Ranking the MCU: GUARDIANS 2 UPDATE

Once upon a time, I wrote a piece ranking the MCU movies. Since that article, there’s been another film (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2), and some of my opinions have changed. Here’s an updated list.

Note: The majority of these paragraphs were written 2/3 years ago, with the exception of Age of Ultron forwards.

15. The Incredible Hulk

Forgettable, bland, and irrelevant. It seems unfair to dismiss the MCU’s only Hulk film based on the later recasting of Bruce Banner, but Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal of the character in the two Avengers films simply puts this film to shame. The least successful film in the franchise, The Incredible Hulk struggles to fit into the wider universe, and has seldom been referenced since.

14. Thor

The first Thor movie introduced a number of characters and concepts who would become central to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston are fantastic here as Thor and Loki respectively, and the former’s ‘fish out of water’ adventures on planet earth provide some brilliant comic moments. That said, Natalie Portman’s Jane is one of the MCU’s least interesting female characters, and the focus on Earth leaves Asgard feeling under developed.

13. Captain America: The First Avenger

There’s something about the first Captain America that failed to capture my interest on a first viewing. Essentially a two hour origin movie, The First Avenger tracks the beginnings of Steve Rogers, and transforms him into the super soldier we know today, whilst never quite using the full potential of the character. That said, later sittings have persuaded me that this is one of Marvel’s greatest triumphs; a superhero movie set in the past, that introduces a number of key players for the series’ future. The film also manages to give us Red Skull, one of Marvel’s biggest villains, who I really hope we get the chance to meet again in Phase 3.

12. Iron Man 2

Criminally underrated, the second Iron Man movie is a fun action movie that unfortunately just misses the mark. The film tries to explore Tony’s alcoholism, but never quite goes far enough into the emotional trauma that the character is clearly going through. Furthermore, the villains of the piece are full of potential, and yet both feel underdeveloped. Despite this, it really isn’t all bad. Downey Jr offers yet another stellar performance of the MCU’s lead hero, and is accompanied by a host of other amazing actors. Frequently criticized for acting too much like a prequel to The Avengers, I really like Iron Man 2 for exactly that reason; it focuses on Tony Stark’s journey, yet fully introduces Nick Fury and Black Widow, thereby openly placing this tale within the universe it inhabits, fully. Which, after all, is the point of the entire franchise in the first place, isn’t it?

11. Thor: The Dark World

At number 10 on my list, Thor: The Dark World is by no means a bad movie; it just struggles to be as good as the other MCU hits. Asgard is much more developed in this sequel, achieving a brilliant mix of sci-fi and fantasy, whilst both Hemsworth and Hiddleston are clearly more settled into their respective roles. On Earth, London gives the film a distinct setting, although the human characters feel just as uninteresting as they were previously. Christopher Ecclestone is an incredible actor, yet the former Doctor is hidden behind layers of make up and CGI that add up to form a bland and uninteresting villain. Loki steals Malekith’s crown as the true antagonist of the film yet again, and although not perfect, the film provides a brilliant ground for the third entry, Ragnarok, to really build upon.

10. Doctor Strange

Controversial one this. Whilst Doctor Strange was a massive commercial and critical hit, with many considering it one of the MCU’s best, I’m… not so sure. Don’t get me wrong, this is still an incredible movie, but is it really on the level of the Avengers films? I’m not sure. Strange suffers from some painful pacing issues, and is perhaps ten or twenty minutes too short. Whilst many other MCU films suffer from being far too reliant on prior knowledge of the series, this installment takes things too far the other way. A brilliant standalone film, Doctor Strange could maybe benefit from an early cameo or reference, to make the zanier elements of it’s story feel more palatable. There are some painful plot holes that left me somewhat underwhelmed by Doctor Strange. A great film this is, but Marvel has done better.

