There’s yet to be an entry in the MCU that’s as universally mocked and maligned as Batman & Robin, a Green Lantern, or an Amazing Spider-Man 2. However, across 25+ releases, some MCU projects have fared a lot better with critics than others. Which are the best Marvel movies of all time? Which are the worst MCU movies? Which films rank somewhere in the middle?
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Updated November 13, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Blank Panther: Wakanda Forever has brought Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a close, but how does the entry rank alongside the best MCU movies?
Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Released So Far
Since debuting in 2008, the MCU has produced 30 films across four phases. Disney’s franchise is also showing no signs of slowing down as, so far, 10 more MCU movies are already slated to debut before 2026. To make it as simple as possible to keep track of everything the universe has produced, every MCU movie is listed below in release order. Announced films are also included.
30 Eternals (47%)
The only MCU movie to get a rotten score, Eternals is clearly one of the more polarizing entries in the franchise, although it is hardly a lost cause. Compared to some other Phase Four projects like Black Widow, Eternals is considerably more ambitious as it focuses on less mainstream characters while expanding the MCU’s cosmic potential.
Considering the MCU tends to be criticized for sticking to a specific formula, Eternals deserves praise for deviating from the norm. Now, the film takes many risks that do not pay off, but this might be one of those entries that gets better with age, particularly if later releases build upon some of its ideas.
29 Thor: Love And Thunder (64%)
Thor: Ragnarok revitalized Marvel’s god of thunder following two rather underwhelming solo efforts, particularly the bland The Dark World. Unlike its predecessors, Taika Waititi’s sequel was vibrant, hilarious, and felt like a B-movie space opera, something these movies had struggled to achieve. Ragnarok’s success reshaped Thor’s presentation and destination; nowadays, Chris Hemsworth’s hero is expected to dish out punchlines regardless of whether the scene requires one.
Thor: Love and Thunderdoubles down on Ragnarok’s strengths, however, the sequel feels considerably messier and more forced than the film it is trying to emulate. That’s not to say there is nothing to enjoy here; for instance, Christian Bale’s Gorr is one of the MCU’s better villains, while Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster finally gets something to do besides having questionable chemistry with the Norse god. Unfortunately, Love and Thunder refusal to take itself seriously hampers numerous moments that could have benefited from the absence of a joke rather than the addition of one. Still, this movie is a fine way to spend a couple of hours, which seems to be what most of the MCU’s phase four entries have amounted to.
28 Thor: The Dark World (66%)
It’s hardly surprising that Thor: The Dark World is ranked close to the bottom as the film is generally considered to be one of the MCU’s lowest points. It’s the perfect go-to example of the Marvel cookie-cutter formula at work.
Chris Hemsworth’s Thor does not pick up a sense of humor until later in the MCU, and the character struggles to carry The Dark World whenever Loki is not on the screen. Luckily, Taika Waititi’s zany sensibility was just one solo movie away.
27 The Incredible Hulk (67%)
Before Mark Ruffalo would become the MCU’s Bruce Banner, Edward Norton played the character in his only Marvel-mounted solo movie (so far), The Incredible Hulk. While Norton brings nuance to his performance, The Incredible Hulk does little to elevate itself above generic blockbuster fare.
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Due to the casting change and the fact very little that happens in this movie is referenced later down the line, The Incredible Hulk is the most inconsequential entry in the MCU.
26 Iron Man 2 (71%)
The problem with cinematic universes began to rear its head in Iron Man 2, as the focus on expanding the world and setting up a bunch of sequels undermined the movie’s own story. Iron Man 2 has a couple of things going for it, predominantly Scarlett Johansson’s debut as Black Widow and Robert Downey Jr being his usual charismatic self; however, underwhelming villains and a muddy plot make this film difficult to rewatch.
Iron Man 2 is indicative of an issue quite a few MCU movies have: they prioritize telling future stories over delivering a satisfying current one. This phase one sequel is one of the worst examples of this criticism since Tony Stark’s conflict with Whiplash, the movie’s main plot, takes a backseat during the second act, derailing the story’s momentum.
