Three phases, eleven years, and 23 movies later, it’s time to take a second look at all the Marvel movies. Knowing what we know now, did the conclusion to the Infinity Series change how we feel about the previous films? I  recently rewatched and reconsidered each movie, ranking each one by its relevancy to the overarching “Infinity” storyline, its raw star power, its box office success, it’s inter-connectvity to other movies, it’s pure viewing pleasure, and its stand-alone value.

Post-Endgame, here are the movies from best to worst:

• #1 – Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
• #2 – Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
• #3 – Ironman (2008)
• #4 – Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 1 (2014)
• #5 – Captain America: Civil War (2016)
• #6 – Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
• #7 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
• #8 – Black Panther (2018)
• #9 – Avengers: Endgame (2019)
• #10 – Captain Marvel (2019)
• #11- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
• #12 – Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 (2017)
• #13 – Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
• #14 – Ant-Man (2015)
• #15 – Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
• #16 – Thor (2011)
• #17 – Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
• #18 – Doctor Strange (2016)
• #19 – Ironman 2 (2010)
• #20 – Thor: The Dark World (2013)
• #21 – Ant-Man & the Wasp (2018)
• #22 – Ironman 3 (2013)
• #23 -The Incredible Hulk (2008)

 

#1 – Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Infinity War is the crown jewel of the Marvel franchise. The good guys got their butts kicked with the Snap,” and we saw the cross-franchising of ten different film franchises.  Never before had audiences been treated to the kind of star power brought to bear in the battle between Thanos and the Avengers. At the time of this writing, Infinity War is only one of five movies that grossed more than two billion worldwide.

 

#2 – Marvel’s: The Avengers (2012)

Marvel’s The Avengers crushed the existing model for superhero films. By fusing the storylines from Ironman, Thor, Captain America, and the Incredible Hulk, the Avengers soared to elite blockbuster status. Mark Ruffalo delivered the new Hulk in this movie, restoring the character in full without a stand-alone movie. Audiences got their first glimpse of the epic heli-carrier and this film gave us the orbiting camera shot of all four Avengers in downtown New York. The movie is action-packed, compelling, and completely fun.

 

#3 – Ironman (2008)

Hard to believe that one of the best overall films in the MCU was its first rollout. Despite the Bush-era feel that dates the film, Tony Stark’s Ironman shockingly stands the test of time. To this day, when I hear ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC, I think of Tony Stark. Amazingly, Stark’s personality was a bullseye from the first scene. Ironman is widely viewed as the character who made the Marvel Universe possible and held it all together. Even Nick Fury makes his first appearance in this film.

 

#4 – Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 1 (2014)

Guardians did three things that make it one of the best films of them all. One—this movie blew open the range of Marvel settings. Earthbound settings made way for a wild and richly depicted galaxy. Even the early Thor films struggled to make Asgard as convincing. Two—besides making space travel possible for all the Avengers, Guardians introduced the core components of the Infinity War. And three—Guardians of the Galaxy set a new tone with its unapologetic attitude toward fun and personality. This movie further distinguished itself by padding the soundtrack with what can only be described as guilty pleasure music from the early ’70s. And pulled it off. Awesome Mix Vol. 1 hit Billboard’s #1 and become only the second movie soundtrack to sell over a million digital albums. This movie was the breath of fresh air that made 23 films possible without growing stale or tired.

 

#5 – Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Before there was Infinity War, there was Civil War. Although the Captain America franchise gets the header, Civil War also could easily double as a sequel to Iron Man or the Avengers. Having perhaps the most compelling conflict of all the films, Civil War pits Ironman and Captain America against each other in an all-out interfamily brawl. Also, perhaps forgotten in the star-studded movie, Civil War quietly introduces Black Panther and Spider-man, both of whom go on to lead mega-successful franchises.

 

#6 – Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

With a title that seems unmarketable, Thor: Ragnarok successfully rebrands both Thor and the Incredible Hulk, while introducing Valkerie, a future franchise holder. Ragnarok further experiments with art direction and soundtrack, giving us the candy-colored planet of Sakaar with 1980’s synth music. It’s yet another fresh look, and the unashamed fun is on par with Guardians of the Galaxy. Besides being endlessly re-watchable, the movie’s centerpiece is Gladiator Hulk with one of the most entertaining combat sequences ever. Lastly, Ragnarok gives fans two of the most memorable side characters in the entire Marvel Universe with Jeff Goldblum’s ridiculous Grandmaster and Korg, who’s voiced by the director himself, and steals every scene he’s in.