9. Iron Man 3

Criminally underrated, Iron Man 3 does a rare thing; it provides us with a look into the lead superhero’s psyche, and focuses more on the battles he faces against his inner demons, than against supervillains and archenemies. This does leave the climactic moments of the film feeling rather generic though. How do you conclude a fight against a mental breakdown? By hitting robots together of course! The main allegation aimed at Iron Man 3, is that it mishandles classic adversary ‘The Mandarin’. This is nonsense, of course; the film takes a villain who would simply not work in modern times, and puts a unique spin on him that is both hilarious and effective. Whilst The Mandarin was later retconned into existence in the ‘all hail the king’ one shot, the reveal of Aldrich Killian as the film’s main villain works well, as his motivations of corporate corruption, are much more in sync with other characters in the Iron Man series.

8. Iron Man

The first Iron Man movie revolutionised the superhero movie genre, and introduced us to the centre of Marvel’s first three phases; Tony Stark. Portrayed brilliantly by Robert Downey Jr, Stark is likable, believable, and humorous, giving the franchise exactly the kind of lead that it needed. The plot here isn’t overly complicated either, and the action scenes are aplenty. As far as franchise introductions go, this is simply one of the best.

7. The Avengers: Age of Ultron

Out of all the MCU movies, The Avengers: Age of Ultron is probably the one that had me the most excited before its release. Not only was this a chance to see all of the Avengers again, but we were also told that phase 3 would be teased throughout. You see, Marvel’s world building is why I find myself so interested in this franchise, and so Avengers movies are like the main events of the MCU, where everything is neatly tied together. Unfortunately for Age of Ultron though, it feels asif Marvel were just a little too keen to seed it’s future, and less interested in telling a convincing narrative. The set pieces in Ultron are huge, and the climax sees an entire city falling to the ground, with 9 heroes trying their best to save it. This feels abit too much though, and the movie is overwhelming for even the most die hard MCU fan. However, Age of Ultron does manage to hit some incredible highs. Hawkeye is finally given some much needed character development, and Jeremy Renner’s archer transforms into one of the most likeable Avengers. Newcomers Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor Johnson are equally engaging, and really shake things up for this sequel. Ultron also features my favourite opening to an MCU film, with a brilliant action sequence that highlights the power of this team when they work together, and shows that the unlikely bonds they formed in the first movie are solid as ever. Ultron is convincing villain who I hope we get to see again; for an AI, he’s one of the most interesting characters that this comic world has given us, and is genuinely terrifying to the core. Age of Ultron is brilliant, but wastes the potential it has to be incredible.

6. Ant-Man

When original director Edgar Wright left the project he’d been working on for the best part of a decade, I’ll admit that I was sceptical. Paul Rudd’s titular character is perhaps lesser known than his super powered allies, and so this film is admittedly a more difficult sell than the other movies in the franchise. These two facts combined mean that it would’ve been very easy for Ant-Man to disappoint me. Instead, the opposite is true. Rudd brings a new kind of hero to the MCU in the form of Scott Lang; whilst we’re told that Darren Cross (who is one of Marvel’s strongest villains of phase 2) poses a significant threat to the world with his Yellowjacket suit, this is danger does not serve as Lang’s main motivation. Instead, we meet a character simply desperate to spend some time with his young daughter, and who will go to any lengths to do so. This is a well needed change of scale for the franchise, especially after the catastrophic disaster caused in the previous film (The Avengers: Age of Ultron). This refocused scale extends to the action, and this is where my fears about Wright’s departure are quashed. Director Peyton Reed brings us some of Marvel’s strongest set pieces, and a final battle that exceeds expectations to a ridiculous extent. Throw in some smart world building in the form of an unexpected Avenger cameo, and some brilliant flash backs, and you have a film that not only tells a well-crafted narrative, but subtly adds to the MCU without going the Iron Man 2 route and being too in your face about it. Ant-Man is the best superhero origin film since the original Iron Man.

