Ranked: The MCU
(Including Infinity War)
Ah yes, the time has come. Thanos is finally upon us! After ten, very long years the "final showdown" has been thrust upon us to engorge like the filthy, animalistic, popcorn-loving slobs that we are (and this isn't even the ACTUAL end). Yes, like Harry Potter and Twilight before us, we must inevitably split up the "final act," because how else can we truly juggle 60+ characters that we've come to love and cherish over the last decade, and give our heroes the sendoff they deserve? How will we ever be able to write-off Chris Evans' Captain America, or Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man? (end their contracts). Yes folks, it's time to become part of the conglomerate behemoth of a money making machine that we call The Marvel Cinematic Universe, and break it all down. Because if Disney has proved one thing with their collected billions of dollars, it's that the big, formulaic Blockbuster (in this case Marvel) is going to drill audiences so far into the ground and break the box office so violently, it will threaten to eliminate quality cinema as we know it. So in the mean time, we might as well embrace it for all its worth (and for it's worth, it's not bad at all).
For the books, it's no secret that I believe Marvel to have reached an insufferable period of formulaic mediocrity. That said, I can't deny that I absolutely loved Black Panther which so ironically confirms my frustration with how much potential these films have to be a worthwhile franchise. With all the back and forth, I've fully planted both my adoration and frustration for this cluster-f**k of loud movies from a place of desire for something good. I truly believe this entire decade-long journey once had potential to run on high-end gas of complex themes and characters and, save for a few bursts of energy, has been trekking on mere formulaic fumes that folks have settled for. Disney has hit their goal. They've landed at a place where they have their audience, hook, line and sinker no matter what trash they produce. Like it or not, the mouse can spend the millions of dollars that WE give them in order to make whatever the hell they want because, as box office reports show, we're not slowing down any time soon.
SO YOU BETTER STRAP IN, FOLKS
Without further ado, here is my bitterly optimistic ranking of all 19 films in the MCU to date:
#19. Ant-Man
Bar none the biggest snooze-fest of any Marvel movie to date, Ant-Man is lazy and far and away the most formulaic of any entry in the MCU. In a vacuum, if the movie didn't exist outside of Marvel, sure it's fine, but having been introduced 12 films into the franchise, Ant-Man is painfully predictable. For starters, the plot is a cheap Iron Man rip-off (rebellious funny guy finds a tricked out suit - Learns how to use the suit for good - Evil villain who works at suit corporation makes his OWN suit and uses it for evil - The two fight in their super suits - Good triumphs over evil - Surprise). On top of that, not only is the film far too kid-friendly (the fight with Falcon is an embarrassing franchise-low), but it commits the crime of casting Paul Rudd and then not letting him be funny. The movie aims for comedy from start to finish and never once lands on a single chuckle. Of course there's great potential here (the Thomas-the-Tank-Engine scene was the flat-out funniest - naturally spoiled in the trailers), the end result is still muddling; the film has no idea what kind of movie it wants to be, most likely due to Edgar Wright having left production after creative differences. Had the studio let Wright have his way, this would probably have been the funniest movie of the MCU, and top-tier Marvel. The final product on the other hand is the absolute bottom of the barrel. Change my mind.
The Highlight: When it was over
Grade: D
#18. Thor: Ragnarok
"The first two Thor movies were so super-serious!" the fanboys cried.
The solution? Cringe-worthy humor.
A movie that inspired a rant, I must say for the books, as a structured film, Ragnarok is much more entertaining than The Dark World, Iron Man 2, and Age of Ultron, but the end result of the piss-poor jokes that Taika Waititi hurls at his audience at a rapid-fire rate makes for the most obnoxious Marvel movie to date (and for the record, I love Waititi's work). Coming from the Guardians fanboy, I often feel comedy is welcome in a comic book movie (as with Guardians, the humor is one of the most crucial pieces to making these films work). That said, Ragnarok is a result of 100% forced humor. Not a single joke is authentic and every actual beat of the script includes a slapstick gag aimed at 10-year-olds. I made the mistake of watching this one in a theater which included its own live-audience laugh-track which overpowered my eyeballs actually rolling into the back of my head. Ragnarok doesn't even feel like a comic book movie, more than an insufferable comedy starring Hulk and Thor (with a butchered Planet Hulk subplot), that's bombarded with shitty CGI and an all-time low villain. Look, if giggling at shake-weight jokes and snickering at characters referring to a hell-looking place as "The Devil's Anus" is your thing, then you'll feel right at home. Personally, after the decent attempt at Thor's first outing (and whatever you want to say about the second), it felt pretty cheap that no one had the confidence to do another Thor movie without shoving these beloved characters into a childish joke-fest.