 

#7 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

A fan favorite, the Winter Soldier takes a dark turn in its sensational portrayal of a compromised S.H.I.E.L.D. agency. The Washington D.C. landscape becomes a maze-like battleground with Captain America branded as the enemy of the state. The ambush of Nick Fury in broad daylight on the streets of D.C. is one of my favorite all-time chase scenes. The film also introduces Falcon, who also has a phenomenal aerial battle around one of the heli-carriers. As a simple sequel, the Winter Soldier stands above the rest.

 

#8 – Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther launches Marvel’s first African lead character, and in doing so successfully, the movie became a movement. Black Panther is the highest-grossing film of all time for a lone superhero. Even more surprising, despite the social revolution, fans mostly remember Black Panther because it’s flat out awesome. The sexy tech and fantastic settings sparkle with originality. Black Panther also introduces the scene-stealing Okoye, who pops with on-screen presence and command. And finally, Black Panther gives the Marvel Universe a strangely spiritual dimension. Wakanda has become a symbolic place for all mankind to respect and defend and became one of the centerpiece battlefields for Infinity War. The uplifting messages of Black Panther struck the perfect tone for a demographic breakout.

 

#9 – Avengers: Endgame (2019)

In late July of 2019, Endgame passed Avatar to become the biggest movie of all time for the Terrans of Planet C53 (Earth). Although there are flaws with the time travel plotline, Endgame does what so few finales do. Endgame delivers. By bringing Captain Marvel into the fight, the final battle unites eleven film franchises. The on-screen visuals were truly epic. When I saw a Pegasus fly through the sprawling carnage of a great battle, a crazy question struck me. Were the visuals on screen a projection of Western civilization’s deepest archetypes, both ancient and modern? In that new light, the battle is overwhelming to watch. Ironman, who launched the Marvel Universe in 2008, brings it to a momentary close in 2019 with “And I am Ironman.” We all felt that Endgame ended an era.

 

#10 – Captain Marvel (2019)

Rounding out the top ten, Captain Marvel shines as a true contributor to the Marvel Universe and provides a powerhouse superheroine. Despite the utter lack of name recognition, Captain Marvel soared to the top ranks of elite superheroines, passing Wonder Woman and Katniss Everdeen on the Box Office charts. Only Rey and Gyn Erso from Star Wars have higher box office sales. Captain Marvel delves into the heartland of Kree civilization while toggling back to 1990’s America. The movie unlocks another niche with grunge-era America and gets nostalgic with Blockbuster Video, Internet cafes, and pagers. And finally, young Samuel L. Jackson commands scenes with all the swagger of his Pulp Fiction days.

 

#11 – Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Ultron is the lowest-ranked of the four Avengers movies on this list, but is still the 9^th highest grossing movie of all time worldwide. The Scarlet Witch joined the Marvel Universe, and Jarvis, a mere computer voice, becomes Vision, the custodian of the Mind Stone. Age of Ultron does a ton in terms of plot and character but falls a bit flat with its villain. For fans of ‘The Office,’ a robot version of Robert California just didn’t seem menacing enough to threaten the Avengers. It’s a rare miscast for Marvel. That said, Age of Ultron has my favorite Avengers opening and delivered the blockbuster.

 

#12 – Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 (2017)

The second Guardians movie was yet another success.. But Guardians 2 also introduces Mantis and develops Nebula, who quietly becomes a prominent superheroine in Marvel. By the time Endgame arrives, Nebula’s storyline is among the most central to the Infinity War. And by the way, Kurt Russell’s Ego describes himself as a “celestial,” which will come into play for the upcoming movie, The Eternals. In closing, “I’m Mary Poppins, y’all!”

 

#13 – Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

The First Avenger is the first movie in chronological order to all 23 films and has one the best origin stories overall. Like Ironman, the filmmakers nailed Captain America’s character right off the bat. The World War 2 setting also stands out, properly portraying Captain America as a propaganda man before assuming his superhero identity. The First Avenger features a groundbreaking technical effort by convincingly recreating Steve Rogers as a scrawny kid. Solid storytelling and strong characters, such as Agent Peggy Carter, who landed her owns T.V. series, established yet another beachhead for uniting multiple franchises.