25 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (74%)
The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness builds upon the ideas explored in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the Wandavision show, and the latter is a must-watch if someone wants to get the full emotional weight of this narrative. Directed by Sam Raimi of Evil Dead and Spider-Man fame, The Multiverse of Madness finds Doctor Strange dealing with a familiar threat that could spell disaster for multiple universes. To keep that from transpiring, Strange has to protect America Chavez, a teenager with the ability to jump between multiverses.
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The Multiverse of Madness is a fun watch, but it is a bit more all over the place than most MCU movies. While that might sound fitting considering the title, the story is not actually all that complicated or inventive, and anyone hoping they will get to spend significant time in a plethora of different dimensions should lower their expectations. Still, the acting is generally strong, particularly from Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Cumberbatch, there are quite a few endearing cameos and Easter eggs, and the action scenes mostly deliver. It is also probably the most violent MCU movie.
24 Avengers: Age Of Ultron (76%)
Widely regarded to be the weakest entry in the Avengers franchise, Age of Ultron becomes kind of messy after introducing its villain. Ultron’s plan is too grand to cover in one movie, while Age of Ultron is more interested in bridging between various MCU sequels than standing on its own.
Still, Age of Ultron has that great party scene and a quiet interlude in the middle of the story in which the Avengers all stay on Hawkeye’s farm. The action is also generally fine, even if it is not all that memorable.
23 Thor (77%)
While Taika Waititi would later lean into the colorful weirdness of the Thor comics, Kenneth Branagh focused on their Shakespearean grandiosity in his initial solo movie for the God of Thunder. 2011’s Thor is a serviceable introduction to the character, but hardly goes above and beyond the established origin story formula.
The film also spends more time on Earth than in Asgard, which is slightly disappointing considering the latter is far more visually interesting than a largely nondescript New Mexico town. Thor’s characterization is also rather bland, as the Norse deity mostly comes across as a meathead with a heart of gold.
22 Captain Marvel (79%)
Since it took Marvel over a decade to give a female superhero her own movie (and they gave it to a new character instead of going with the obvious choice, Black Widow), DC had already broken the ground it could’ve broken with Wonder Woman.
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Still, Brie Larson was a solid choice to play Carol Danvers and Captain Marvel’s nonlinear story helped to break up the familiar monotony of origin stories. That said, Captain Marvel feels like it should have been released in phase one and not right before phase three’s Avengers: Endgame.
21 Captain America: The First Avenger (79%)
Joe Johnston introduced Chris Evan’s incarnation of Steve Rogers to the world in a suitably pulpy, action-packed WWII adventure. Evans, of course, stole the show as Rogers, making a jingoistic super-soldier into an endearing hero, while Hayley Atwell and Tommy Lee Jones give strong supporting turns.
Captain America: The First Avenger’s setting helps differentiate it from the rest of the MCU’s outings, and the story concludes on a pretty sad note. Compared to other Marvel movies, The First Avenger is not particularly rewatchable, mainly due to its slow opening act.
20 Iron Man 3 (79%)
Shane Black alienated a lot of diehard Marvel fans with Iron Man 3’s revelation that the Mandarin, Tony Stark’s mystical arch-nemesis, is just a beer-swilling soccer hooligan pretending to be a terrorist leader. Plus, the decision to not have a female villain forced changes upon the script, and arguably not for the better.
Despite all the justified criticisms that can be leveled at this release, Iron Man 3 is still a fun action film that showcases Shane Black’s talent for sharp dialogue. Robert Downey Jr. also delivers one of his best MCU performances in this movie.
19 Black Widow (79%)
Two years after Spider-Man: Far From Home, the MCU released its first phase four movie in Black Widow, a project that was long overdue by 2021. Set around the events of Civil War, Black Widow struggles to justify its existence beyond the fact that the eponymous character had more than earned a solo outing.