The Highlight: Jeff Goldblum, Jeff Goldblum and Jeff Goldblum
Grade: D+
#17. Thor: The Dark World
On autopilot, The Dark World isn't necessarily a terrible movie. The problem is that it's almost entirely forgettable. There's a bunch of pale elf-villains, Natalie Portman is possessed by red smoke, Loki "dies" but not really, there's a towering thousand-foot CGI villain that threatens to destroy the world (ya know, the usual stuff). TDW bests Ragnarok if only because it doesn't try to beat the audience over the head with any forced humor, rather than just tired formula. Granted this is the first true sign of weakness for Marvel as an overarching, woven-together franchise (since the film is empty and, without mention of the Aether , completely useless), it's still impressive that it took 8 films into the MCU for things to only just start getting really stale. An entry this bland wouldn't fly this far into the game (or would it..?).
The Highlight: Hiddleston is having far too much fun with the role of Loki
Grade: D
#16. Iron Man 2
Deemed tolerable at best and MCU-low at worst, Iron Man 2 never really seemed to rub anyone the right way. For being only the third entry in the U, it's easily one of the weakest. The film is empty, pointless and truly serves as nothing more than a bridge to The Avengers. With small, supporting roles from Sam Jackson's Nick Fury and Scar-Jo's Natasha Romanoff, the film feels necessary if only to remind you that "this world is much bigger than you think," (*insert actual Nick Fury quote here*), even though this is the first time the MCU gets comfortable reminding you that they can produce full-blown movies that take the overarching stories absolutely nowhere. THAT SAID, the singular, shining star of the movie is Downey Jr. and the movie doesn't work without him. It's been said so many times but his Tony Stark is so on the nose that even when the going gets really bad (see: Sam Rockwell, Tony's drunk birthday fight with Don Cheadle, etc.), Downey sells the role 100%. He's likable even when his content isn't. Granted Rourke’s Whiplash is cool, IM2 marks the first addition of the MCU where a villain feels entirely pointless. That said, the last 20 minutes of the movie make for some pretty spectacular action (a would-be trope in future Marvel movies).
The Highlight: The racetrack/suitcase-suit bit
Grade: C
#15. Spider-Man: Homecoming
As a die-hard Raimi trilogy enthusiast, it's unfair of me to truly weigh-in on Homecoming being that I found it slightly better than Spider-Man 3 at best, but on its own eight legs the movie is just fine... If you like your kid-friendly Marvel to feel... Well, kid-friendly.
If there's one PG-feeling, family-friendly entry in the MCU (if not many of them as of recent), it's Spider-Man: Homecoming, if only for the fact that it features a remarkably youthful teen-cast starring in a literal high school setting. Much of the film explores Peter Parker's silly high school shenanigans at which many folks were relieved that they finally got the young Peter Parker they always complained they never had. Juvenile jokes are constantly tossed around such as nicknames like “Penis Parker,” which happen to land better than the humor of Ragnarok since again, most of the cast are children. Granted, we finally get to jump right into Peter’s life without having to be reintroduced to him being bitten by the spider, or having Uncle Ben die for nth time. Homecoming cuts right to the chase and that’s one of the film’s best qualities. As for other notable occurrences, Downey Jr’s presence in the film is equally relieving as it is a shoehorning reminder that “Hey, Spidey’s part of the MCU now.” The biggest downfall by far is the wasting of Michael Keaton no matter how "heartfelt" a place his motivation may stem from. No surprise since villains have always been the MCU's weakest aspects, but Keaton’s Vulture is just so blandly written it’s all the more justification that Raimi knew how to do villains (and most other things) a lot better. Still, Holland is charming and Downey Jr. literally makes everything better.
