Every MCU Movie Ranked

I have been fortunate enough to live in a world where the Marvel Cinematic Universe has reigned supreme over the cinema landscape. But I hadn't always been paying attention. Back in 2012, I went and saw The Avengers in theaters, but I had no clue it was a part of a larger universe. I didn't see another MCU film in theaters until I went and saw Captain Marvel and Endgame. But I still had seen every film to that point thanks to Netflix. I was hooked once I rewatched the original Avengers film. 

With the whole quarantine deal, it has opened up a lot of time to be on social media and not too long ago there was a trend on Twitter that discussed which MCU film was the best. There was an argument made for a few of the films, so I wanted to give my input by ranking them in terms of my favorability. With a whopping 23 movies in total, it is the highest-grossing film franchise in history. For this list, I’ll be ranking 22 films, with The Incredible Hulk being excluded since the film has little to no bearing on the MCU as a whole. These will be based solely on how much I like them, with my reasoning for why they land where they do. I'll give what I liked and disliked about each of the films, to not make it seem like I absolutely loathe those at the bottom of my list or can see no flaws in my favorites. My list won't be perfect but it's only my opinion. 

Bottom Tier

22. Thor: Dark World

To date, this is the only MCU film I have not been able to see all the way through in one sitting. When I first started to watch I couldn't get interested enough to stay focused on it. Simply put, I just didn't like it. I did like Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) had more to do and played a bit more of a focus. But other than that, I was not a fan of this movie. 

21. Iron Man 3

I, like most, think the whole Mandarin fakeout took the wind out of my sails. I love RDJ as Iron Man, but I think this is easily the weakest of the entire series. Again, I like that there is a strong female, in this case, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) to take out the Mandarin. I don't consider Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) to be an upper-echelon villain by any means. I think the only difference between this and Thor: Dark World is that I finished IM3. 

Lower-Mid Tier (A.K.A. Man, These Movies Show How Strong the MCU Really Is)

20.  Iron Man 2

There is quite a bit more I like about the second Iron Man than the third. The introduction of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), the re-casting of Rhodey/War Machine (Don Cheadle), even Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) and Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) as the main antagonists. You can really feel Tony Stark falling apart thanks to his arc reactor and root for him to get out of it. Even though end-scenes don't have bearing on the list, I can now appreciate what they were doing to set up Thor and introduce him as the next hero. Why this ranks so low, and it'll be apparent with the next few films, is that I just like what's ahead of it more. 

19. Thor

Speaking of Thor, this was a strong introduction, but that's about all it is. Most of the origin films for certain Avengers just can't stand up to some of the sequels and that's the case for Thor. The redemption story is a tried and true storyline in the MCU. That's what Thor is. What makes me like Thor so much is Loki. I love how manipulative he is in all the films he's in and this is him at his best. I know this is Thor's film, but having Hawkeye in it means I'd like for him to have played a larger part. I'm not sure how, but it just felt like a way to add in someone so we can all say "Hey, I recognize him" once The Avengers comes around.

18. Ant-Man

Paul Rudd is the perfect casting choice for Ant-Man, especially the way he has been written. Both Ant-Man movies have solid ensemble casts, especially Michael Pena as Luis. I think it was the introduction of Hank Pym that makes me like this film. I didn't grow reading the comics, but I understand how essential he is to Marvel as a whole that got me excited. Yellowjacket is a good villain, but I don't think he's one of the more impressive in the MCU. He's Ant-Man with slightly more advanced gear.

17. Doctor Strange

Man, I hated Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) during the beginning of the film, but I think that's part of the point. It's another redemption story with a man trying to come to terms with the powers he now possesses. I think the villain Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelson) is a weak-point, but The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) as his foil makes up for that. Wong (Benedict Wong) hits some of the right notes with his comedic timing. I'd be willing to move this up the list if Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is the villain in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness because I love when a good guy becomes the bad guy.

