With Avengers: Endgame transforming from a dream into a surreal reality, what is more, surreal is the fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in its 11th year and totals a whopping 23 films now.
Earlier this year, Avengers: Endgame finally landed in theaters marking the end of an era as the MCU is looking to re-tool a bit in the next phase. Phase 3 wasn’t technically over yet though because Spider-Man: Far From Home swung in this to tie up any loose ends, and now that it’s officially over, it only feels right to rank every single movie in Marvel’s Infinity Saga from worst to best according to the Def Pen film staff, and this is the only way it should be ranked, the. only. way. (read with a serious dose of sarcasm).
23. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Before fans of the MCU were introduced to Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, we were introduced to Edward Norton’s reiteration of The Incredible Hulk.
In comparison to the rest of the MCU films, The Incredible Hulk feels the least connected and the most overlooked and forgotten film in the cinematic universe.
The 2008 version of The Hulk was the second attempt to make the beloved Doc-Green relevant, but to this point, it has felt forced.
Armed with a lackluster villain, a forced romantic relationship between Banner and Betty Ross (who has never been seen again), it may be for the better than most fans completely disregard this film, albeit an obscure cult following that has developed in recent memory.
22. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Currently, in 2019, we have a much different perception of Thor- charismatic, dumb-jock like overconfidence that plays for some of the best laughs in his stints on the big screen. But in 2013 we had a brooding, depressed, God Of Thunder who was most often overshadowed by his conniving brother Loki.
Losing the little flair and emotion that the original Thor director Kenneth Branagh brought, Thor: The Dark World was as uninspiring as an MCU film can get with arguably the worst villain (Maleketh), that we have ever seen in the cinematic universe.
At least this caused Kevin Feige to rethink the Thor character, delivering us Thor: Ragnarok. More on that later.
21. Iron Man 2 (2010)
After rewatching Iron Man 2, one thing stands out more than others.
This film was rushed.
The original Iron Man seemed to change the outlook of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but after the high’s that the 2008 film delivered, the highly anticipated sequel was just short of being labeled a downright disaster.
Rather than being titled Iron Man 2, a more fitting title would be Avengers 0.5: cinematic fodder.
The film introduced: S.H.I.E.L.D, a new War Machine, Black Widow, Nick Fury, oh and S.H.I.E.L.D as the brainchild of Howard Stark, Tony Stark’s father.
But best for last, fans were treated to Mickey Rourke as Whiplash.
20. Thor (2011)
Looking back in hindsight, the original Thor was doomed from the start. With all the comic book movie’s that have been released over the past 20 years, none were as hard as reiterating the God Of Thunder to the big screen for the first time.
Thor, in all honesty, is quite a boring character in the comics, so rather than taking the risk and making changes to the character’s lore, Marvel stayed the script and what it produced was a mediocre film.
The film is carried by strong performances, in particular, Tom Hiddleston as Loki and the Anthony Hopkins as Odin, but the film lacks the supporting cast to make it feel like a success for the franchise.
While the film does have some bright spots and clever filmmaking, thanks to Kenneth Branagh, the film is done in by the worst relationship in the cinematic universe between Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth.
It’s not like Natalie Portman was apart of a terrible love story in another film franchise that plays like a Space Opera.
Oh.
19. Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)
In the perfect world, this film would’ve been great as a breath of fresh air after the series-altering repercussions that was dealt in Avengers: Infinity War, but the best way to describe this film is forgettable.
The core of the film is as strong as ever, with the addition of Evangeline Lilly as The Wasp feels like a welcome, and more importantly organic, part of the cinematic universe. Paul Rudd plays his role to a tee as the regular dad-turned-superhero and delivers a large portion of the laughs.
To balance out Rudd’s comedy-heavy role, Micheal Douglas reprises his role as Hank Pym and more often than not, is the central focus of the plot.
The film is by no means a mediocre film, but the straight-forward turned extremely convoluted plot asks the audience to care about multiple storylines that conclude with a less than fulfilling third act.
18. Iron Man 3 (2013)
Iron Man 3 may very well be the most divisive film in the catalog of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it all comes down to one, split second in the film.
When I view Iron Man 3 it’s clear that Director Shane Black delivered the world a horribly-underrated and underappreciated film, acting more like a buddy-cop action/comedy than a comic book superhero film.
Filled with great dialogue and banter, this is one that Marvel fans should look back on with fondness.
17. Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)
After the magic that was struck with 2012’s Avengers, setting the nerds and box office on fire alike, 2015’s Age Of Ultron can’t help but feel like a disappointment.
Director Joss Whedon went as far as declaring burnout from the strains of production, and it shows in the film.
It’s clear that there were creative differences between Joss Whedon and Marvel Studios, and the mishandling of Aaron-Taylor Johnson as Quicksilver is a prime example.
The introduction of Ultron as the main antagonist for the film was a great concept turned Avengers fodder by the end of the runtime.
The film suffers from similar issues as Iron Man 2, with more set up for future films rather than plot development for the film.
16. Captain Marvel (2019)
In my lifetime, I would have never expected for Marvel Studios to create as much controversy as it did with 2019’s Captain Marvel. But objectively speaking, the film delivered a mixed bag for casual and hardcore fans alike.
