I've been going through an MCU marathon again during the pandemic (because why not?) and I found that my opinions changed on a few of them so I figured I'd re-rank them.
1. Avengers: Endgame
It's still at the top for me. Realistically, I consider Endgame and Infinity War to be on the same level (I think they're best viewed together), but what gives Endgame the edge is the finale of Tony and Steve's story as well as the entire third act starting from the big three confronting Thanos all the way until the credits roll. This was a worthy conclusion to over 20 films worth of storytelling, even if there are a few gripes I had with it. Namely Nat having the same death as Gamora and some time travel discrepancies. Really, I would have been fine if it was an hour longer but I know that's cinematically impossible. But the reason why it's at the top for me is because I felt the same way watching this for the first time as I did watching some of my all time favorite films like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. It's got such an epicness to it that probably won't be topped again in the MCU.
2. Avengers: Infinity War
There really isn't much not to like about Infinity War. We got to see a good deal of the MCU's characters in the same film for the first time, with the most interesting crossovers coming from the Guardians meeting the likes of Thor and Iron Man. We got an outstanding villain in Thanos, who until this point had been hyped up for six years so of course he had to be the main character in this. Josh Brolin really made him believable and almost sympathetic in some ways. Thor was finally given a great storyline in an Avengers film which culminated in one of the best crowd pleasing moments of the entire franchise when he shows up in Wakanda, and Dr. Strange got some scene stealing moments as well. But the best part about Infinity War? The villain wins. The snap and the following moments are the most jaw dropping scenes in the entire MCU. We all knew that they'd be back but it still doesn't make Spider-Man fading away into dust any less heartbreaking. The only downside is that with a movie this packed, a few characters had to be given the shaft in order to make room, namely Captain America and his team. Luckily, that was remedied in the following film.
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
This moved up a few notches for me. GOTG seems bat**** crazy on paper but it just works so well thanks to a great script, a likable cast of characters and a killer soundtrack. It's funny, exciting, and it's got a lot of heart. This was what really got audiences to be on board with the cosmic side of the MCU. If audiences can believe in a talking raccoon, then they're eating out of your hands. I was all in the second Quill started dancing to "Come and Get Your Love". It's also the only MCU movie besides Iron Man that can also function as a standalone film, which was a bit of a bold move for them in the middle of Phase 2. But I suppose a Guardians of the Galaxy movie coming out when it did was a bold move in and of itself.
4. The Avengers
For a movie that had a lot riding on it, it really delivered. Say what you will about Joss Whedon, but he did a great job putting all of these characters together and making it work. The cast has such great chemistry with each other that really shines through on screen. It also gave us a great new take on Hulk courtesy of Mark Ruffalo. And all props must go to Alan Silvestri for giving us the best superhero theme of the 2010s with his iconic score. The only setbacks for me are the cinematography and Cap's suit which was thankfully improved upon in his next appearance. Seeing Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and Thor interact with each other for the first time was great, and the final act really brought it all home. It's still great and rewatchable as hell, but it was only the tip of the iceberg compared to what the Russos would later bring to the Avengers.
5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
After the shaky start to Phase 2 with Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, my expectations were a bit low for The Winter Soldier. They were exceeded spectacularly thanks to the Russo Brothers. There's a reason why all of their MCU films are critically acclaimed. This was the film that really made me take Captain America more seriously, and Chris Evans really sells the character here. His speech at the Triskelion and "I'm with you till the end of the line" still give me chills every time I watch it. It's also got my favorite Nick Fury performance from Samuel L. Jackson. The Winter Soldier remains to this day the most serious MCU film and it's a great political action thriller. Any film that has Robert Redford say "Hail Hydra" is definitely a winner in my book.
6. Thor: Ragnarok
Who knew that Taika Waititi was who we needed to give the Thor franchise a much needed boost? Ragnarok was not what I was expecting, I'm not sure it's what anyone was expecting, but it didn't disappoint. It delivered by expanding the mythology of the character while also being the funniest comedy of the year at the same time. Chris Hemsworth is extremely fun to watch in this. I know that Taika's take isn't everyone's cup of tea but I thought it really worked well for the character, and introduced some of the most memorable side characters in the MCU with Valkyrie, Korg, and the Grandmaster among others. It's also one of Tom Hiddleston's best performances as Loki. But one of my favorite aspects of the film was Hulk finally getting to speak more than two words. The bickering between him and Thor never gets old. This is one of the most rewatchable MCU films for me.