The Highlight: The look on Holland's face when he opens the door to see Keaton
Bonus: Ned
Bonus: Ned
Grade: C+
#14. Captain America: Civil War
Far and away the biggest praise of mediocrity I’ve seen in this franchise, Civil War is a grown-up version of ‘My dad can beat up your dad.’ Granted the Russo’s upped their Winter Soldier game and proved they could produce some spectacular action scenes, most of the banter between characters is downright silly. The Russo bros. set their bar at a very childish level right from the opening fight that Cap’s gang has with Crossbones, and the play-fighting never lets up until the climax of the film. The audience is bombarded for two hours with characters stating their political opinions just because, and then having goofy arguments with one another. Granted, the accurate reflection of modern day politics is uncanny, no amount of relevant current events stop the fact that the airport fight is at once the most exciting and most obnoxious sequence of the movie (the jokes are cringe worthy). And save for the all-time low villain Zemo, far and away the worst aspect of Civil War is how Tony and Steve’s feud actually amounts to nothing. Literally nothing in the movie sticks. Rhodes is shot out of the sky but he's fine, Bucky doesn’t die, Cap and Iron Man are mad at each other, but then the final shot suggests they’re already willing to patch things up. The movie is bullshit because it doesn't have any overall impact on the franchise. Civil War contained constant potential to elevate the gravity of the characters but if there’s one thing the Russo’s proved with it, it’s that they're afraid to take risks and push these movies in a new direction. All that said, the introductions of Boseman’s Panther and Holland’s Spidey were well warranted and as I said, the action is flat-out stupendous.
The Highlight: CGI 19-year-old RDJ was FRIGHTENINGLY realistic.
Grade: C+/B-
#13. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Whenever Marvel fanboys stick their middle fingers out the school bus window to taunt DC fans, everyone should remember the big Avengers followup of 2015. It’s arguably the biggest but also probably the clumsiest, sloppiest Marvel movie we’ll ever get in the MCU. Granted, there's remarkable character development and complex themes but juggling 10+ major characters, the movie feels smothering in terms of just how much it tries to tackle, marking this as a very divisive exit for nerd-god-director Joss Whedon to bow out on. Personally I think the movie gets a bum rap but it never truly gives in to all the potential it presents. If anyone knows how to write these characters, it’s Whedon. He knows their banter were Earth’s Mightiest Heroes his own personal buddies, which makes the overstuffed sequel even harder to swallow. The dialogue between Natasha and Clint driving in the car talking about home renovations may seem silly but there's a thick layer there because here are two old friends who are about to face their potential death and Whedon presents it in a humanistic nature that's simply absent post-Ultron. That said, the end result of this movie is sloppily all over the place. There’s just too much going on and Whedon’s clash with Fiege is all too present in the final cut. Whether it be spending too much time at Hawkeye’s farm or randomly forcing in Thor’s cave-bath scene, the movie simply bites off more than it can chew. Granted the father-figure themes between Tony and Ultron and Tony and Vision, and all the debates about A.I. grant this a true, complex “middle chapter” feeling of growth, but even when the action is superb (the Hulkbuster scene is far and away the single highlight of the film), Ultron is still as underdeveloped as any throwaway villain, and much of the plot feels like filler. I’ll always prefer Whedon’s style to the Russo bros. but there were many missed opportunities here, even if much of the movie's faults are forgivable.
The Highlight: Linda Cardellini is still a babe even when she's pregnant AF
Grade: C+/B-
#12. Doctor Strange
Benedict Cumberbatch was always going to morph the character of Steven Strange into a likable one, even if it feels too much like Tony Stark. He’s too charming and too damn good at acting to not pull it off. That said, Doctor Strange as a film is notable for one thing among any other entry in the MCU: the visuals are DOPE. It’s the one movie of this franchise I wish I saw on the big screen. The lush, vibrant colors; the psychedelic mind trip of visuals; it was all breathtaking. Even when the dreamlike action sequences felt too Inception, it was all so visually arresting I couldn't help but be mesmerized. That said, the movie still does suffer from familiar character development and retreads of plot (though not nearly as bad as other Marvel movies); Rachel McAdams is unnecessary except to provide emotional motivation for Strange, Mads Mikkelsen is one of the most forgettable villains to date, and aside from the visual world he lives in, there’s just not much to the character of Doc Strange except for the fact that Cumberbatch transforms from relatable, slight-asshole to a goddamned WIZARD (in a believable way too). Also, Benedict Wong and Tilda Swinton were fabulous.
The Highlight: It’s arguably the only comic book movie that’s intended to be seen while on mushrooms.