16. Spider-Man: Homecoming

I'm going to make an official declaration. Tom Holland is the superior Spider-Man. I really like Tobey McGuire's Spider-Man for the most part, but Tom Holland is the best of the three live-action versions we've seen in the last two decades. There is so much to love about Spider-Man's first solo entry in the MCU. The relationship between Spidey and Iron Man that is central to the plot is such a strong father-son dynamic. Vulture (Michael Keaton) is an awesome villain to begin with. Ned (Jacob Batalon), MJ (Zendaya), Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) all round out a stellar supporting cast. Liz (Laura Harrier) as a love interest is okay, but the reveal of Vulture to be her dad on Homecoming night is the best part. It's so spine-chilling and once he confronts him about it in the car alone, it's amazing.

15. Captain Marvel

Fair warning, I am a huge fan of Brie Larson. Like a HUGE fan of her. When she was announced to be playing Captain Marvel, I was stoked. As I've mentioned already, this was the first MCU movie I saw in theaters after The Avengers in 2012. While I didn't love the film the first time, subsequent viewings have made me like it a little bit more. I thought she played Captain Marvel really well. There were times where I felt the action dragged and the twist "she'd been working for the bad guys this whole time" storyline is a bit overplayed, but it wasn't nearly as bad as some people claim it to be.

Upper-Mid Tier (A.K.A. Just Missed Out Because of How Strong the Top Is)

14. Iron Man

It may sound cliche, but this is quite literally the film that started it all. The story arc that lasted 22 films and over a decade begins with this film. This introduction to Iron Man is a good one. Seeing him change from a wartime weapons maker into a champion for a better future was a long-lasting one, but almost immediately you see him getting out of incredible situations. I don't think Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger (Jeff Bridges) is a particularly strong villain nor is the Ten Rings as a secondary antagonist. But I don't think that's the point. This film is all about RDJ and Iron Man. I struggle to think even Marvel knew what they had on their hands with this film.

13. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1

Talk about a collection of people who you'd never think would be so cohesive. I was skeptical at first, especially of Dave Bautista playing Drax and Vin Diesel as Groot, but I really liked this. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) is really the standout in the film, which is saying something since I liked everyone, including Ronan (Lee Pace). We also have the opposite of what I said earlier, where "the person associated with the bad guy turns on him and helps the good guys" which I also like. I don't think this is as strong as the follow-up, but it's a strong introduction to a group that may not be as well known.

12. Spider-Man: Far From Home

I have a special bond with this film. It's the first outing I had after returning from studying abroad. I am a huge fan of this film. The whole Peter-MJ-Brad love triangle is unnecessary. There are so many ways that the Peter-MJ pairing could come together without a third player in the game. He feels like an afterthought without much of a chance of actually getting MJ. Jake Gyllenhaal is the real star of the show though. He's manipulative and slimy, but he is so smooth and calculated. Having this be the first film after Endgame was brilliant, especially since Peter Parker is the one most affected by the death of Tony Stark outside of his own family and Happy Hogan. I don't think there was too much Iron Man imagery to remind us of his death, it was just the right amount. And to top it all off, he gets the girl.

11. Ant-Man and the Wasp

I love the beginning of this film. Watching Scott Lang face the repercussions of the airport fight from "Civil War". Seeing him with his daughter in the house while he's on house arrest is so much fun. I like that most of the cast returns and the storyline of finally bringing Janet van Dyne back is a heart-warming one. I really like Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) as the "villain" even though I don't see her as a villain in the traditional sense. I think of her as one of the most under-appreciated antagonists in the MCU. I consider this to be one of the most under-rated films in all of the MCU. It has its flaws, but upon subsequent viewings, I like it more and more each time. 

10. The Avengers

This film brought the MCU into my consciousness whether it knew it or not. This film does a lot of things right. Having Loki be the first villain everyone has to fight was smart since he's already an established character within the MCU. This is also the first time we see Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. His scene with Loki in Stark Tower where he throws him against the floor several times is still one of my favorite moments. Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) gets more to do in this movie. It was honestly just cool to see everyone in one place. I love how clueless Captain America (Chris Evans) is to the world now that he's been thawed out. I had no clue they'd just be scratching the surface in terms of crazy ensemble casts.