Brie Larson plays the title character, and while she does exceed in brief stints, the role is something that she has to grow into as there are extended periods of the film where she is the least captivating part of the film.
Outside of brief moments, the action is filmed with a sense of dullness rather urgency, and the film’s attempt at garnering an emotional attachment feels ingenuine. Rather than standing alone as a unique and heartwarming film, the debut of the strongest hero in the MCU feels robotic, flat and features another underwhelming villain.
The film does add some compelling beats to the lore Marvel has created, but it does nothing to add excitement to the future of Captain Marvel’s character.
15. Doctor Strange (2016)
Doctor Strange is the most abstract Superhero film we have yet to feast our eyes upon. Marvel was put in a position to keep making safe films that will recoup their budget and then some, but Marvel swung for the fences with 2016’s Doctor Strange and as a film fan, that is something I can appreciate. The film fully embraces the cosmic nature of its source material, while remaining familiar to casual MCU fans.
The film starts off slow, but once Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange happens upon the mystical Kamar-Taj, the film turns itself into an Inception-like trip with a splatter of colors and metaphysical images being segmented in parts of the film.
Where the film sets itself apart from the bottom half of the MCU is the captivating final battle, being a top contender for the MCU’s best third act up to date.
14. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2018)
For his second Guardians Of The Galaxy outing, writer-director James Gunn doubled down on what made the 2014 film so special. Containing the zaniness that made the original so loveable, the 2018 sequel takes on a more interpersonal role. There’s not even much action, but there’s a lot of screentime with Kurt Russell as Ego and Chris Pratt’s Starlord.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is more of a character study than the flat out action film the first one was. It splits up the team and focuses largely on the individuals rather than the MCU.
Vol. 2 is focused on giving characters a character arc, in particular, Starlord and it works more often than not. Although it is much different than it’s predecessor, Vol.2 acts like a welcomed surprise.
13. Ant-Man (2015)
When you consider that it had a rough time in pre-production and Marvel Studios was facing some adversity, Ant-Man turned out to be a home-run. After cinematic visionary Edgar Wright decided to leave the project, Marvel turned to comedic director Peyton Reed to right the ship.
Reed does the best job he possibly can, but he’s not the star of the film, furthest from it. The film succeeds when it acts like a comedic-heist film, with Paul Rudd seemingly built for the role of Ant-Man. Aided with strong comedic side acts from Michael Pena and T.I, the film acts more of a joyride separate from the MCU rather than another cog in the cinematic wheel.
12. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home doesn’t hit the high mark of Homecoming. But, that’s not to say it’s worse by any means. It’s just more comfortable living in Spider-Man lore rather than trying to please everyone.
Also, the way it ties up Peter’s story from Infinity War/Endgame adds a meaningful layer to his character. It’s going to ruffle some die-hard fans’ feathers but it’s definitely another win for Marvel Studio’s take on the web-slinger.
11. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Captain America: The First Avenger succeeded in every way imaginable. Rather than going the typical origin story route, The First Avenger acts as a World War II period piece, aided with some strong directorial work from Joe Johnston that brought us Chris Evans as Captain America, the hero we need, but the one we don’t deserve.
Prior to the film’s release, there was skepticism of the casting of Chris Evans as the patriot superhero, but within fifteen minutes in the film, it becomes more than apparent that Marvel hit it out of the park.
Unlike Thor‘s forced romance story, there is a shockingly great love story between Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, which makes us root for the pure-hearted hero even more.
10. Iron Man (2008)
Remember when Robert Downey Jr. was looked at as a washed up actor?
Us too.
With talks of action superstar Tom Cruise taking on the role of the billionaire playboy, fans and pundits alike were shocked when down and out actor Robert Downey Jr. was tasked for the role.
It was undoubtedly a risk from the Marvel executives, laying their foundation for their cinematic universe with an actor who has been labeled as difficult to work with, to say the least.
11 years later, it’s clear that the risk was well justified.
In all honesty, 2008’s Iron Man is an average film, slightly above average if I’m being generous, but is elevated by Robert Downey Jr.s electric performance.
Directed by Jon Favreau, MCU fans will know him as Happy Hogan, Favreau puts Downey Jr. in the forefront to succeed as the billionaire while creating a safe, but well-executed, story around him.
We didn’t know it at the time, but Robert Downey Jr. changed the film industry for decades to come.
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2018)
People were skeptical about Tom Holland as Spider-Man. Civil War took all of their worries away.
Holland was amazing as a young and inexperienced Peter Parker, who was even afraid of heights. The Birdman himself Michael Keaton was awesome as the villainous Vulture and the small-scale of the film made it even that much better. This film is why Marvel is going to lead with Holland and his Spider-Man into Phase 5 of their universe. Also, Zendaya as a low-key Mary-Jane was great.
– Es
8. The Avengers (2012)
I remember having to buy my tickets for this months in advance. I worked at a movie theatre when this came out and I STILL had to buy tickets a month and a half in advance. The hype that was surrounding the film that would bring the Hulk, Iron-Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Thor all into one film was revolutionary.