Grade: B-
#11. The Incredible Hulk
Ah yes, the redheaded stepchild of the MCU. It’s such a shame Ruffalo can’t get his own solo Hulk movie because if there’s understandable potential for a dude who turns into a literal raging monster when he’s angry, it’s for the incredibly Incredible f**king Hulk. Perhaps warranting some of the least amount of replay value in all of the MCU, thanks to Ed Norton’s outdated performance of the character, Incredible Hulk definitely gets a bum rap. For one, the filmmakers do a stellar job at giving Bruce the Jaws treatment by keeping the Hulk hidden for a decent portion of the beginning of the movie. For another, the college-campus brawl where Hulk thrashed the military was dope, Tim Roth’s Abomination was an early sign of the franchise's formulaic villains but at least he was fun to watch, and the whole finale where Hulk “breaks Harlem” as he puts it in The Avengers is off the chain. Seeing two Hulks smash and toss cars at each other with ease is nothing but pure, joyous entertainment. Hulk’s character is literally designed for audiences to absorb big, stomping action and for being only the second entry of the MCU, IH may be bland at times but at least it delivers on the big, stomping action.
The Highlight: Liv Tyler whispering sexy elvish to make the waves storm through and wash away the bad guys
Grade: B-
#10. Avengers: Infinity War
Welp. It's finally happened. The beginning of the end is near. Yes, it's very much so a series of random events strung together by references from the last decade; No, it doesn't have much character development; Of course it's rewarding for the die-hard nerds. At the end of the day, the half-finale is overstuffed, crammed with countless characters and endless action beats and yet, the Russo bros. STILL manage to pull off a Part 1 as well as Harry Potter did. It's by no means franchise-best, but for all the hype, Infinity War delivers even minimally, on a character scale, an action scale and a scale that's just dark and gut-wrenching, leaving an inevitably mouth-drooling desire to see what happens next. Can the Russo's pull off the ultimate, grand finale and stick the landing? Who knows, but for now this might be where the franchise peaks, at least in terms of darkness. Hell, it's what inspired me to write this f**king essay and at the very least, it'll make the last ten years and near-twenty films of effort start to feel like they're truly paying off to the fans.
Here's the full scoop.
Grade: B
#9. Thor
Far and away the best Thor movie we’ll ever see is also perhaps the most simple, which is exactly why it works so well. Coming off the heels of Shakespeare films, Kenneth Branagh delivers a brilliant dynamic between the god-like world of Asgard vs. the tiny town of New Mexico with ease. By creating an absurdly vibrant Mount Olympus of a home world for the thunder god, and by having that contrast with the small desert location which heavily features a tiny diner, Branagh stages his Herculean story in a way that’s familiar but more of an ode to Greek lore than comic-book-movie formula. The first Thor movie obviously heavily borrows its elements from both Sword in the Stone and Hercules but those are also much stronger legends than that of an Iron Man ripoff. Again, Thor is a simple movie but that’s exactly why it works. The stakes are so low, even when Loki’s first reign of terror suggests bigger (and Hiddleston instantly became the MCU’s most likable and flat out best anti-hero). On top of it all, the supporting cast are all having fun with their roles. Sure Natalie Portman’s phoning it in, but her small-town damsel is just enough motivation to give Hemsworth a franchise introduction he deserves.
The Highlight: Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye! Oh wait he's gone. Alright, neat.
Bonus: The coffee bit
Bonus: The coffee bit
Grade: B
#8. Captain America: The First Avenger
The most Indiana Jones the MCU will ever get, Steve Rogers’ first outing is one of the most jarring of the entire MCU if only for the fact that it almost entirely takes place in 1940s WWII and feels like campy military propaganda. This notion of course is exactly what makes it special. Coming off the heels of B-movie adventure flicks ranging from The Rocketeer to Young Indiana Jones, director Joe Johnston literally absorbs the audience into the 1940s were the film actually made in the 1940s. The dialogue is corny, the triumphant score accents the action; Cap literally punches nazis in the face; it all feels outrageous, outdated and Johnston embraces every moment of it. Red Skull is an MCU villain all-timer if only because his cartoonishly evil persona is quite literally based off the fact that he’s a nazi leader who works directly for Hitler (that and Hugo Weaving makes everything better). Being that the movie is as campy as it is, it also just makes for a spectacular adventure movie. If anything TFA should be noted, not just because chronologically it’s the very beginning of the MCU but its 1940s style in visual and in tone is different from nearly any other movie in the franchise.
