*Possible spoilers ahead*

As the fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe kicks off with the Disney+ show Wandavision, we as fans are left to reminisce about the first 23 films that captured the imaginations of audiences for over a decade. As an avid watcher of the films and an enthusiast of the comics, I decided that it was my duty to present to you with a definitive tier list of these films (definitive in my opinion, anyways).  

23. Thor the Dark World (2013)

Coming in at number 23 on my list, unsurprisingly, is Thor the Dark World. This movie to me is utterly forgettable. This is probably the only film in the series that I have watched only once when it premiered in 2013. The villain of the film, Malekith the dark elf, while colorful in the comics, comes across quite bland. The film introduces the reality stone, one of the six infinity stones that tie the series together, so I still would recommend a watch. 

22. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

It is extremely difficult to make a movie about the Hulk as a hero considering his antagonistic attributes and one-dimensionality. He is big, scary, and likes to break things; it can not go much farther than that. The Incredible Hulk does not quite pull off the complex dynamics of Bruce Banner’s dual persona. I remember enjoying this movie as a little kid, but upon further consideration, it has many flaws. 

21. Iron Man 3 (2013)

Iron Man 3, to me, is the weakest in the trilogy. The villain, Aldrich Killian, has a lacking backstory and a convoluted plan. I do enjoy, however, the character development of Tony Stark. It is very compelling to see him experiencing PTSD from his trauma in The Avengers. I believe Robert Downey Jr. tackled this aspect of the character very well. It is also nice to see “the man behind the suit,” if you will, as Stark spends large portions of the movie armorless.

20. Thor (2011)

I had to put Thor so low on the list due to Chris Hemsworth’s poor eyebrows in this film. Well, that is not the only reason, but it is a big one. With Thor, you can tell Marvel was trying to feel itself out. Being only the fourth movie released in the series, and the origin for, at that time, a very obscure character, I believe Marvel was playing it safe with this one. Not to say Thor does not have its high points (it gave us Tom Hiddleston as Loki after all).

19. Captain Marvel (2019)

Captain Marvel gave a well-loved character a boring origin story. I am not a fan of the way Carol Danvers acquired her powers. It is too easy perhaps. I also felt that the reveal of Yon-Rogg as the villain is dull and obvious. It feels as though he is only there to be a token of less than nuanced toxic masculinity and female oppression, and had no real character development. I did enjoy, though, how the skrulls were made good guys in the film. This was an interesting change for fans of the comics such as myself.  

18. Ant Man and the Wasp (2018)

Ant Man and the Wasp was the first film to debut after the heart-wrenching cliffhanger that was Avengers Infinity War, and attempted to inject some much needed comedy into the narrative. It does so to some extent, with Paul Rudd as the standout comedic force. There are multiple scenes in this film elevated by his performance alone. The film does, however, lack a fulfilling plot. This movie has a lot going on, and not all of it is sufficiently resolved in my eyes.

17. Avengers Age of Ultron (2015)

Avengers Age of Ultron is a disappointing sequel to the breakout 2012 hit The Avengers. Too much time in this film is wasted on a useless and forced romance between Natasha Romanoff and Bruce Banner. This film does have its good moments though. James Spader as the voice of the titular villain Ultron, and the introduction of Scarlet Witch and Vision are just some examples.

16. Iron Man 2 (2010)

I am not quite sure why, but have a soft spot in my heart for Iron Man 2, which is how it made it this far up the list. Let’s get something straight, compared to its predecessor, 2008’s Iron Man, this film is not good. The film is way too cluttered. It tries to tackle too many storylines and too many characters while also attempting to set up the larger narrative of the series. The development of Tony Stark’s character is decent, and the shot of him sitting on the giant donut of Randy’s Donuts is iconic, but this film still lacks a lot.

15. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 (2017)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 is fraught with the same problem as Iron Man 2; its predecessor was just too good. Kurt Russel as Ego the Living Planet is far too underdeveloped in my opinion. This film, unlike the first, is unable to make up for this one-dimensional villain with the chemistry between the main cast. Do not get me wrong, the Guardians’ chemistry is definitely the best part in this film, it just could not save it.

