Here is my continuation of “My Ranking Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe Films Part 1“
15. Ant-Man
I confess that I was quite sceptical when I heard of the existence of the Ant-Man film. Comedy actor Paul Rudd playing a superhero that can become small or big didn’t seem like a particularly exciting premise. Imagine my surprise then when I ended up genuinely enjoying this film! Paul Rudd does a surprisingly excellent job playing Scott Lang, fresh out of prison, struggling to find a job because of being an ex convict and being forced back into a life of crime which leads him to steal the suit that will allow him to shrink, grow and become strong. In many ways, Ant-Man is a comedic heist film and, while not being the most original film in the world, I ended up pleasantly surprised.
14. Spider-Man: Far From Home
The most recent movie from this list, Spider-Man: Far From Home, is an interesting film for many reasons. For one, it continues to expand on Peter Parker and his classmates from Spider-Man: Homecoming. On the other hand, it also acts as an epilogue for Avengers: Endgame, establishing what the world has become and how Peter Parker is dealing with the aftermath. While the twist regarding Mysterio felt a bit predictable to me, the rest of the film is a strong mix of comedy, reflection and action that helps grant us some closure after Endgame.
13. Avengers: Age of Ultron
It may be a surprise to some to see Avengers: Age of Ultron higher in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films ranking than the first Avengers film but I do have my reasons. For one, I think the character chemistry between the various Avengers is much stronger than in the first film with none of the forced interactions I detected in the previous film. The film also introduces us to new characters who will become mainstays within the Avengers in the future such as Scarlet Witch and Vision. I also love the sequence over Sokovia near the end of the film which has an excellent mix of humour, tragedy, threat and action. Admittedly, the character of Ultron is underdeveloped, making him an ok villain at best but I still greatly enjoy Avengers: Age of Ultron overall.
12. Ant-Man and the Wasp
Ant-Man and the Wasp takes everything that the first Ant-Man film did and improves upon it. More visual gags? Check. Sharper writing? Check. More exciting action sequences? Check. A more emotional story revolving around rescuing a loved one? Check. The cast is in top form as well but one of the most fascinating parts of the film is the chilling post-credits scene. While many people are put off by the premise of the Ant-Man series, I would definitely recommend giving these films a shot.
11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the first Captain America film set in the present day and sees Captain America and Black Widow unravel a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. that threatens the entire world, all while pursuing the mysterious Winter Soldier. The film is quick-paced with some fascinating revelations and fantastic action sequences. Admittedly, I found the consistent flirting between Captain America and Black Widow to be eye-rolling but it didn’t take away much and Captain America: The Winter Soldier remains an excellent film.
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
I distinctly remember Guardians of the Galaxy taking the internet by storm when it was originally released and it’s easy to see why. Beyond the memey advertising highlighting the talking raccoon and a living tree that can only say its own name, the film is colourful and exciting with endearing characters. The humour is top notch with a lot of excellent interactions between the characters as they struggle to get to know one another, form a bond and come to care for one another. Admittedly, Ronan the Accuser is a relatively by-the-numbers villain although I get the feeling that his lack of personality and seriousness was meant to act as a foil to Peter Quill/Starlord’s personality. While how successful this was is debatable, there is no denying how entertaining the film is and what a breath of fresh air it was when it originally released.
9. Iron Man
The film that began the entire franchise. Iron Man introduces us to billionaire and playboy Tony Stark who runs Stark Industries, a weapons manufacturer. After a traumatic experience in Afghanistan, Tony Stark announces that Stark Industries will no longer be manufacturing weapons while using his newly developed Iron Man suit to protect America. The film is an excellent origin story which allows Robert Downey Jr. to really shine as Tony Stark. Obadiah Stane, played by Jeff Bridges, is the best of the evil businessman villains in the Iron Man franchise although that wasn’t a high mark to hit and he still comes off as a relatively bland, although down to earth, villain. Still, Iron Man was a fantastic film to start off the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
8. Captain Marvel
The first MCU film with a female lead, the film is set in the 1990s and follows Captain Marvel as she tries to figure out her past and meets up with a young Nick Fury. The film is a fish out of water story done right, take that Thor, has some great humour, action sequences and revelations, particularly with how Nick Fury became interested in establishing the Avengers program. Bree Larson does an amazing job as Captain Marvel and helps establish the framework for Captain Marvel’s intervention in Avengers: Endgame.
Be sure to check out the conclusion to this article in “My Ranking Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe Films Part 3“!
Hopefully you have found this article interesting and informative and, if you wish to seek any of the works I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use amazon.co.uk or amazon.com for all of your needs!