Not all the movies in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)are created equally, but these are 10 of the best ever made. The MCU began in 2008 withIron Man, and nearly two decades later, the MCU has released 35 films in total up to and includingCaptain America: Brave New World. And while theMCU remains one of the biggest and most successful franchises ever made, there are a handful of movies that break the mold.
And when I say break the mold, I meanthese movies are easy to revisit, they do something creative, new, and thrilling, and they are easy to enjoy and get excited about. While I’m a fan of pretty much all the MCU films, there are some movies that failed to connect. Some repeat concepts in a fairly rudimentary style. But, the stand-out movies make it all worthwhile, and it’s not a bad track record overall.
Where would we be without the movie that kicked things off? In 2008, Jon Favreau fought tooth and nail to get Robert Downey Jr., a struggling former child star who had some issues with addiction, and somehow, despite and potentially partially because of all the risks, the movie became an outstanding hit.RDJ was the perfect man to play Tony Stark, and Favreau set the tone for the MCU.
Since then,every other release has built on the foundation that started everything. And the movie contains everything you could want. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and it established a connected comic book world that had never been attempted on such a scale before.Iron Manis pivotal, and for all those reasons and more, it’s a comfort movie that is perfect to revisit on a rainy day.
Moving all the way to the other end of the Infinity Saga,Avengers: Infinity Waris one of the best movies that the MCU has ever made. The film is incredibly thrilling, with a huge crossover between heroes from space, Earth, and beyond. Meanwhile, theultimate bad guy, Thanos, makes his presence known, and kicks things off by killing a literal god, and trashing Hulk with relative ease.
The emotion that was achieved here, and the extraordinarily high stakes it sets up for the conclusion of the Infinity Saga is outstanding, and it’s well-worth revisiting.
Pair this with the fact that the movie ends by having the heroes lose, a fairly unprecedented move when it comes to superhero movies, and this movie is one of a kind. The emotion that was achieved here, and the extraordinarily high stakes it sets up for the conclusion of the Infinity Saga is outstanding, and it’s well-worth revisiting.
While it was interesting to see the heroes on the back foot, it’s Marvel, and the superheroes need to find a way to come out on top. Fortunately, one year later in 2019,Avengers: Endgamesees the remaining Avengers come together and prepare themselves for the biggest fight of their lives as they track down Thanos. Again, the film kicks off with a big blowout with Thanos getting his head chopped off.
Avengers: Endgamehas a 94% rating onRotten Tomatoes.
But, somehow, this is just the start of the film. The movie then goes on to see the heroes pick up their mantles once again. Time travel is uncovered, and a group of mismatched heroes go on a mission to retrieve the Infinity Stones from the past. Then,the film resolves with what could be the most exciting fight sequence in the MCU to date. Heroes returning from the blip, epic team-ups, and Tony’s ultimate sacrifice elevate this film to be the absolute best that the MCU has to offer.
But moving back to a time when the heroes still struggled to work as a team,The Avengerswas essentially the proving ground that validated the MCU’s premise. Up to that point, there were a handful of movies that connected a little, butThe Avengerswas something else, with these strong-willed and egotistical heroes needing to put themselves aside to save the world.
The Avengerstook the MCUfrom a concept to a proven model, and everything beyond that point works thanks to the groundwork that was laid in this movie. There was also a further development when it came to tone, as the movie was able to balance the humor that these comic book heroes could create, and the tense atmosphere that was brought on by villains like Loki.The Avengersis still one of the best movies from the series.
Talking about major crossovers, one of my all-time favorite films isCaptain America: Civil War. I remember the discourse around the film, as the marketing pushed for people to pick a side with Team Iron Man, or Team Cap. Butthe heart of the film was so much more than just a rivalry; it was an inner conflict for the heroesas they reassessed where they fit into the world.
After saving countless lives, the damage and casualties that the heroes couldn’t save became a central issue, and the world’s leaders decided to create the Sokovia Accords to keep heroes in line. And in this setting, heroes had a difference of opinions that led them to be in direct conflict. The battle between Cap and Iron Man and Bucky, the airport showdown, and so much more of this movie is iconic and endlessly rewatchable.
Thor was an interesting character when he arrived in a rainbow portal in 2011. However, he felt like an odd inclusion among the other heroes in the MCU. That is, until he appeared inThor: Ragnarok. Having learned the lessons his father wanted him to understand, and growing more friendly with the Avengers,Thor became a more relatable character rather than a distant god.
Thor: Ragnarok’snew direction, and the incredible style that Taika Waititi took to the story was life-changing. And despite the follow-up to this outing being one of the weaker entries in the Multiverse Saga,Ragnarokremains a highlight.
Marvel’s MCU was a series of superhero stories that crossed into the worlds of sci-fi, and fantasy. But honestly, early on, superhero movies often stuck to a rigid definition with very little crossover into other areas. However,Ant-Manchanged all of that, despite being one of the smaller sub-franchises in the wider series of films.
The thing is,Ant-Manmade a heist movieinto a superhero movie, andit paved the way for more genre crossovers in the future. Since then, the MCU has crossed into the world of horror, space operas, espionage, and war epics. The movies are so much more versatile than when they started out, and they deserve to dig into this creativity.
Guardians of the Galaxyis one of the best sub-franchises in the MCU, directed and written by the outstanding James Gunn, who has since been taken on by DC as the new co-head of their DC Studios. But looking at the trilogy in isolation,the third film delivers one of the best payoffs of any series. Not only because it finds a way to bring Gamora back to the fray after her untimely death, but because of the way it finally unravels some of the most closed-off characters in the series.
Vol. 3sees Rocket Raccoon dig into his history, face his nightmare past, and make things right. It’s thrilling, creative, and helps to place these characters into a position where their stories can continue as part of the wider MCU, or they can make their own way out of the spotlight. It’s perfect, and of coursethe soundtrack is on point as always.
Spider-Man is one of the best characters to ever come from Marvel, and the fact that Tom Holland has been able to appear in the MCU alongside the biggest heroes of the series, despite complex film rights, has been a delight. But whenSpider-Man: No Way Homenot only brought several rivals who fought previous versions of the live-action character, but also Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men, it was historic.
But then, the movie takes things even further by providing catharsis and wrapping up plots that seemed like they would never have a resolution. Among them, one of the best is the redemption arc for Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man when he saves MJ.The entire film is a nostalgia festand a wonderful way to bring these stories full circle.
Another nostalgia fest, which paid off one of the biggest set-ups by an entirely different studio,Deadpool & Wolverinefinally, after decades, broughtRyan Reynolds' Deadpool, and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine together on screen. Forget about the terrible version that was seen inX-Men Origins: Wolverine; Thisis the one and only way these characters should be remembered together.
This movie is a great time, with plenty of huge payoffs, and fun throughout that highlights exactly why the MCU is the biggest and best superhero franchise ever made.
But then, building on that incredible lead-in, the movie also brings in several characters from different franchises long forgotten. From Wesley Snipes' Blade, to Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, and even Channing Tatum as Gambit, after the actor was cast and never given the chance to play the part years earlier.This movie is a great time, with plenty of huge payoffs, and fun throughoutthat highlights exactly why theMCUis the biggest and best superhero franchise ever made.