5. The Avengers

Thor. Hulk. Captain America. Iron Man. Each of the heroes previously represented in Marvel’s five previous films were thrust together in Joss Whedon’s brilliant crossover extravaganza. The trailers paint this as being another Iron Man film, with Tony Stark front and centre. In the end, it is Tony who saves the day, but the journey to that point is brilliant carried by each of the other characters. Managing this many superheroes seemed an impossible task, but Whedon does it perfectly, and even revives the MCU’s standout villain; Loki. The destruction of New York thrusts the franchise forward, and sets us on the path to Phase 2 and beyond.

4. Captain America: Civil War

So far, each MCU movie has remained true to it’s focus on a single Marvel character, with perhaps a smaller supporting role being offered to another hero. Civil War changes this, and throws an Avengers-size cast at what should be a Captain America movie. Whilst at times this does feel like Avengers 2.5, Civil War does still manage to keep Cap at the forefront. His quest to save Winter Soldier Bucky drives the narrative forwards, and whilst Tony Stark may creep in on some of his screentime, Iron Man always feels like an extra character, the film wouldn’t work without him, but he’s not the reason we’re here. Every Avenger is given a chance to shine, and this includes newcomers Black Panther and Spider-Man, who both steal every scene they’re in. This film also manages the incredible feat of leaving its antagonist alive past the credits. Zemo may be slightly underused, but the film definitely sets him up for a chilling reappearance.

3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2

It’s interesting when making this list to dry and decide how best to evaluate Marvel movies. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 is probably the best experience I’ve ever had whilst watching a Marvel movie. It made me laugh more than any other film, and it would definitely rank at no.1 if this list was written solely based on my own personal enjoyments of each instalment. Vol.2 takes everything that the original Guardians did amazingly, and is able to take those highlights even further as it is free to play with characters who are already established. Each characters gets amazing development, and the villain is definitely one of Marvel’s strongest (which I recognise is not saying much). The new characters add to this universe well, and the ending is one of the most emotional moments that this universe has ever delivered, whilst the soundtrack is absolutely fantastic. Guardians 2 has very few links to Infinity War, and stands alone well. This was a breath of fresh air after numerous films that we know will lead to Avengers ¾. My problems with this movie are simple. The pacing suffers at times, and It perhaps takes the odd joke too far. That said, the pacing problems were lessened on my second viewing, as I understood why certain characters take focal point for aslong as they do. I enjoy this universe more than all of the sub-worlds within the MCU so far. Guardians has the potential to be a massively iconic series, and Vol.2 is definitely a step in the right direction.

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Seemingly bored of the superhero genre, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is less of a traditional Marvel movie, and more of a political thriller. Whilst I felt Captain America: The first Avenger was mildly disappointing, The Winter Soldier thrusts Steve Rogers into the 21st century, and places him at the heart of a conspiracy within SHIELD. With this new feel and new setting, we can empathise with Cap; his world will never be the same again, and nor will this franchise. There are huge changes to the universe by the end of the movie, and watching our titular hero adapt to them is exactly the character development that he needed. Meanwhile, our titular villain is portrayed brilliantly by Sebastian Stan, who provides a perfect mirror to Captain America, and is to HYDRA what Steve is to SHIELD. The twist in the final act is one of the greatest moments in MCU history, just as this film will always be one of its best.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy is not only my favourite film of the MCU, but also one of my favourite films of all time. This is a flawless film that highlights an entirely new element of the Marvel Universe. Chris Pratt is brilliant as Peter Quill, a child stolen from Earth and thrust into a science fiction universe that is home to a number of fantastical characters who really shouldn’t exist in this world – yet they do, and deserve to. Rocket and Groot are two characters who I believed would be a step too far, and create Marvel’s first misstep, yet here we are one year later, and I own multiple plastic trees scattered around my home. THESE CHARACTERS ARE GENIUS. It’s hard to summarise just why Guardians has stuck with me for so long. The jokes are great, the action is superb, and the soundtrack is my favourite of any film I’ve ever seen. Simply put, there’s not a single part of Guardians that I can fault. This franchise is going to be one of the biggest success stories of Marvel Studios – and I can even see future Guardians sequels outgrowing The Avengers.

#films #radio