With the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron this week, it seemed like a good time to go back and assess all the Marvel movies thus far. It’s stunning to think about, but in a period of 7 years we’ve seen 11 titles (with number 12 arriving in a couple of months) all based on these comic book superheroes. It may already seem fatiguing, but there are even more coming your way in the future. The movies included in this ranking are as follows:
Iron Man (2008)
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Thor (2011)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
The Avengers (2012)
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Just to clarify before you all get upset, this is a personal list and without doubt just about anyone else out there will place these flicks in a completely different order. But it’s fun to compare notes, isn’t it? And if it’s any consolation, there are a couple of titles that I might have shifted around somewhere else on a different day. So here is a rundown of my picks from weakest to strongest and why they worked (or didn’t work) for me.
11 – Iron Man 2 (2010) – Sorry, this is the one movie I truly don’t care for. It broods a little too much. This also seems to be where the people at Marvel decided to heavily develop their Avengers team plot and seem too concerned with introducing characters and elements to be paid off in future films. They struggle at times and as a result it’s a weirdly-paced effort that spends far too much time with SHIELD – it’s a lengthy subplot that goes absolutely nowhere (including a mission that in no way advances the plot). Heck, the movie even gets confused about which antagonist it should be focusing on. Strangely enough, by the climax the heroes come off as bullies and one almost feels sorry for the villains.
10 – Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) – This title isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, the first half involving the character’s origins is incredibly entertaining and to some degree, moving. There’s some great stuff as the small, goody two-shoes who volunteers, becomes a hero and even a performer of sorts. It’s the second half in which the movie ultimately begins to become tiring. Cap raids a Hydra base, then hits another, and then another still. It’s repetitious and turns into a series of lengthy montages, losing a great deal of the momentum and good will the first half built up.
09 – Thor (2011) – Again, this is a decent movie, but one that I find a little more difficult to remember. The family drama between the lead character and his father is engaging and the film introduces the Marvel Universe’s most entertaining villain to date in Loki. There are many funny moments as the arrogant hero confers with his human counterparts and the baddies. But there are some unnecessary side character that the film spends too much time on and beyond the clever character bits, there isn’t a lot about the action itself that is particularly memorable.
08 – The Incredible Hulk (2008) – This one will probably rank much lower on most people’s lists and the only title listed that didn’t set the box office on fire upon its release. However, it’s a solid effort that deals with a sad and angry man/giant impossibly attempting to maintain anonymity. Its biggest flaw comes in its final act, which just goes a bit overboard on theatrics and the CGI creature vs. creature smashing. However, the first half is excellent, with Norton’s Hulk embodying and incorporating many of the elements of the earlier TV series (there are some fun references to the show as well). It’s nice to see a film set up the history of the character all inside of the opening credits. The flick also includes an interesting and relatable motivation for its baddie, a frustrated soldier who finds his body withering and is desperate to regain his youth.
07 – Thor: The Dark World (2013) – The Thor sequel is one of the goofier entries in the Marvel Universe. There are a lot of disparate elements and admittedly they don’t all hit the mark. But thankfully, it doesn’t try to take itself too seriously (with its Dark Elves, the “Rainbow Bridge” and a previously introduced character turned mad scientist used to comedic effect). Better still, it moves like a rocket, builds on the already established antagonism between Thor and Loki and features a fun little turn or two. Not to mention the wild climax that involves characters jumping in and out of portals through time and space, lending a sense of fun to the over-the-top shenanigans.
06 – Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – The second superhero team-up isn’t quite the slam dunk that the first one was, although it still has enough moments to overcome its flaws. For me, it seems slightly overstuffed. It’s amazing that they handled so many characters as well as they did, but as a result there are some pretty sharp turns from heavy drama to flippant humor that don’t quite work. The CG AI robot villain, while intriguing, isn’t quite as captivating as some of the other baddies we’ve seen before. And there’s a moodiness to this chapter which threatens to deflate the film. However, it backs off on the seriousness before it overpowers the story, the banter back and forth between the characters is enjoyable as always and there’s plenty of big superhero spectacle. In the end, that makes this a decent enough, popcorn-munching summer entry.
05 – Iron Man 3 (2013) – This seems to be a divisive entry among fans and certainly will appeal more to those with a sense of nostalgia for 80s action/buddy pictures. In this case, the bickering pair subgenre gets a new spin by teaming its star with a little kid, which works far better than anticipated. Besides that unusual twist on the formula, it deals with post-traumatic stress and manages a fun fake-out plot twist that really surprises. In the process, it squeezes in a solid message about the media and our perceptions about who and what is evil. Not bad for a second sequel. The ending may be a bit bloated, but the witty banter make this a surprisingly fun and funny entry in the series.
04 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) – Perhaps realizing that bigger isn’t necessarily better, this sequel opts for a conspiracy thriller plot which sends its valiant but naive superhero on the run without knowing who to trust. It also manages to emphasize character over action, with plenty of material as Cap attempts to find his place in the modern world. However, when the fights do come, the battles are kept to the streets and in confined spaces, adding an unexpected element of realism. It’s a vastly superior sequel.
03 – Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – This extremely risky venture managed to really hit the mark. What’s so engaging about the film is how different and new it feels. While it still follows a specific formula, these aren’t Marvel characters that we are overly familiar with. Thus the entire project has an air of freshness and unpredictability (not unlike the first Iron Man movie). Part of its success also lies in its well-rounded leads, who are misfits and outcast. Their struggles really manage to make their characters both relatable and likable. With plenty of gags and wild outer space action, it’s one of the most successful ventures yet.
Tie – 01 – Iron Man (2008) – The one that started it all, and still arguably the best. The casting and performances helped turn this less-than-familiar character (to those not into comic books) into a household name thanks to his wise-cracks and superhero skills. It takes its time to build up, first helping viewers relate to a flawed man and then vicariously experiencing his wonder as he slowly builds a flying suit. It’s focused on the characters (including their weaknesses) and there’s a real sense of threat and danger to the proceedings. While it does introduce SHIELD, this is a self-contained story that doesn’t shift gears and go on lengthy tangents to promote future titles in the series. Instead, it coyly suggests things to come with a passing reference or two and a great post-credits cameo.
Tie – 01 – The Avengers (2012) – The novelty of seeing several superheroes team up could have been only that – a mere novelty. However, this flick juggles its multiple leads surprisingly well. In fact, it turns them into bickering but good-natured partners that amusingly comment on one another’s quirks. It takes a bit of time to hit its stride, but this adventure is appropriately epic while allowing each of its multiple characters personal moments and a chance to shine. The stakes are raised to an even higher level than seen in any previous movie (with the nefarious Loki leading an invasion of the Earth). Given the difficult task at hand, it’s a miraculous accomplishment.
Top Grossing Marvel Universe Films Worldwide
The Avengers (2012) – $1.518 billion
Iron Man 3 (2013) – $1.215 billion
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – $774.1 million
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) – $714.7 million
Thor: The Dark World (2013) – $644.7 million
Iron Man 2 (2010) – $623.9 million
Iron Man (2008) – $585.1 million
Thor (2011) – $449.3 million
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) – 370.5 million
The Incredible Hulk (2008) – $263.4 million