The Highlight: Hugo Weaving (c'mon now)
Grade: B
#7. Iron Man 3
Far better than it has any right being, Stark's third outing was also the first solo Iron Man movie not helmed by MCU veteran Jon Favreau. That said, trading Favreau for dark-humor enthusiast Shane Black is one of the best directorial moves the MCU has ever made. I often complain about the Marvel "workflow;" the pattern in which every film follows a particular formula and hence embracing its tired franchise familiarity. Every now and again, Fiege and the gang surprise audiences simply by letting directors do their thing. This notion has been very rare and is notable for Joe Johnston's The First Avenger, but truly exceptional when it comes to Guardians of the Galaxy captain, James Gunn who ran wild with his vision and knocked it out of the park, twice. That said, when it comes to creative control Shane Black has got to be a close second. By allowing Black take Tony out of the suit and focus more on the character, Iron Man 3 is able to function very much so on its own as a black comedy (no pun intended) just as much as it is a political piece of action that's simply fun to watch. The airplane sequence was breathtaking and seeing Tony do his James Bond thing while wearing a hoodie was comical and refreshing. On top of everything else the Mandarin twist was, contrary to popular disagreement, an effective way of throwing off audience expectations. Guy Pearce is sadistically cheeky as Aldrich Killian even if his villain feels all-too familiar. It may not be as groundbreaking as the first Iron Man but IM3 is a straight-up blast that's unique in signature style, tone and humor. Black understands the character of Stark arguably better than Favreau and he taps into all of Downey Jr's talents with just one movie alone.
The Highlight: IM catching all the civilians out of the sky was dope
Grade: B+
#6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
To pull off something as outlandish and risky as Guardians of the Galaxy, and to pull it off once is one thing. To pull it off a second time is in and of itself a miracle. Personally I give a crutch to the Guardians because they blend comic book lore and legitimate comedy in a style that’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Much of this of course is due to horror-comedy enthusiast James Gunn in the director's chair, but being that it really felt like Gunn was putting all his eggs into the basket of the Guardians’ first outing, it was always going to be skeptical going into a sequel because, as cinema history shows, it often doesn’t work. That said, of course Vol. 2 doesn’t compare to the first but for what it accomplishes in both legitimate character development and actual laugh-out-loud humor is a feat in itself. For starters, Michael Rooker's Yondu steals the show. For another, the soundtrack is still pretty stellar. Most notably, Kurt Russell’s Ego the Living Planet is an incredibly fleshed out villain if only for the fact that he’s a believably emotional driving force for Peter Quill’s character. For the first time in what feels like a millennium, the MCU legitimately develops an empathetic villain whom we can understand. It’s a huge piece that saves what is arguably the MCU’s goofiest entry yet. As for the comedy, it’s cranked up to 11 (so if you didn't care for the humor of the first one, you might wanna sit this one out), and the last twenty minutes of this movie make for one of the most spectacular action climaxes of the entire MCU. Vol. 2 doesn’t do much as a whole but as far as sequels go, it’s got more heart, more chuckles, and is more redeemable than most of what Marvel has unveiled this last decade.
The Highlights: Kurt Russel, Michael Rooker and Baby Groot
Grade: B
#5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Perhaps the greatest Captain America movie we'll ever see, Winter Soldier delivers on almost every level. By plunging Steve Rogers in present day, the pop-culture commentary of the film explores themes on today's politics in ways that make this the most politically relevant film Marvel has ever put out. By keeping the tone more serious, the film digs deep into unlocking the mysteries behind our government as truths evolve from being shady to downright nazi-influenced. What's brilliant is that in contrast to The First Avenger, the film is both realistic and relevant to what's going on in the political world today. But aside from it just being a dope political thriller, it also delivers on the comic book action we love without having some cartoon villain threatening to destroy all of humanity with some big, CGI showdown. Robert Redford pulls off the face of Government were he a regular politician (so in other words he's the most realistic villain of the MCU) allowing the audience to question who we can trust, breaking down barriers between "good vs. evil;" a trope that has plagued comic books since their inception. Winter Soldier works so damn well because it's just realistic enough that it doesn't even feel like a superhero movie, which makes the everyday political threats all the more terrifying.
