Ranking the MCU Movies (As of Doctor Strange)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been one of the most successful franchises in film history, and it looks like they aren't stopping anytime soon with them releasing three films a year starting this year. So, before things get too big and hectic I thought I'd write up a fun post on ranking the, as of yet, fourteen films that reside inside the MCU. Don't forget to comment at the end, and tell me your list too.

14.) Thor: The Dark World

I'm going to spoil everyone a little by saying the first Thor films was one of my favorites. It was just a fun movie that brought another world into a grounded universe, and for everything that I loved about in that first film it seems to me that the sequel thought otherwise. For a comic book movie it doesn't feel like it wanted to be one. Thor is a God, and yet they constantly say that magic is not real, it's just science. Gods are not real, they're just aliens. Thor looks like he hasn't had a bath in months. What happened to his honor, he used to stand up straight with flowy hair, but in The Dark world everything is painted in dark ugly colors and no one smiles. Even the jokes felt out of place. Out of all the films in the MCU, The Dark World felt like it was the one that didn't want to be what it was, a Thor film.

13.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier

I know that when this movie came out it changed the whole game. It took a comic book franchise and made it super grounded, edgy, and a political thriller whooing over fans around the world. I imagine this would be much higher on other people's lists, but for me I just don't get it. This film never felt fun, suspensful, or really emotional. I never felt anything for the characters, and while I thought it was choreographed nicely there was something about how the film was shot that took me out of it. I've watched it again and again, but for whatever reason The Winter Soldier doesn't do anything for me.

12.) Iron Man 3

With the success of the first Iron Man, and the disappointment of Iron Man 2, the third movie of this trilogy seemed to fall in the middle for many people. Lots of people hate this movie for what they did with the Mandarin, while others like myself thought it was a cool twist. This is probably the most different MCU film since it was made by Shane Black, and you can tell that it has his tone and feel to the story. I find Iron Man 3 to be a very fun movie, but not one I'm dying to go back to again and again. It changes a few things for Tony as a character that are bold, and some fans might not like, but at the end of the day it's not a film that I'd avoid.

11.) Captain America: Civil War

Again, like The Winter Soldier I feel like the majority of people would have this film higher on their lists. The same people who made The Winter Soldier came back for this film, and that's probably the best way I can describe my disinterest in it. For the majority of this long film it's about characters debating. Ideologies are targeted, and lines have been drawn. What really took me out of this film was the fact that I knew everything would be okay. At the end of the day everyone didn't hate each other anymore. Every time I watch this film it's dreary and depressing until you get to the airport scene. The airport scene is the only thing anyone ever talks about when discussing this film, and that's because it feels like a comic book movie then. Characters are used in interesting ways, quips are being thrown around appropriately, and it was the only time during the film that I felt engaged, and that's also the only reason why it's this high on my list.

10.) Iron Man 2

I always thought it strange that this was the film most fans would point to as Marvel's biggest mistake. I won't say it's a great film, I'll agree that the second half is sloppy  and rushed with a villain that makes you scratch your head, but for the most part I felt Iron Man 2 had more interesting ideas than most of the films have brought to the table. For instance, a big part about this movie was about Tony going back to his roots and learning more about his father. It was a personal journey for him while also introducing Black Widow, and setting up events for the Avengers. With it's faults this film is by no means unwatchable, and I appreciate what it was trying to do even if it didn't articulate what it wanted to do very well.

9.) The Avengers

This is a tough one for me. The first time I watched The Avengers I hated it. The second time I saw it I loved it. After that it's just stuck as an okay movie for me. It's nice to see these heroes come together and form a team to stop the end of the world, and this film does have the best villain that the MCU has thus created, but every time I think about what this film did I always find myself almost unimpressed. There are great moments in The Avengers, and maybe it's not fair since it's their first team up movie, but I always felt like it could have done more. It's a big blockbuster, and one I don't mind going back to. The biggest fault I do have with film, however, is that it changed the tone of the MCU  films for better or worse from then on.

8.) Ant-Man

This was a fun little film. Yep, I think that best describes it. Once you look past how the plot and characters are basically all from the first Iron Man film, this is one of the best shrinking films since Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Scott Lang is a fun character who is an accidental hero. He quips, like everyone else, and has an interesting look at an older superhero that no one knew about, Hank Pym. This is the perfect example of a standard Marvel movie. It's fun to watch, but it doesn't get me invested in the characters deeply, and by the end of the film my belly will be full of popcorn.

