All MCU Movies Ranked 2024: The Great MCU Movies (A Tier)
We’re finally into the really good category. All of these movies were either global phenomena or just really fun to watch. Many were both. Yet they don’t quite crack the exclusive S Tier. Let’s find out why!
Worst in Tier: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 (2014)
This movie was one of the few MCU movies that genuinely surprised me. Based on the trailers, I didn’t think it would be very good. It looked cheesy, and the cast didn’t seem all that heroic. However, the opening scene of Chris Pratt singing “Come and Get Your Love” instantly set an entertaining tone for the Guardians and never looked back.
The first Guardians movie is so different from a normal Avengers movie that at first it's hard to see how they’re in the same universe. Yet the way the dynamic between the characters is set up so well that you enjoy the storyline even as the Guardians are trying their hardest to get away from each other at the beginning of the film. The prisoner escape scene is ridiculous and fun, and the film ending with Groot encasing everyone in his branches to protect them really shows how far these characters are developed.
While none of the individual Guardians may be my favorite, they just work together. Recent MCU content could benefit from taking as much care with its character development as was put into this movie. And of course the soundtrack is one of the best in the MCU.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
This felt like the greatest cinematic event in pop culture to be a part of. It came out my senior year of college, and the excitement in the theater on opening weekend was like none other. It seems crazy to not have a movie so iconic at the top of this list. After all, it was the pinnacle that Marvel and fans had spent ten years climbing to. The payoff in Endgame was definitely worth it, but there were some details in the movie which I felt diminished it in a way.
First, the time jump is maniacal. I’m not saying it was bad, it was just startling. The entire theater gasped when they read the words “5 years later”. With so much buzz going into the start of the movie, suddenly everything seemed bleak. This is when we see what all the Avengers, especially the original six, are in defeat. Tony slunk back at a loss, Steve laid down the fight, Thor became a depressed demigod, Bruce became some sort of half-Hulk, and Clint became the murderous Ronin. Not exactly all that inspiring. Though I do wish we could have seen more of Natasha in charge of the vigilante Avengers, the only one of the original six that seemed to keep going.
Then we get to the turnaround even in the movie with Ant-man coming back time travel becoming possible. Now there’s hope, and suddenly every Avenger falls back into their original roles, even though 5 long years have passed. Then we spend literal hours watching various callbacks, easter eggs, and other fan service. It’s fun at first. Cap saying “Hail Hydra” in the elevator is like an inside joke, and Tony seeing his father one last time is heartfelt. But it starts to drag as Endgame feels the need to hit every callback.
Finally, we get to the payoff. The “Avengers Assemble” moment. I’ll say there are few better scenes that I’ve experienced in a theater, and it’s really everything you could ever want, except I have two issues with it. One is that Steve doesn’t deserve Thor’s hammer. I’ll leave it at that. Two is that I can’t get over that they killed off Natasha on Vormir. How they decided to pick her to die over Clint is beyond me. It cost us one last chance at seeing the original six together, a big missed opportunity in my eyes.
Of course, Tony dies as well, which I saw coming, but didn’t see them saving the best callback for last as he says “I am Iron Man”, officially bringing everything full-circle. His ending was meaningful and heroic and I hope they continue to honor that in the MCU. Unlike Steve’s who ran back to Peggy and probably messed up the sacred timeline by coming back as an old man. Anyway, Endgame is an iconic moment in pop culture, but it’s the result of so many great movies that built up to it. And I think some of those movies are better.
Doctor Strange (2016)
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Doctor Strange is a rare origin story that doesn’t waste its potential. The visual effects are on a whole new level for Doctor Strange as we see what the Time Stone and the Sorcerer Supreme can do. Benedict Cumberbatch enters as a commanding presence with this character and it’s no wonder why Kevin Feige has alluded to Strange as the sacred timeline’s Anchor Being, though whether or not he is the anchor being is up for debate.
This movie has a great character arc for Stephen Strange and an innovative and intelligent storyline. We get more of a glimpse into the endless possibilities of superpowers in the MCU and the “Dormammu, I’ve come to bargain” line has become a staple in Marvel references. We also get the introduction of the Time Stone which seems like one of the most important infinity stones when we later see how much Strange values it before handing it to Thanos in Infinity War. I love the continued threads of the infinity stones and unlike Captain Marvel, the MCU makes Doctor Strange’s importance and power clear.
I’m sure this is up for debate, but I think this movie sets up Doctor Strange to be an obvious choice for the leader of the next generation of Avengers.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Finally a Thor movie that does it right. The tone shifts completely in Ragnarok thanks to Taika Waititi and some great character additions in Valkyrie, Bruce Banner and of course Jeff Goldblum.
In Ragnarok we see the continued dysfunction of Thor’s family with his mother gone, his father exiled, and his brother an ever shifting anti-hero. Who would have thought an even more chaotic sibling was out there? When Hela breaks Thor’s hammer it’s another “oh dang” moment, but I’m not complaining about it since we get Chris Hemsworth finally entering god-mode later on without Mjolnir and it’s electric.
We also continue to get great interactions between Thor and Loki, one of the last times we see the brothers happy with each other which is bittersweet. The “Get Help” play is a great con, and you feel like they’re finally a family. Adding Bruce in is a great boost to his character as he gets to benefit from the comedic tone and timing of the film. It also settles the debate about who is the strongest original Avenger, at least according to Tony.
Coming off two duds of Thor movies, Ragnarok is refreshing and entertaining from start to finish, if not for the fact the movie ends with the Asgardians getting demolished by Thanos. They really can’t catch a break. Yet Thor as a character certainly did with this movie.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Aside from Endgame, this must have been the most anticipated MCU movie ever all because of one question. Are Tobey and Andrew in it? And even though most of us thought with 99% certainty going into it that yes they were (Tom Holland isn’t a great secret keeper afterall) it didn’t make the introduction of Tobey and Andrew any less exciting. The whole theater was cheering, though of course my dad missed it because he was in the bathroom.