7. Captain America: Civil War
This one has dropped down a few notches for me, especially since upon its release I considered it to be the best MCU film. It's still great, but its impressiveness has since been outdone by the Russos' later Avengers films. A highlight of the film is the airport battle, which boasted the most superheroes on screen at the same time back in 2016. It still works effectively but it does lose some of its luster after seeing the battles in Infinity War and Endgame. It also introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man to the MCU in a way that didn't feel forced, which I give it a lot of credit for. But the real conflict of the story is that of Steve and Tony at odds with each other over everything from the Sokovia Accords to Bucky. Even though the two never seemed to be on that friendly terms in the MCU to begin with (personally I don't think they really conveyed that until Endgame), it's still uncomfortable to watch them beating the crap out of each other in the end. But this film fits both as a worthy conclusion to the Captain America trilogy as well as a solid Avengers 2.5.
8. Iron Man
What more can be said about the one that started it all? For a now 12 year old movie (!), it's aged quite well for the most part thanks to the stellar performances from Robert Downey Jr. and the supporting cast as well as the great visual effects. The only awkwardness comes from Terrence Howard's only go at Rhodey. Even though the MCU has gone far and beyond since then, it really was a benchmark for the superhero genre. The fact that all of it stemmed from a film based on a B-list character at the time is nothing short of impressive.
9. Black Panther
Black Panther got better on repeat viewings for me, but I'll say that it deserves most of the praise it got. My major gripes with it are the dodgy CGI in some scenes and the fact that T'Challa has the movie stolen from him by most of the supporting cast, namely Killmonger, Shuri, Okoye and M'Baku to the point where it feels like more of a Wakanda movie than a Black Panther movie. This isn't really an insult since Black Panther has the best supporting cast out of any of the MCU solo films IMO but that's also because T'Challa is absent for a good 15 minutes from the film. I can forgive that since he was introduced and was given a fair amount to do in Civil War and at least he does get a really good scene here where he confronts his father and ancestors in the astral plane. Killmonger is, for my money, the most interesting and best villain in the MCU after Thanos. It's also got one of the best scores in the MCU with hopefully the first of many from Ludwig Goransson.
10. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Even though I'm not the biggest fan of Peter essentially being Tony's ward, this movie was still the shot in the arm that Spider-Man needed at the time. It's got a lot of heart, mainly because Tom Holland is just so likable in the role. The scene where he escapes the rubble is a standout not just in the film, but in the entire MCU. Michael Keaton's Vulture is also a great villain. A lot of the film feels like if John Hughes made a superhero movie and I think that really works for Spider-Man.
11. Captain America: The First Avenger
The First Avenger is probably the MCU film that's grown on me the most over the years. I didn't love it when it first came out but I've since come to appreciate the hell out of it. Chris Evans's performance as Cap is so endearing that the rushed third act is forgivable. Everything leading up to it makes it the second best origin film in the MCU (I don't consider Homecoming or Black Panther to be origin stories because they are already established in those films). The supporting cast is excellent, especially some of the best one-off actors in the MCU, Stanley Tucci and Tommy Lee Jones. Seeing where Steve goes throughout the MCU from here really makes this film all the more interesting to revisit, especially knowing where he ends up in Endgame.
12. Spider-Man: Far From Home
Upon further viewings, I don't think Far From Home is as solid as Homecoming but it's still a unique Spider-Man film in that it puts him in a fish out of water scenario for the majority of the film by setting it in Europe and thus makes it feel fresh. At first I was disappointed that it wouldn't be set in New York but I've come to terms with that since we've seen NYC in seven Spider-Man films before this so I guess it's okay if one takes him out of his natural habitat. It does play with the secret identity aspect a bit more than the first film even if it doesn't have as much heart to it. But the real attraction of the movie is Mysterio. He's one of, if not the most comic accurate villain portrayal in any Spider-Man movie, which elevates the movie for me. Gyllenhaal knocks it out of the park as Beck. The icing on the cake is the J.K. Simmons Jameson cameo at the end, which was a pleasant surprise.
13. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
I can understand why a lot of people aren't crazy about this one. The preteen humor is laid on a little too thick in the first half and Quill, Gamora and Drax are sidelined for a good chunk of the movie. But I still really like it because of Rocket's arc, Baby Groot, Yondu's redemption, the soundtrack that might just be better than the first movie's, and of course, the final scene (before the credits). Yondu's funeral is one of the most beautiful scenes in the MCU and I shed a tear when I first saw it. For that alone, I will forever defend Vol. 2.
14. Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange is one that I think is improved by his future MCU appearances in Ragnarok and IW/Endgame. It's more fun watching the film knowing how powerful he becomes. Apart from the great performances from Cumberbatch and the supporting cast and the outstanding visuals, the showdown between Strange and Dormammu is one of the most clever I've seen in a superhero film. There really isn't much I don't like about this one, other than it could have used more Kaecilius, Wong and Christine Palmer, and Michael Stuhlbarg felt a bit wasted in such a small role.