7.) Guardians of the Galaxy

Um...fun. The characters are all likable. The visuals they put into this film are great. The one liners are everywhere. It's basically Marvel's Star Wars, although since Disney owns both properties now I'm not sure if that comparison still holds. Either way, Guardians of the Galaxy was the film that told Marvel how their formula works. Quipy characters, boring cinematography, great visuals, characters who have many parallels with previous characters, and joy. None of these are knocks to the film, I just don't see this film as anything more than popcorn fun.

6.) Avengers: Age of Ultron

While I believe Marvel marketed this film wrong, I found myself loving it for different reasons than I thought I would. If it were longer I do think it would have been a better movie, but for the most part I found it balanced character progressions, introductions to characters, and setting up for future movies to be well done and ambitious. I love Ultron as a villain, and how he and Tony are very similar. It has a hokey third act villain plan, but what Marvel films doesn't at this point? The team feels more like a team, they're in sync, and what Ultron brings to the table I felt was a great way to explore the faults of each character.

5.) The Incredible Hulk

Out of all the MCU films, I've always found The Incredible Hulk to be underrated. I honestly don't now why there isn't more love for this film, because to me I thought it hit all of the Hulk notes on the nose. My biggest fault of the film is the love scenes. I never saw chemistry between Banner and Betty to make me want their relationship to go on. Other than that, this film was super smart, fun, and ambitious when it came to The Incredible Hulk. They hide the monster for a good part of the movie, letting you and the characters slowly find out just how monstrous this creature can be. The villain is actually a well done villain who feels old and replaceable, and once he gains a version of Hulk's powers he feels unstoppable. That, and the ending fights are just brutal to watch. It reminds me of animals duking it out, except we have large muscle monsters knocking each other around like Gods. Not only do I find this to be a good movie, and a great movie concerning The Hulk, but I find this interpretation of the Hulk to be superior to Ruffalo's take on him in The Avengers.

4.) Captain America: The First Avenger

A very stylized period piece that's puts you in the mood for a good Captain America story. This film brings out a lot of emotions in me, and I can't explain why. Maybe it's because the tone feels like it came right out of a 1940s/1950s comic book with the villain shaking his fist in the air, or because it's about a nobody who became somebody under his own will. Sure he had help on getting muscles, but he still aspired to be somebody better before and after his transformation. I also loved his friendship with Bucky in this film, and the Red Skull is just a fun villain that not many people give credit to. This if a fun romp with emotions, and the beginning of the First Avenger.

3.) Thor

Thor is a God. He doesn't know much about human culture. He walks into a pet store and demands a horse. Brilliance ensues. Thor was my favorite character in the MCU. Hemsworth holds himself tall and proud in this performance, and I'm along for the ride. Asgard is so different from what we've seen on screen, and I always thought that the fantasy parts of Thor would be a great addition to expanding the MCU. Their weapons are deadly, out of this world awesome-sauce. Their customs strange, yet familiar. This was the film I'd always go to if I wanted something different. An experience, and I still find this to be one of the better films that Marvel has pushed out. 'Nuff said.

2.) Doctor Strange

I never thought I'd like Doctor Strange as much as I did, but gosh darn-it he's quickly becoming my favorite character. Stephen Strange is an unlikable guy in the beginning of the film. Cocky, arrogant, only thinks of himself type of guy, but when the one thing he is good at is taken away from him he changes. Just like my number one choice I felt this film was very much character focused first, and spectacle second. I also felt that Cumberbatch was able to put layers into his character as he learned and progressed in a way that not many other actors have with their characters in the MCU. I see Doctor Strange has having a very bright future, and possibly may replace my number one choice at some point.

1.) Iron Man

This is such a brilliant film. Aside from the weak third act villain, like most MCU films, this was the one that actively focused on Tony as a character, and is a large part why Tony is such a big character in this universe. You clearly see how he changes over the course of the film, how he has to learn and fail multiple times. It's a great origin film, and really sets the tone for the whole universe. I go back to this film again and again, and it still blows me away with how great it holds up after eight years. For the man who started it all, it's sure hard to surpass the first Iron Man.

Well, that's my take on the MCU films. What did you think, agree, disagree? What would your list look like?