9. Captain America: First Avenger

This is the best origin film to me and no I don't consider Black Panther to be an origin film since he was in Civil War and see him become Black Panther. Seeing him go from a glorified figure for war into an actual warrior was awesome. While I think using Nazis as a villain is a bit of a cliche, Red Skull is an interesting villain. Having him be a separate arm of the Nazi regime is smart to not completely let history be told again. Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) are good supporting characters, but it's all about Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Bucky is one of my favorite characters in all of the MCU. This isn't my favorite Bucky performance, but it's such a strong one. His "death" after falling off the train is such a sad moment, but what tops it all off is Cap going into the water and the look on Peggy's face when he does. All he wanted was that dance.

8. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Some people may think this is too high on my list, but I really like this movie for the additions of Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). All three of them bring something completely different to the MCU. Ultron (James Spader) is such a badass bad guy. I also like how humanized Hawkeye is. He is the only one of them with a real family, so the stakes are a lot different for him than they are for the others. The teased love connection between Black Widow and The Hulk was a bit pointless, so I could've done without it. But what I think I liked the most was the moments where they were so serious and joked around a little, like the hammer-lifting scene after the party. Plus, how can you not love Quicksilver's sacrifice after constant back in forth with Hawkeye the entire film. I think this movie is one that is often slept on amongst the MCU films.

Upper Tier (A.K.A. The Absolute Best the MCU Has to Offer)

7. Black Panther

Like I said, I don't see Black Panther as an origin film. Even though its the first time he's getting his own film, we already know how he became Black Panther. I think Chadwick Boseman makes an excellent Black Panther, but to me, Michael B. Jordan is the star of the show as Killmonger. He's ruthless and cold-blooded, but his intentions border on reasonable. T'Chaka killed his father. Now he wants to kill T'Challa and rule over a place he was never allowed to see. It makes perfect sense. Visually, this film is stunning. It is arguably the most vibrant in the entire MCU. I'm excited to see what Black Panther 2 will look like since his role within the Avengers is likely to greater.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2

There are no two ways about it, Kurt Russell as Ego is one of the best villain portrayals in the entire MCU. I hardly realized by the time the reveal came that there wasn't a really solid antagonist the entire time. You could make a case for the Sovereign as antagonists, but they aren't in over half the film. I also don't count Nebula for obvious reasons. This is the best villain reveal in the MCU. The look on Quill's face when Ego says he planted the tumor in his mother's head is heartbreaking. It is also subtle foreshadowing for Infinity War. The dynamic between Nebula and Gamora is explored further, Drax and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) complement each other amazingly, Baby Groot is adorable. I could've done with a little more Rocket. Also, Yondu's death is the saddest non-Tony Stark or Blip death in the MCU.

5. Avengers: Infinity War

This film was in the argument for the best MCU film on Twitter, but for me, it is only 5th. This one started with a bang by having Thanos kill Loki and Heimdall, incapacitate Thor, and kick the ever-loving crap out of Hulk. I'll start with my only real negative for this film. Thanos' children are treated as afterthoughts and Ebony Maw is killed way too easily. But I love everything else about this film. Everyone has their moments. Watching Gamora's fall on Vormir in slow motion is brutal. The two different fights at two different locations are well choreographed and entertaining, especially once Thor, Rocket, and Groot show up in Wakanda. But for all the work they have done in trying to defeat Thanos and Scarlet Witch's sacrifice in killing Vision to keep the stone away from it, watching Thanos just turn back time to get it and complete the gauntlet is devastating. The bad guy just won. There was nothing that could've been done. Watching the looks on the OG Avengers' faces as people started disappearing, especially Stark when it happened to Spider-Man, made it hit that much closer to home. 
 