It satisfied and exceeded all expectations. It followed the comics and the animated TV shows and topped those versions. The entire MCU that we know now was banking on the fact that this movie was successful and it happened. Marvel’s precise calculations and timing are shown at their highest level in this movie.
– Es
7. Black Panther (2018)
Bold statement incoming: no film in the comic book genre has had as much world-wide impact as 2018’s Black Panther. With all due respect to Wesley Snipe as Blade, Black Panther revolutionized what it means to be a superhero.
With a cast that is filled with Oscar-level talent from top to bottom, director Ryan Coogler did the impossible by integrating different African cultures into the film and created more of a celebration rather than a theatrical experience.
The performances across the board were phenomenal, lead by Chadwick Bosman as the level headed: King T’Challa, providing a stoic, royal, pillar in the world of Wakanda. This wasn’t the first time we were introduced to T’Challa, as he was an integral part of Captain America: Civil War, but here we see whom he fights for and the lengths he’s willing to go as king.
With a film laced with amazing characters and astounding visuals, the film is elevated by Coogler providing a conflicting ideology between Killmonger (played by Micheal B. Jordan) and King T’Challa which easily translate to Western society today.
The world of Wakanda is one filled with great riches, and just like the country, the film is one of the prime jewels of the MCU.
6. Thor: Ragnarok (2018)
Arguably the funniest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the 3rd installment of Thor blew the first 2 movies out of the water. Personally, I’m not much of a fan of Thor. But this movie helped me change my mind. Chris Hemsworth was actually enjoyable to watch and his chemistry with Tessa Thompson led to both of them being cast in a reboot for Men In Black.
Mark Ruffalo as Hulk was a breath of fresh air. Yes, we saw him before in Avengers but this time we got to see the Hulk, talk and even laugh. This movie was a mixture of Ragnarok and Planet Hulk (which is an awesome Hulk animated movie) and the improvisational style of the script was flawless.
Ragnarok does what other Thor films failed to do. It made Asgard amusing and funny. Loki and Thor’s relationship was something you could finally relate to, then Valkyrie and Hulk were just icing on the cake.
– Es
5. Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
Guardians Of The Galaxy is the Cinderella story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. No one, I mean no one, had any type of expectations for GOTG. With an unproven director(at the time), and a lead actor who is best known as a funnyman from Parks and Rec, the Marvel fandom had little to no expectations for the superhero deep cut.
But what the fans and the pundits got what as a fun space opera, filled with emotion, laughs, brilliant action and the best soundtrack we’ve ever seen in a superhero movie.
The rag-tag group of unexpected heroes providing the perfect underdog story, creating the formula of creating a heart-filled, joyous, superhero movie.
4. Captain America: Civil War (2017)
If someone were to tell me Captain America: Civil War should be higher, I would have no qualms about that. But here at Def Pen, we think that there are two films that should rank above what I deem as Avengers 2.5.
Civil War was the culmination of the tension between the two faces of The Avengers: Tony Stark and the beloved Captain America. The fight was well deserved, but no one expected it to be the spectacle that it turned out to be.
Civil War presented internal turmoil that we have never seen in a comic book movie, and the infamous “airport scene” puts Civil War in the top 10 alone, but the heightened emotion of the third act and the repercussions that are still felt today in the MCU puts Civil War in the Holy Trinity of the Marvel world.
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is more than just a phenomenal comic book movie, it’s also a film that crosses genres into the world of a spy thriller. Film snobs will probably scoff at the idea of Captain America: The Winter Soldier being associated with the words “spy thriller”, but who cares?
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo (Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War), The Winter Soldier provides some of the best action scenes in the MCU and introduces fan favorite Bucky Barnes.
The Winter Soldier pushed Captain America out of his own element, testing the limits he is willing to go to in order to serve and protect while testing his loyalty to longtime friend Bucky Barnes, which elevated Captain America from a well-liked superhero to a fan favorite within the runtime of the film.
2. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Do I really need to argue why? This film is a culmination of 22 films and its presentation was marvelous- no pun intended. Coming into this film, there was a lot of skepticism. Would all the heroes have enough screen time? How would they incorporate everyone in the story? How will they tie up any loose ends? They perfected the execution of this beautifully.
Josh Brolin as Thanos was iconic. Through its 4 phases, Marvel had been scrutinized for not having villains that were powerful and frightening. Thanos destroyed all expectations and became a meme for the rest of the year. The follow-up, Avengers: Endgame was probably the most anticipated superhero movie of all time and that is all thanks to a snap of a finger.
– Es
1. Avengers: Endgame (2018)
Well, what else could it have been? I think the title of the film says it all here. This was the endgame of the entire MCU. 11 years, 22 films, the culmination of hours upon hours of build-up. And even with all that pressure, it delivered.
It delivered and then some in my mind. Not only did we get an epic conclusion with all the heroes taking on Thanos and his armies. But, we also got a surprisingly thoughtful film full of dramatically satisfying and meaningful moments. Sure, a lot of it was pretty fan service-y. But, what else are these films if not first and foremost fan service?
It was a great film to cap off an incredible run and we can’t wait to see what Marvel has planned for the next 11 years.