As a standalone spy movie, this release is a perfectly enjoyable way to spend two hours, and the film does a solid job of introducing Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. That said, Black Widow feels unnecessary, especially after the events of Avengers: Endgame. This is a movie that should have been released long before when it actually came out. By then, it felt like an afterthought.
18 Ant-Man (83%)
Peyton Reed did a fine job of telling Ant-Man’s origin story in a movie that’s fun, exciting, and warm-hearted. As a middle-of-the-road comedy and a high-concept heist movie, Ant-Man does its job, but it’s hard not to wonder what could have been if the film remained in the hands of its original director, Edgar Wright.
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Still, a solid cast helps elevate what is a mostly average, forgettable storyline. Ant-Man was also a nice palate cleanser after the overblown Avengers: Age of Ultron.
17 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (84%)
As the direct follow-up to one of the best MCU movies and a tribute to the late great Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had to meet high exceptions to be considered a success. While not quite as culturally important as its predecessor, the 2022 sequel is nevertheless a powerful and emotional entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The feature pays respects to the past while looking ahead to the future, crafting an experience that is among the most satisfying in the franchise.
Except for Phase One, Phase Four is the MCU’s most forgettable era. While entertaining at times, quite a few of the 2021 and 2022 films failed to present strong arguments to justify the story’s continuation following Endgame. However, at the very least, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever brought Phase Four to a close on a high.
16 Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (85%)
The second Guardians of the Galaxy movie suffered from the same problem as the second Kingsman film. The first one was such a game-changing breath of fresh air that simply by maintaining that fresh tone, the sequel felt like it was just more of the same.
Nevertheless, James Gunn packed the sequel with memorable moments and earnest character development courtesy of Peter’s relationship with his father and Gamora’s dynamic with Nebula. The action is creative, the characters are still as likable as ever, and the humor is fantastic; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is one of the best MCU sequels.
15 Avengers: Infinity War (85%)
After being teased in two post-credits scenes and a Guardians of the Galaxy subplot across six years, Thanos finally took on Earth’s mightiest heroes in Avengers: Infinity War. By focusing on the Mad Titan’s quest to collect the Infinity Stones, the Russo brothers managed to balance their massive ensemble and keep the plot moving along at a brisk pace.
Infinity War has huge stakes, a devastating conclusion, and plenty of hilarity to provide a respite from the story’s crushing tension. While not as highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes as Endgame, Infinity War is arguably just as good.
14 Ant-Man And The Wasp (87%)
While neither of its two villains ever develop enough to feel like substantial characters, Ant-Man and the Wasp is still a rollicking piece of entertainment. Peyton Reed left behind the heist movie construct of the first movie and instead went for more of an Elmore Leonard-esque crime caper, and it is a change that mostly pays off.
As solid as this entry is, the MCU did Ant-Man and the Wasp no favors by releasing it exactly after Infinity War. Consequently, this movie comes across as a side story designed to hold fans over until the main course is released.
13 Doctor Strange (89%)
Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange is one of the MCU’s more formulaic origin stories and Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of the Sorcerer Supreme started out as a second-rate Tony Stark, but the movie has more than enough eye-popping visual effects to make up for it.
This film also laid the groundwork for Strange’s subsequent appearances, establishing a character that would go on to become one of the most important in the MCU. Also, it is difficult to not love the Dormammu fight.
12 Captain America: Civil War (90%)
Often called Avengers 2.5 among the fan base, Captain America’s third solo movie Civil War incorporates a huge chunk of the MCU ensemble. Civil War also focuses as much on Tony Stark as it does on Steve Rogers in the pair’s disagreement over the Sokovia Accords.
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Civil War has some of the MCU’s most emotional moments, particularly the uncharacteristically intimate final fight, and it introduced moviegoers to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and the late, great Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther.
11 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (90%)
The Russos secured themselves a five-year stint making increasingly important Marvel movies after giving Captain America his greatest standalone adventure with The Winter Soldier. Packed with inventive action sequences, The Winter Soldier calls back to the paranoid political thrillers of the ‘70s with big-budget gusto. Bucky Barnes’ portrayal proved to be such a success that the character has become a fan favorite.