The Highlight: The highway fight sequence
Bonus: "Hail Hydra"
Grade: A-
#4. Iron Man
I know it's cliched to give it so much praise ten years later, but we need to never not return to the first Iron Man movie. This is sort of a Harry Potter situation where one director provides a vision, style, and tone to lay the groundwork, and then gives the floor to countless directors to take the wheel and steer the ship for the remainder of the franchise. If anyone's going to give the first Potter movie any credit it's because without the world Chris Columbus established, the franchise may have never truly flourished. So goes for the same result with Jon Favreau. And for anyone to make an argument against giving him this crutch because "it was ten years ago," watch the first Iron Man again. It not only still holds up but it's still better than nearly anything to come out of the MCU post Phase One. For starters Favreau just understands Downey Jr. Granted he doesn't know how to open him up and let him run rampant with the character of Tony Stark, like Shane Black does so gracefully in IM3, but this is also Stark's first outing so we can only get so much Tony before we truly appreciate him. But damn, Favreau KNOWS how work Downey were he the very robot suit he wears to save humanity. What makes Iron Man work as a film is that it's so well balanced. There's a current Russo Bros. friendly humor that exists in most of the MCU post Ultron that just feels jarring, where in 2008, Favreau allows comedy to flow through Downey Jr. that just feels natural. So yeah, the film is lighthearted with humor but it's also a remarkably well staged action movie in its own right. Coming off the heels of experimental comic book movies that ranged from Ang Lee's Hulk to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Favreu walked into Marvel, pre-Disney deal, with a clean slate. He established his world that suddenly felt stark different (no pun intended) in contrast to nearly any comic book movie before it; it was charming. Everything from Tony's devastating capture from terrorists (political relevance: check), to his MCU-all-timer moment where he dons the first hand-made Iron Man suit and exits the cave by blowing those terrorists to all hell; it's mesmerizing. And without Downey Jr. and without Favreau we wouldn't have the brilliant groundwork laid before us (no matter how much I complain). To this day, the first Iron Man is better than nearly any other comic book movie I've ever seen.
The Highlight: When IM calls Star Command and blows up multiple bad guys at once
Grade: A
#3. Black Panther
Black Panther is the most culturally significant comic book movie ever made, not just because of what it does for people of color but because it's also just an incredible movie by itself, and that alone merits it any and all praise it receives. Panther breaks down all the barriers of race, gender and cultural relevance with its empowerment of not just generations of Africans, but powerful women, and allover folks who are living on the backs of ancestors who encountered slavery but also were raised on pure, tribal culture; themes that are expressed in a comic book movie of all things... That's the bigger picture, here. This isn't just a movie that's reflecting the nations of Africa. This is a picture that exists in the same realm as Thor the thunder god, as well as a talking raccoon. With that, Panther is so important because it's just an incredibly well put together film on its own two feet. Never once does it try to force any connective tissue to the MCU, rather than just express itself as a film. And yet, it's bonafide badass in how it stages its huge action set pieces; It's remarkably respectful in paying homage to tribal culture, as well as empowering women; And it also features perhaps the MCU's most humanistic nemesis. Through Killmonger, we watch Michael B. Jordan transform a Bond villain into an understandable kid who seeks revenge for reasons we can get on board with. The themes of Panther are explored in ways I've never seen done in a comic book movie, an action movie, or pretty much any movie I've ever seen in my life. Yes, it's a reminder of how white-washed and how male driven Hollywood's been since the dawn of cinema, but it's also a reminder of how culturally relevant the film is for ALL parties. Even staying confined only to the barriers of the MCU, I've never seen an entry where the hero takes the backseat to most of the supporting cast. Chadwick Boseman makes for a fantastic T'Challa and yet his co-stars outshine him. For a comic book movie in general, the action is breathtaking but the best parts of the film are the ones that explores the humanistic themes of family, tradition, and revenge. Panther is too grand a film to be confined to the barriers of the 'comic book movie' genre. It's a much bigger picture than any of us can grasp and that's why it's so important.
