for any role ever. I mean that and will stand by it. Certainly up there with Harrison Ford as Han Solo. Anyways, the self betterment journey that Tony goes on is truly inspiring.

Everything works in the movie. The relationship between Tony and Pepper is a great example. Not to mention the effects. Released in 2008, this film has better effects than more recent films made today. Glares at Black Panther. The sound design of the suit and the utter power fantasy it delivers is super cool.

A very strong start to the MCU was important and Jon Favreau delivered one of the best superhero movies of all time.

Favorite Scene: The Return to Gulmira

#6 Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America: the Winter Soldier is f***ing amazing. I don't often want to swear on this blog, but I really couldn't think of a better word to describe just how much I love this film. It took the character Steve Rogers, put him into the modern world, and explored his weaknesses and strengths in a way that I've never really seen done with a character before. His relationship with Black Widow is probably the most intriguing thing in the film, because Steve is very black and white while Black Widow is pretty much the exact opposite; she operates on her own rules and doesn't really express why she does the things she does.

Steve's reaction to finding out that his best friend is a murdering psychopath brainwashed by Hydra is extremely overwhelming emotionally. Cap’s whole focus changes from that point in the film towards the end. He's no longer fighting this guy, but fighting to protect this guy. Bucky is one of the most interesting characters in the MCU, simply because of his innocence. Two whole films revolve around the actions he commits and it's pretty remarkable how the writers are able to use his character in this movie. I also believe that the Russo Brothers crafted one of the best superhero movies ever, not just because it's, well, amazing. I believe that this is probably the “best movie” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I don't think it's my favorite due to the way that the third act is set up.

The questions of ethics discussed in this film, the political intrigue discovered by the characters, and the drama all add up to fulfilling experience. I love almost everything in this film and the action is a highlight as well.

Favorite Scene: The Car Chase.

#5 Thor: Ragnarok

It is honestly astonishing to me how Thor went from being my least favorite franchise within the MCU to then producing a film that made it into my Top 5. Thor: Ragnarok is pure mania, fuel-driven fun. The film does so much right while also telling an emotionally impactful story. The destruction of Asgard and how Thor deals with that situation is pretty remarkable. This film also fixes the character of Thor, making him more a broken character that uses his strengths to figure out who he is. I simply love the direction they took his character.

The set up and new characters are such a blast! The newcomer, Valkyrie, shines and is pretty high up on my favorite characters list. Her relationship between Hulk and Thor is refreshing and true craziness. I love the action in this movie and Thor unlocking his true potential.

Injected with 80's retro bravado, Thor: Ragnarok is my favorite MCU movie, set on a trash heap of a planet starring an Australian actor.

Favorite Scene: Hulk vs. Thor

#4 Avengers: Endgame

The most emotional movie in the MCU by far. Endgame made me bawl like a baby the entire time. Endgame is also a really hard movie to talk about simply because of its size. I am working on a review of the film that goes extremely in depth about every little detail. But let it be known that the level of love and care the whole crew put into this film really shows. It's a climactic swansong to the entire MCU, and I love it.

Favorite Scene: [REDACTED]

#3 The Avengers

The Avengers is the most important film in the MCU. Period. Full stop. I think that everyone knows this. The film is so perfectly crafted and connected to the five films before it. I think that past The Avengers is when the MCU really got good. Past this point, each film is on a different level. The magnitude of trying to put these characters together and doing it well was unheard of. Now everyone is trying to do it. Truly phenomenal. Sure it may seem small now, but this movie paved the way for what we have now.

The best thing about this film are the now-famous quips. The interaction between the characters is unprecedented. The dialogue is so smart and intuitive, no time is wasted when our heroes are on-screen. With high energy and crowd pleasing moments, The Avengers is a monumental film that will be remembered for years to come. Long past the 87th MCU film.

Favorite Scene: Avengers Assembled

#2 Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War is the best example of the inter-connectedness of the MCU. Every film previous comes together to split up our favorite team of heroes. The movie serves as a sequel to Age of Ultron, and The Winter Soldier flawlessly.

Attempting to balance all the characters in this movie was so well done by the Russo brothers that they were then handed the next two Avengers movies. The relations between the characters are tested,and they try to move past their differences only to fall out hard. The movie also introduces new characters that tie very well into it. Spider-Man and Black Panther make their first MCU appearances and shine. Even Ant-Man shows up to help Cap!

I could honestly gush about this film forever. But the true highlight for me in the show, is the drama between all our favorite characters that truly split them up, damaging earth’s mightiest heroes.

Favorite Scene: The Airport (duh)

#1 Avengers: Infinity War

How to even start with Infinity War? How about the fact that it's everything I want a Marvel movie to be. Fun, emotional, dramatic, epic, and satisfying. Everything Infinity War does is masterful. It balances so many characters doing so many things and on paper it should not work. Yet it does. I remember before it came out, I was expecting something similar to Age of Ultron, and I was so wrong to expect that. Instead we were given the best Superhero film ever made. There is so much going on in the film yet somehow it remains focused on the matter at hand. Thanos the Mad Titan is trying to collect all six infinity stones and must be stopped.

The movie may star a dozen A-List actors, but the true star of the show is Josh Brolin as Thanos. He is a remarkable character and this is the biggest surprise of all. The Russo brothers managed to craft a villain that you almost feel bad hating. I cry each time he has to make the ultimate sacrifice and it makes me feel dirty. Thanos is the best villain in the MCU. The ending of the movie was a cultural phenomenon.

Each character gets a moment to shine in this movie, no matter how small. We get some of the best action sequences ever put to screen and some of the most thrilling moments in cinema. Infinity War is an experience that is matched by no other and is truly a masterpiece.

Favorite Scene: A Poignant Ending

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If you are reading this; thank you so much for reading my blog-post! This took me a while and I am super glad that I was able to get this out on the 11th anniversary of the MCU. Let me know what you think of my list and feel free to share your own list in the comments. Don't forget to subscribe so you can keep up to date with my blog, because that Endgame review is coming soon!