15. Avengers: Age of Ultron
I practically loved this one when it came out because I had been so hyped for it that I sort of brainwashed myself into thinking it was much better than it actually was. I do think it's a good movie and it has a lot going for it, but the farm scenes bring the movie to a screeching halt and Whedon's overly jokey dialogue hurts the film a bit, especially after seeing how much of an impact the Battle of Sokovia had in Civil War. The team was quipping for most of the third act but only got serious when Quicksilver died. I also think it was a mistake to kill him off in his first film appearance. Still, Vision's introduction is great and the Hulkbuster fight is a highlight of the film. I also really love the party scene in the beginning which shows off the team fraternizing with each other out of the field, which frankly we could have used more of.
16. Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel to me is a middle-of-the-road MCU film. I think the second half of the film is a lot stronger than the first. I like Brie Larson as Carol, but the biggest issue for me is that she gets the show stolen from her by most of the supporting cast. This is similar to what I mentioned about Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther but more of Captain Marvel is centered around Carol than Black Panther is around T'Challa. I have to assume she'll be more comfortable in the role for the sequel. I also had to question why Fury was so much more laid back in this considering he's always been pictured to be a hardass in his prior appearances. Besides that, it's a decent origin film and a fun period piece at the same time.
17. Ant-Man
Ant-Man is one of those heroes that I feel works better with others, especially considering it's so much fun to see Paul Rudd riff off of RDJ and Chris Evans, but as a solo film, this one ain't bad at all. It's got a lot of heart, and the cast works really well with each other. Rudd really makes the relatable superhero aspect work. There's also some clever gags in it as well. I still laugh at the giant Thomas the Tank Engine bit at the end. Would I have liked to see Edgar Wright's version? Of course, but I still like what we got regardless.
18. Thor
I really liked what Kenneth Branagh set up on the first Thor. The world building and the characters just felt believable, which was essential for the cosmic side of the MCU to succeed. It's easy to think that Guardians of the Galaxy was the first MCU film to explore that but it really started with Thor, which walked so GOTG could run. This was also Chris Hemsworth's best pre-Ragnarok performance in the MCU. My only real complaints are that there isn't enough time spent on Asgard and of course, that odd looking blonde dye job on Hemsworth.
19. Iron Man 3
This is another one that's grown on me. I wasn't a huge fan of this one when it came out, even going so far as preferring Thor: The Dark World that year, mainly because I wasn't crazy about that Mandarin twist but now that I see Marvel has a different plan for that I can sort of forgive it, sit back, and enjoy what Shane Black brings to the table with this one even though there are still issues with it. Much like the first Iron Man, Downey really carries this one all on his own but it works. It's a great character piece on Tony Stark and quite honestly, I enjoyed this more after Endgame.
20. Ant-Man and the Wasp
Even though it's lower on my list than it was before, I do like Ant-Man and the Wasp quite a bit. Seeing Wasp in action is a highlight of the film, and the cast is a lot of fun to watch and has great chemistry with each other just as the first one, but what's keeping it from being higher on the list is how low-stakes it is coming right on the heels of Infinity War. Still, that mid-credits scene that ties into the ending of IW remains one of my favorite MCU credit scenes. It's so tonally jarring, like ending a sitcom episode with a murder.
21. Iron Man 2
I actually liked Iron Man 2 a lot when I first saw it for the simple fact that it gave us more RDJ. Of course ten years later I see the flaws and how it's essentially just a two hour teaser for The Avengers. Still, there's more to like than hate, such as the aforementioned Downey, solid first appearances from Scarlett Johansson and Don Cheadle, and quite possibly the best reason to watch the film, Sam Rockwell's Justin Hammer.
22. Thor: The Dark World
I don't hate Thor: The Dark World but I can see why it's usually at the bottom of most MCU lists. The story is all over the place thanks to some behind the scenes drama. The actors try their best to make it work but it's really Tom Hiddleston who single-handedly makes the film worth watching. I'm also not as annoyed by Darcy and Selvig as others were, since the film at least mostly takes place away from Earth. It also has one of the most hauntingly beautiful scenes in the MCU with Frigga's funeral.
23. The Incredible Hulk
As a standalone film, it's watchable on its own, but as an MCU film it just feels so out of place and it feels more and more obsolete as time goes on between the now-dated CGI, the replacement of Edward Norton and every supporting character with the exception of General Ross being forgotten about. For me, it's dead last because it's the only MCU film that you can skip without missing anything.
