Best MCU Movies

While Marvel’s takeover of the film industry has been mostly facilitated by more-than-willing moviegoers, it hasn’t been without its detractors. Everyone from Martin Scorsese to PewDiePie has spoken out against the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s formula-based storytelling and financially motivated strategy. But the numbers don’t lie; whether they’re “cinema” or not, these movies are speaking to a lot of people.

There’s yet to be an entry in the MCU that’s as universally mocked and maligned as Batman & Robin, a Green Lantern, or an Amazing Spider-Man 2. However, across 30+ releases, some MCU projects have fared a lot better with critics than others. Which are the best Marvel movies of all time? Which are the worst MCU movies? Which films rank somewhere in the middle?

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By  David George Morten

Updated December 30, 2023 by Mark Sammut: The MCU had an uneven 2023 in the grand scheme of things. While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was largely a success, the same cannot be said for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels.

Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Released So Far

Since debuting in 2008, the MCU has produced 30 films across four phases. Disney's franchise is also showing no signs of slowing down as, so far, 10 more MCU movies are already slated to debut before 2026. To make it as simple as possible to keep track of everything the universe has produced, every MCU movie is listed below in release order. Announced films are also included.

33 Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania (46%)

Audience Score: 82%

Phase five of the MCU got off to an uneven start. To begin with some positives, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania does feel like a crucial entry in the franchise's wider universe, with the film shaping the overall narrative's future direction. Once Scott Lang and company arrive in the Quantum Realm, the visuals are impressive at times, although not everything hits the mark. Jonathan Majors is fantastic as Kang, and the actor is arguably the best part of the overall experience. For all its story setup, Quantumania is ultimately a spectacle movie, with the characters largely taking a backseat to the CGI.

Unfortunately, the third Ant-Man flick suffers from many of the same issues that have plagued most of the post-Endgame releases. The humor is overbearing and derivative, being thrown into scenes that would have benefited from sticking to a more serious tone. The MCU can be very funny, but at this point, the jokes are formulaic and predictable. While they have their moments, the main characters are largely overshadowed by the visuals; the film does not take full advantage of its stellar cast. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is by no means terrible, but it continued the MCU's lackluster track record since the launch of phase four.

32 Eternals (47%)

Audience Score: 77%

The first MCU movie to get a rotten score, Eternals is one of the more polarizing entries in the franchise, although it is hardly a lost cause. Compared to some other Phase Four projects like Black Widow, Eternals is considerably more ambitious as it focuses on less mainstream characters while expanding the MCU's cosmic potential.

Considering the MCU tends to be criticized for sticking to a specific formula, Eternals deserves praise for deviating from the norm. Now, the film takes many risks that do not pay off, but this might be one of those entries that gets better with age, particularly if later releases build upon some of its ideas.

31 The Marvels (61%)

Audience Score: 83%

Although not the worst MCU movie by Rotten Tomatoes' scores, The Marvels might be the most forgettable. The hype around these films has been in a downturn since Endgame, but The Marvels was arguably the first entry that just kind of happened. It did not feel like a blockbuster event, a criticism that can be leveled at quite a few superhero films released in the second half of 2023.

Collecting three characters who have all had some success in other MCU projects, The Marvels does not attempt to stand on its own two feet. If someone is not somewhat familiar with the movies and shows, they will struggle to make heads and tails of this story; more importantly, the film struggles to balance its many moving parts and franchise-based requirements, resulting in a muddled and somewhat unsatisfying experience.

30 Thor: Love And Thunder (63%)

Audience Score: 76%

Thor: Ragnarok revitalized Marvel's god of thunder following two rather underwhelming solo efforts, particularly the bland The Dark World. Unlike its predecessors, Taika Waititi's sequel was vibrant, hilarious, and felt like a B-movie space opera, something these movies had struggled to achieve. Ragnarok's success reshaped Thor's presentation and destination; nowadays, Chris Hemsworth's hero is expected to dish out punchlines regardless of whether the scene requires one.