The Highlight: Literally all of it
Grade: A
#2. The Avengers
Another stereotype to praise, as it's the singular most profitable comic book movie ever made, the first Avengers film (later dubbed: Avengers Assemble) is the perfect comic book movie. I will always shower Joss Whedon with unconditional love (even if his work is flawed) due to two movies: The Avengers, and Toy Story. That said, what Whedon does specifically with Earth's Mightiest Heroes is unmatched by almost any other comic book movie on the planet; it's fun to watch, it's legitimately humorous, it's fueled by actual character development, and it threads together franchise connective tissue for fanboys, while still being a simple movie that anyone can watch and enjoy. So many fans try to look at the bigger picture with what the MCU attempts with each new movie; "Ragnarok is funny! Homecoming has such a likable protagonist!" and I think many people miss the actual point with these movies: They exist based on character development. The other day someone said to me they don't watch Marvel movies for character development, they watch for the action, and that's entirely against the point of these films. That's like the people who complain that a Star Wars movie is "bad" because it doesn't contain enough lightsaber battles; it's ignorant. The first Avengers works as well as it does because it lives and breathes between all of its characters. The biggest contrast between Assemble and Infinity War is that the former is only juggling 6+ characters where the latter juggles 60+. Eventually there will be a threshold where you're not watching characters anymore, rather than big, loud events that are connected by this hero making banter with that villain. Sure, it's fun but it's not what makes these movies memorable. Perhaps, as always, I am reading too between the lines, but The Avengers contains not only one of the franchise's best villains (again a cliche, Tom Hiddleston IS Loki); it contains not only one of the franchise's best action set pieces (the Battle for New York is flawless from beginning to finish), but an EARNED satisfaction by having the audience put in a legitimate effort to care for these characters. I mean, the entire first HALF of this movie is the Avengers fighting each other, and it makes for some of the MCU's most straight-up likable chemistry. Think about the fight between Tony, Cap and Thor in the woods. They're butting heads, cracking jokes and again, the comedy just feels natural ("Oh no, not his hammer. He loves it--" *THWONK* Tony is knocked out by the hammer - it's funny and entertaining at the same time). I mean, with ONE movie alone, Ruffalo makes The Hulk one of the most exciting and lovable comic book characters ever put on screen. Whedon juggles these characters with ease and he proves that he's the ultimate ring leader for any of these movies. The first Avengers will likely be unmatched by any sequel, regardless of how "small" it feels in comparison because of one, shining aspect: It's got some character to it. And true character development is something Marvel has been begging for over the last decade.
The Highlight: Every scene with The Hulk
Grade: A+
#1. Guardians of the Galaxy
GOTG holds an irreplaceable place in my heart and soul. Never have I ever once realized I needed a comic book movie that was so legitimately funny, bizarre, crass, rude and likable as this one. For the books, I've been a James Gunn fan since I first watched the cult-favorite gross-out horror flick Slither, so having Gunn on board to both write and direct was always a plus but what he does with these cats is unbelievable and honestly, it's Gunn's signature brash humor which shines more than anything else. For me, Ragnarok was the anti-formula to Guardians. It relied on slapstick jokes that mimicked the humor of GOTG and for me, it just never worked; it was a poor imitator. But for these characters Gunn has created, ranging from a talking raccoon to a humble, talking TREE, and for them to work as well as they do, as emotionally relatable as they are is just a miracle. Peter Quill's Star Lord is literally the epitome of the relatable slacker. Like Tony Stark he always wings it even when he says he has a plan, but unlike Stark he ends up in these outrageous situations that usually result in some humorous fashion of destruction (part of the film's helping crutch is that the whole movie takes place in outer space so literally anything can happen). More so, the characters in general are just so damn balanced; The cast is literally perfect (I mean who would have thought former wrestler Dave Bautista would be the funniest character of the movie?) and only adds to these folks all being rebels, rejects, assholes, and unwanted by almost anyone. Part of what makes the Guardians work as characters is that they're outcasts; they're very human in who they are and how they act, regardless of the fact that they're almost all entirely alien. The bonus in that they're all dicks to each other only makes for the perfectly balanced comedy. Also, on top of the movie just being as groovy as it is, it's also inspired by a pop-1970s inspired soundtrack that's flawless; a soundtrack which actually ties into the character (a feebly failed attempt that 2017's Baby Driver tried to imitate), and it breathes life into nearly every scene. Guardians is so good because it's so tongue-in-cheek with its self aware humor making it entirely unpredictable. Even with a formula-villain as loud and irrelevant as Ronan the Accuser, the personality of this movie is all over the place, in the best way. You can expect jokes but never know how they land, giving leeway for the movie to do literally whatever the hell it wants. Gunn has something very special here and his involvement is one of the greatest things to ever happen to the MCU.
The Highlight: The prison break
Grade: A+
Well there you have it, folks. Nobody asked for it but here it is. Until the next Infinity War, and I eat my own words, admittedly adoring these silly comic book movies as we all continue to fund the money-making machine that is
We're witnessing history in the making here.
But let's be honest, this is the only Marvel movie I'm holding out for:
Happy Josh Brolin, y'all