4. Thor: Ragnarok

This film is proof the MCU can do a lot of comedy while balancing great action. This is the version of Thor I like the most. His humor shines through while still reminding us he is the God of Thunder. Hela (Cate Blanchett) is an awesome villain. I've always been amazed at how similar and true to the mythology the Thor films appear to be, though Hela and Thor aren't really related. Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster was funny as the leader of Sakaar, though it could be admittedly much at times. Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) is my favorite addition to the MCU from this film. Her introduction is hilarious and her backstory makes you really sympathize with her. But the best part is she is such a badass. The dynamic between Thor and Loki is the film's strong point and the return of The Hulk was entertaining, albeit predictable (Thor and Loki's responses though are equally hilarious). It was a nice change of pace for the MCU.

3. Captain America: Civil War

The first firm of Phase Three kicks the door off its henges and welcomes you to the chaos of the final act of the Infinity Saga. The action begins almost immediately in Lagos and sets the stage for why everyone will be fighting in the end. The first act does drag just a little as you try to figure out the politics of everything and where everyone stands. We do get the death of T'Chaka, the rise of T'Challa as Black Panther, the return of the Winter Soldier, and a whole bunch of awesomeness. We also get our first introduction to Tom Holland's Spider-Man. The two things everyone talks about from this movie are the fight at the airport in Germany and the fight between Iron Man, Captain America, and the Winter Soldier. Both of these scenes are amazing and the fighting is awesome. The one thing that stands out to me is just how good Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) is as a villain. He doesn't have any superpowers and his motive and plan are simple. He wants to tear the Avengers apart by making them do it themselves. He doesn't need any abilities to do it, he just needs manipulation. I excited that he's going to be the villain for the Winter Soldier and the Falcon series on Disney+.  

2. Avengers: Endgame

I'm a real sucker for payoffs and this is the most payoff-iest of payoffs I've ever seen. I remember walking out of the theater with a giant smile on my face because I loved this so much. I like that they actually followed through with Thanos winning and those who survived having to live in that world for five years. Let me knit-pick just one thing. The way Scott Lang returns is super convenient to the plot. Imagine if there was no rat in the van to bring him back. I get that it is a very "Scott Lang" way to bring him back, but without that one rat, there is no film. Now the good stuff. If I wrote "everything else" it would be too brief. I like the desperation everyone works with. I like fat Thor and the comedic timing he provides. I like that Stark is now a family man. I love how sad I felt when Black Widow sacrificed herself. But most of all, I love everything about the third act fight between everyone and Thanos' army. Seeing all the portals open up and all the fallen Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Wakandans, and everyone else come back to confront Thanos is the most epic thing I've seen in a film. Then enter Captain Marvel just when all hope seems lost and it leads to the complete demise of Thanos. But what we all remember from this movie is the death of Iron Man. It was the culmination of one of the best story arcs in the MCU. Seeing how sad Spider-Man was and how Pepper Potts tells him it'll be alright is heart-breaking as the lights go out. The funeral, with everyone in attendance, was a satisfying end to Iron Man. Then there is Captain America returning the stone, but living out his life as a family man with Peggy. The title of Captain America is now passed on to Falcon and Peggy finally got that dance.

1. Captain America: Winter Soldier

This is as close to perfect as the MCU has provided us. Was Bucky being the Winter Soldier predictable? Yes, maybe. Do I really care? Not a chance. It was still epic and as someone who didn't read the comics or know anything beforehand, I was floored. The way this film balances extreme drama and action is brilliant. Cap and Black Widow have great chemistry together. We are also introduced to Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) for the first time. It's really hard to watch and figure out who to trust the entire film since there are so many moving parts. I legit thought Fury was dead despite knowing he wasn't. To me, this film is the best in terms of the actual story. Most of the other MCU films rely heavily on the action to make them great instead of the story, but Winter Soldier is good at both. I'll watch this whenever it comes on no matter when. This is my favorite MCU by quite a bit.