Thor: Love and Thunder doubles down on Ragnarok's strengths, however, the sequel feels considerably messier and more forced than the film it is trying to emulate. That's not to say there is nothing to enjoy here; for instance, Christian Bale's Gorr is one of the MCU's better villains, while Natalie Portman's Jane Foster finally gets something to do besides having questionable chemistry with the Norse god. Unfortunately, Love and Thunder refusal to take itself seriously hampers numerous moments that could have benefited from the absence of a joke rather than the addition of one. Still, this movie is a fine way to spend a couple of hours, which seems to be what most of the MCU's phase four entries have amounted to.

29 Thor: The Dark World (66%)

Audience Score: 75%

It’s hardly surprising that Thor: The Dark World is ranked close to the bottom as the film is generally considered to be one of the MCU's lowest points. It’s the perfect go-to example of the Marvel cookie-cutter formula at work.

Chris Hemsworth's Thor does not pick up a sense of humor until later in the MCU, and the character struggles to carry The Dark World whenever Loki is not on the screen. Luckily, Taika Waititi’s zany sensibility was just one solo movie away.

28 The Incredible Hulk (67%)

Audience Score: 69%

Before Mark Ruffalo would become the MCU’s Bruce Banner, Edward Norton played the character in his only Marvel-mounted solo movie (so far), The Incredible Hulk. While Norton brings nuance to his performance, The Incredible Hulk does little to elevate itself above generic blockbuster fare.

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Due to the casting change and the fact very little that happens in this movie is referenced later down the line, The Incredible Hulk is the most inconsequential entry in the MCU.

27 Iron Man 2 (72%)

Audience Score: 71%

The problem with cinematic universes began to rear its head in Iron Man 2, as the focus on expanding the world and setting up a bunch of sequels undermined the movie’s own story. Iron Man 2 has a couple of things going for it, predominantly Scarlett Johansson's debut as Black Widow and Robert Downey Jr being his usual charismatic self; however, underwhelming villains and a muddy plot make this film difficult to rewatch.

Iron Man 2 is indicative of an issue quite a few MCU movies have: they prioritize telling future stories over delivering a satisfying current one. This phase one sequel is one of the worst examples of this criticism since Tony Stark's conflict with Whiplash, the movie's main plot, takes a backseat during the second act, derailing the story's momentum.

26 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (73%)

Audience Score: 85%

The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness builds upon the ideas explored in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the Wandavision show, and the latter is a must-watch if someone wants to get the full emotional weight of this narrative. Directed by Sam Raimi of Evil Dead and Spider-Man fame, The Multiverse of Madness finds Doctor Strange dealing with a familiar threat that could spell disaster for multiple universes. To keep that from transpiring, Strange has to protect America Chavez, a teenager with the ability to jump between multiverses.

The Multiverse of Madness is a fun watch, but it is a bit more all over the place than most MCU movies. While that might sound fitting considering the title, the story is not actually all that complicated or inventive, and anyone hoping they will get to spend significant time in a plethora of different dimensions should lower their expectations. Still, the acting is generally strong, particularly from Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Cumberbatch, there are quite a few endearing cameos and Easter eggs, and the action scenes mostly deliver. It is also probably the most violent MCU movie.

25 Avengers: Age Of Ultron (76%)

Audience Score: 82%

Widely regarded to be the weakest entry in the Avengers franchise, Age of Ultron becomes kind of messy after introducing its villain. Ultron’s plan is too grand to cover in one movie, while Age of Ultron is more interested in bridging between various MCU sequels than standing on its own.

Still, Age of Ultron has that great party scene and a quiet interlude in the middle of the story in which the Avengers all stay on Hawkeye’s farm. The action is also generally fine, even if it is not all that memorable.

24 Thor (77%)

Audience Score: 76%

While Taika Waititi would later lean into the colorful weirdness of the Thor comics, Kenneth Branagh focused on their Shakespearean grandiosity in his initial solo movie for the God of Thunder. 2011’s Thor is a serviceable introduction to the character, but hardly goes above and beyond the established origin story formula.

The film also spends more time on Earth than in Asgard, which is slightly disappointing considering the latter is far more visually interesting than a largely nondescript New Mexico town. Thor's characterization is also rather bland, as the Norse deity mostly comes across as a meathead with a heart of gold.