14. Ant Man (2015)

Ant Man was the first true genre film of the MCU. It is through and through a heist film, and, I have to say, I like it very much. The film is also very funny, with Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang delivering not only laughs, but heart. The film does however face the same problem as many others in this series, the underdeveloped villain. While Darren Cross, subsequently Yellowjacket, offers the film a very dynamic and fun third act fight sequence, he is, up until then, quite bland.

13. Spider-Man Far From Home (2019)

Spider-Man Far From Home is far from perfect. The villain Mysterio fails in the sense that in the film he is more an Iron Man villain than a Spider-Man one. Spider-Man stumbles into becoming a foil to Mysterio, rather than having a true connection to the villain. The film also holds over one of the determinants of its predecessor in that it relies too heavily on Peter Parker’s connection with Tony Stark, even after his death. There is one stand-out scene in this film though, and that is the Mysterio illusion scene in which Spider-Man is trapped in one of Mysterio’s complex and mind bending illusions. It was ripped straight from the comics, which is always a good call.

12. Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange presents the sorcerer supreme of the Marvel universe with a mediocre origin story. Dr. Stephen Strange is an arrogant neurosurgeon who suffers a tragic car accident. After the accident, he goes down a path to become the sorcerer supreme. This film has some amazing visuals and set pieces, but the villain Kaecilius and the third act itself leaves much to be desired.

11. Captain America the First Avenger (2011)

Captain America the First Avenger is an amazing period film, and in my opinion, the best hero origin of the series aside from Iron Man. The tale of brave yet scrawny Steve Rogers’ transition into icon Captain America is inspiring. There is also a very endearing love story between Rogers and Peggy Carter which would go on to last the duration of the series to date. While the villain Red Skull, the leader of Marvel’s faux Nazi organization Hydra, is, like many others in the first wave of Marvel films, fairly shallow, he presents a fitting antithesis to Rogers’ glowing American heroism.

10. Spider-Man Homecoming (2017)

My critique of Spider-Man Homecoming is less about the film itself and more about the way it characterizes Spider-Man. As a film, Spider-Man Homecoming is fantastic, with a solid plot, and an amazingly executed twist. Michael Keaton knocks the role of sinister Adrian Toomes, aka “The Vulture”, out of the park. The problems lie in the inherent differences between the character of the comics and the way he is presented in the film. While this interpretation of the character may well be one of the most faithful, it lacks in a few key aspects. For one, Spider-Man was written to be an everyman. It is hard to see Peter Parker as an everyman when he possesses a billion dollar suit made by Tony Stark. The film does try to remedy this fault, rather satisfyingly, by stripping Parker of his suit in the third act. This allows Parker to learn a good lesson and the audience to see a truer interpretation of the character. The film also relies too heavily on Parker’s connection to Stark, of which I am not a fan.

9. Captain America Civil War (2016)

I applaud Captain America Civil War for managing to tackle the character count of an Avengers film while also managing to tell a gripping personal story about Steve Rogers. The film carries over the narrative of a splintered Avengers team from Age of Ultron and adequately portrays their complete schism. It also introduces two breakout Marvel heroes into the MCU, Spider-Man and Black Panther. The airport fight scene in the second act, along with many others in the film, is spectacularly directed and choreographed. 

8. The Avengers (2012)

The Avengers pulled off something that, up until its release, had never before happened. For the first time ever, characters from different franchises collided in one epic team up movie. The Avengers wonderfully captures the dynamic of six completely different heroes, in skillset and personality. The most interesting dynamic is between billionaire playboy Tony Stark and the do-good boy scout Steve Rogers. There are many iconic moments in the film such as the first meeting of Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man, as well as Hulk’s third act transformation.

7. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy presented the Marvel universe with the most diverse and lovable group of characters since The Avengers. The film’s plot focuses less on the mcguffin, “the orb,” and more on the dynamics of the Guardians as a rag-tag group of scavengers and assassins. This was definitely the right choice. The villain, Ronan the Accuser, is practically inconsequential to the film. This hole is easily filled by the engaging story of the formation of the Guardian’s as a family. The film also features one of the best soundtracks of any of the films in the series.

6. Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther introduced audiences to the breathtaking world of Wakanda. This film’s set pieces are some of the best in the series. Also, if we are talking about the best in the series, we have to talk about the film’s villain, Eric Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan. Killmonger has some of the best character development of any villain in the series. Audiences are able to sympathize with his cause, which causes him to stand out among many other cookie cutter villains. Black Panther was the first comic book movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

5. Thor Ragnarok (2017) 

Thor Rangnarok is my personal favorite in the series. A complete refresh for the series, Thor Ragnarok has some of the best action and comedy in the MCU to date. The film features wonderful set pieces inspired by the work of comic icon Jack Kirby. Director Taika Waititi injected his signature style of comedy into the film, which blends perfectly with the characterization of Thor by Chris Hemsworth. This film has Hemsworth’s best work as the character to date. He is given room to expand the boundaries of the character, as Thor not only loses his signature hammer Mjolnir, but also his signature locks of golden hair. The third act of the film is one of the most action packed and hearth-throbbing of the series. 

4. Avengers Infinity War (2018)

Avengers Infinity War featured the largest cast of characters ever featured together at that time. I believe that the film balanced this large cast well. It was the first Avengers film in which the Avengers were separated, which led to character interactions audiences had only dreamed of. I particularly enjoyed the dynamics between Iron Man and Dr. Strange, and subsequently Iron Man, Dr. Strange, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Infinity War ends with one of the most impactful cliffhangers in cinema history while also telling a complete story. The true main character of this film is Thanos. Thanos has the most character development of any villain in the series, particularly due to the fact he had been teased for ten years.

3. Avengers Endgame (2019)

Avengers Endgame reunites the original six Avengers in an attempt to bring back the ones they have lost. Taking place five years after Infinity War, Endgame grapples with the idea of grief and loss, and takes the audience through the remaining Avenger’s complex emotions. I believe those emotions are the best part of this film. The film then delves into a time travel plot that, while not completely fleshed out, is clear enough to the audience to get the job done. The ending battle of the film is one of the most epic action set pieces ever. I am not ashamed to say I shed a tear. Speaking of shedding tears, the ending of the film, with Tony Stark’s funeral and Steve Roger’s retirement, is very emotional and impactful in the best of ways.

2. Iron Man (2008)

The film that kicked off the MCU also managed to be one of its best. Iron Man tells the story of a morally corrupt playboy arms dealer who is launched into heroism after escaping terrorist captivity. Iron Man is one of the most complex characters, and Robert Downey Jr. captured that wonderfully. The film also had some amazing effects for its time, making audiences truly believe a man in an iron suit could fly. The villain of the film, Obadiah Stane, like Red Skull, is a perfect antithesis to Iron Man. Stane is a warmonger with no morals facing off against a man trying to find his. Iron Man is an overall fun movie and was a great way to kick off the series.

1. Captain America the Winter Soldier (2014)

Here we are at number one. Finally, right? Captain America the Winter Soldier takes cues from 70’s spy thrillers and integrates their best qualities. The MCU directorial debut of Joe and Anthony Russo, this film proved they had what it takes to tackle such an expansive narrative. One of the best parts of this film is the character development of Steve Rogers. For the first time, we see Steve begin to question authority, which becomes a key aspect to his character throughout the rest of the films in the series. Winter Soldier also brings back Cap’s long lost friend Bucky Barnes, who has now become the titular Winter Soldier. This resurgence presents an interesting dillema for Rogers, as he has to make a choice of either helping his friend or following the system—two things he strongly believes in. The action in this film is phenomenal, including one of the most iconic scenes in the MCU. Rogers, stuck on an elevator with a group of Hydra soldiers, must fight his way to freedom. It is fantastic. This movie also has many reveals that affect the overarching narrative of the MCU. Through all of this, Winter Soldier finds the right balance and manages to be the best MCU film to date, in my humble opinion.

So, there you have it, my definitive ranking of all of the 23 Marvel Cinematic Universe films. While there are a few that stand apart from the rest, I believe that the MCU, as a whole, is one of the best series in film history. To be honest, it made film history. Never before had a series of films interconnected their narratives in such an ornate and successful fashion. It is my suggestion that if you have not already, you immediately check out the 23 films listed above. You will not be disappointed.