 

#14 – Ant-man (2015)

Almost no one talks about Ant-Man. While the movie may be overlooked, the concepts and plotlines introduced in Ant-Man are absolutely essential for Endgame. Like it or not, the big road to the epic conclusion of the Avengers passes through Ant-Man. Therefore, the movie is a must-watch. Lastly, giant-sized Ant-Man becomes an iconic visual in all of Marvel’s epic superhero battles.

 

#15 – Spider-man: Homecoming (2017)

This new Spider-Man suffered from a terrible case of Spider-Man fatigue. The Toby Mcguire Spider-Man franchise of the early 2000s was already the stuff of blockbusters and the unnecessary reboot with Andrew Garfield further watered down the franchise. However, despite the muddy spider-mess, Tom Holland emerges as the real Spider-Man in the end. The movie itself is excellent, and Tony Stark does everything he can to give Spidey a box office assist. The relationship between Ironman and Spider-Man connects this film to the Avengers in a way that Doctor Strange did not.

 

#16 – Thor (2011)

I recently watched Thor again and was surprised by how dated the film felt. The filmmakers seem timid in their portrayal of Asgard, opting for the pedestrian settings of New Mexico. Marvel didn’t quite have their formula down for over-the-top fantasy and played it safe. Still, Thor was a successful launch at the time. Jane Foster, who will soon become Lady Thor, is also introduced and fans got our first glimpse of Hawkeye here as well.

 

#17 – Spider-man: Far From Home (2019)

Poor Spidey is low on the list, but don’t let that fool you. Post-Endgame, Spider-Man provides us a deeper sense of resolution. The film tells us what happened to the world post-Endgame and the ghost of Tony Stark looms large. Lastly, Mysterio is a fantastic villain, and I hope to see more of him.

 

#18 – Doctor Strange (2016)

I’m a big fan of Doctor Strange’s movie. The occult, museum-like world of Doctor Strange is visually spellbinding, blending space-time science with eclectic Eastern mysticism. The Ancient One and Wong are compelling new characters who play notable roles in Endgame. The reason Doctor Strange is ranked low is that the movie doesn’t interconnect much with the Avengers. While Doctor Strange is a major character in Endgame, he keeps his distance from the Avengers.

 

#19 – Ironman 2 (2010)

Ironman 2 didn’t go over well at the time of release. The recast of Rhodey disturbed the character continuity, something Marvel has mostly avoided elsehwhere. But Post-Endgame, Ironman 2 holds up better than we thought. Ironman 2 introduces Black Widow, who’s set for a massive breakout with her own movie in mid-2020. Upon further review, Ironman 2 ages well.

 

#20 – Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Audiences did not shine much to The Dark World either, and as a result, the movie is low on the list. Dark Elves and Frost Giants feel like they belong in Middle-Earth, not the Marvel Universe. However, the second Thor installment plays two giant roles that we may have underappreciated at the time of release. One—the plot lines are heavily integrated into Endgame. And two, The Dark World is the most ‘Thor’ of the Thor movies, delving deeply into Asgard and Thor’s family.

 

#21 – The Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

The Ant-Man and the Wasp is a straight-up fun film. However, in the grand scheme of the Marvel universe, this sequel was the most unnecessary of all 23 movies. The Wasp is introduced and Ant-Man 2 intorduces key plot points leading into Endgame. The only reason Ant-Man 2 is ranked low—ask yourself: if you had to pick one Marvel movie to watch right now, would you pick this one?

 

#22 – Ironman 3 (2013)

Ironman 3 dominated the box office but didn’t deserve the fanfare. Ironman 3 was the first movie after Marvel’s The Avengers and eager audiences came in droves for more Marvel magic. While certainly watchable, Ironman 3 is one of only two Marvel movies I regard as below average. The Mandarin, which had the potential to be a great villain, is dumbed down as a silly con man, making it a shrugger of a rewatch.

 

#23 – The Incredible Hulk (2008)

And finally, the Incredible Hulk is truly an orphan of the Marvel Universe. The miscasting of Edward Norton destroyed the Hulk’s continuity. Secondly, the filmmaker clings to the Hulk television series from the 1980s. Although I liked the tributes, Marvel is better at innovating rather than recycling old ideas. Lastly, except for Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt), we never see these characters again. Post-Endgame, the Incredible Hulk is tough to watch and doesn’t hold up.

 

If you like this analysis and share my love for the Marvel Universe, check me out at douglasaburton.com. I’ll be writing often about the heroines, heroes, and villains in terms of pop culture, writing, and history.