No Way Home finally gives Tom Holland’s turning point moment in Aunt May’s death. Sure he had lost Tony, but every other Spider-Man had lost someone personally close to them in a way where they were responsible and this was that moment. As a result, we see Peter Parker grow up right before our eyes in this movie and I have to say it was a long time coming. Part of my issues with previous Tom Holland Spider-Man movies is how young Peter acts, but no more. This is a grown up Peter Parker facing some seriously high stakes and the results are great.
The addition of Doctor Strange in this felt like a good one because he was necessary to move the story along and ultimately help Peter with his most important decision at the end. We also get more of MJ and Ned working closely with Peter rather than standing on the sidelines and it turns out to be crucial.
But obviously the biggest reason this movie is so great is because of Tobey and Andrew. Tobey is nostalgic, but in many ways Andrew was the highlight. His redemption moment where he saves MJ is the best part of the whole movie, and we see him start to accept himself again and in turn we start to accept him. We also get the return of some great villains with the combination of the three spidermen, which gives us endless amounts of meme content.
Of course the ending of wiping everyone’s memory of Peter is sad, and I’m not really sure how they can top this movie. There’s rumors Tom Holland’s story will continue, which puts No Way Home at risk of getting diminished somewhat. Let’s hope that’s not the case.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
I’ll be honest, I didn’t think they would be able to pull this movie off after the death of Chadwick Boseman. Yet somehow they do with a great honor to his memory and hope for the future of the character.
There was so much debate about who should be the new Black Panther, so I'm glad they got it right. Shuri was always the proper candidate considering history says that the Black Panther should be in the royal family. Yet they don’t simply bestow the title on her either. She earns it through a character arc filled with courage, strength, and loss. It doesn’t leave any doubt that she is deserving to wear the suit at the end.
The movie also tackles challenges head on. We see the drastic effects the deaths of T’Challa and Queen Ramonda have on Shuri and all of Wakanda and they don’t shy away from showing grief and mourning. It also doesn’t shy away from showing the darker side of Shuri, with the return of Killmonger in her vision a stunning yet fitting cameo for Michael B. Jordan. We see the struggles of the entire nation of Wakanda as its leaders grapple with their principles and beliefs while facing another marginalized community in Namor and the Atlanteans. It’s a well-written and even better executed story which could have easily gone sideways with the loss of Chadwick Boseman.
Also with the reveal of T’Challa’s son at the end, they give hope back to Shuri, and also the audience, that his legacy will continue.
Iron Man (2008)
The movie that launched a multi-billion dollar universe. Marvel took a risk casting RDJ and boy did it pay off.
The first origin story in the MCU had to be the best one for this to work. It’s interesting that they chose Iron Man, a hero without real powers outside of a suit and high IQ. Yet it made Tony Stark more relatable than other superheroes because he is human and starts off fighting for his life after being captured. It’s here that we already see the seeds of what he will become as he builds his first suit to break out and also promptly shuts down his weapons industry after seeing what they do.
It’s the start of a character arc that takes a long time to develop, but turns out to be the best in the MCU. It also sets the tone for the entire universe right up front. Iron Man features an engaging, yet imperfect hero, a good villain, and just the right amount of seriousness mixed in with sarcasm and humor. Every movie that follows that formula after that is a success.
I love that right up front Marvel made it clear these heroes were going to be publically known. No alter-ego to hide behind. Marvel believed their heroes were going to be stars, and they were right. In terms of importance in the actual sacred timeline, Doctor Strange may be the Anchor Being, but we all know Tony Stark is the one that made the whole MCU possible.
Best in Tier: Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
The one MCU movie that really truly shocked me. Was this how people felt when Darth Vader first said “I am your father”? Who else thought “No way they can’t end here” when Thanos sat down in the sunlight after turning half the universe into dust? Even the end credit scene didn’t offer that much hope.
I saw this on opening weekend so didn’t hear any spoilers or rumors leading up to it. The entire movie felt long at first, as they clearly needed to get everyone their screen time. We do get some iconic moments such as Cap saving Wanda and Vision, Tony meeting Star Lord, and Thor’s entrance into Wakanda. Yet as the movie slowly moves toward the final battle in Wakanda, you start to wonder how they are going to wrap up the Avengers defeating Thanos with so little time at the end. Turns out, they don’t. I guess I was naive in thinking the Avengers would always win. Marvel must’ve known a lot of people thought that, which made the end of Infinity War so much more jarring as no one seemed to be expecting it.
It’s really the ending that puts this movie so high on the list. Despite some good action and scenes from all Avengers, I was feeling that overall the movie was underwhelming for the first two hours. That all changed with a literal snap of the fingers as we watched half of the characters we had been following for years turn to dust. Suddenly the movie went from only okay to one of the most shocking global experiences in pop culture at the time. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a better setup for a sequel ever. It wasn’t just a cliffhanger, it was a game changer. Suddenly Endgame became a must-see film for millions a year before the title was even known to the public. Even non-Marvel fans wanted to know how the Avengers brought everyone back, because they had to, right?
I watched this with friends from college and afterward we all sat in stunned silence at a Panera eating dinner. My friend later showed us the meme of the original six eating shawarma together at the end of the Battle of New York and said that’s what we looked like after watching the movie. It’s true. Infinity War was an emotional rollercoaster, but the greatest setup for the ultimate payoff in Endgame.
One more tier to go and by now you should know what movies are in it! Do you agree with our A Tier?
Ranking the MCU in 2024
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