The MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) changed comic book movies forever. A cinematic revolution had begun, and Marvel was Kingpin. Most studios would have crashed and burned, leaving the door open for someone else to step in — but not Marvel. Kevin Feige has created and kept this monster running like a precision motor in a Lamborghini.

Because of its running success, the MCU isn’t just movies anymore. It also includes television series, one-shots, web series, and it even has its own original scores. While not every Marvel movie produced in the last decade was the Holy Grail, there weren’t any horrible ones either. Because of this, the MCU continues to grow at an alarming rate. In the 2018 schedule, the MCU has three huge films set to release. Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. But it doesn’t stop there. In 2019 the MCU will release Captain Marvel, and Untitled Avengers Movie, a sequel to Spider-Man Homecoming (also untitled), and the third installment of GOTG in 2020.

When looking at the MCU, there technically isn’t a so-called worst movie within the franchise. There were a few films, however, which fell somewhat flat. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there were also movies which changed cinematography history while being entertaining and thrilling to watch. Some blame is to rest on the shoulders of Kevin Feige, which is fair. But it should also be noted that he’s the kind of producer who learns from his mistakes. From 2008 to the present, here are all the MCU movies ranked from worst to best.

17 Going Green With The Incredible Hulk

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The Incredible Hulk Best and Worst In MCU

It’s hard to find a place for an MCU movie that was made prior to the MCU even being conceived. But The Incredible Hulk is a part of the gang now even if it was created to be a standalone film. While not the biggest flop of the MCU, it wasn’t exactly the best put together movie either.

Directed by Louis Leterrier with a screenplay by Zak Penn, The Incredible Hulk is not a hero who should do solo films. His character is too depressing and needs others around him to create a balance which audiences can enjoy from beginning to end.

Edward Norton is an amazing actor, but Mark Ruffalo seems to understand the finite points of how to play the Hulk. There’s a balance Mark brings to the table which is irreplaceable.

16 Oh My! Avengers: Age Of Ultron

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Avengers: Age of Ultron Best and Worst of the MCU

It must be nice when your biggest flop nets (not grosses) 382.32 million. Either Marvel has the keys to the universe, or Kevin Feige is just that good. Directed and written by Joss Whedon, Avengers: Age of Ultron is the sequel to The Avengers and is the eleventh film produced in the MCU.

Joss Whedon should take the brunt of the backlash

The core problem in Avengers: Age of Ultron comes down to the antagonist himself, Ultron. James Spader isn’t fully to blame as he was basically working with what was given to him. While Joss Whedon should take the brunt of the backlash. Ultron had few to no qualities that allowed audiences to care about him, or his hatred for the Avengers.

The Hulk and Black Widow hookup wasn’t horrible, but it also felt forced. Add in pacing issues and Avengers: Age of Ultron is the weakest MCU film to date, but still a success financially.

15 Shaky Sequels With Iron Man 2

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Iron Man 2 Best and Worst of Marvel Movies

Iron Man 2 is the third movie produced within the MCU and a sequel to the 2008 Iron Man. Directed by Jon Favreau with a screenplay by Justin Theroux, Iron Man 2 suffered from too many bad decisions. The main point of discourse amongst fans would be the lazy writing, full of “look at the wonderful universe we’re planning on building.”

Mickey Rourke didn’t give it his all, and it almost seems like Jon Favreau never had a clear idea of where he wanted to take the film, almost like he knew it wasn’t worth it. The only saving grace from Iron Man 2 was the performance given by Sam Rockwell.

For Kevin Feige, the mistakes made were a learning lesson. He may not hit the nail on the head with each film produced, but he at least learns from mistakes made and isn’t afraid to take risks.

14 The Soft Entrance Of Ant-Man

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Ant Man Best and Worst of MCU movies

Directed by Peyton Reed, Ant-Man is the twelfth film within the MCU. One of the biggest issues with Ant-Man stems from too many hands in the pot. The screenplay was written by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, and Paul Rudd — with the story being written by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish.

The film felt divided, yet considering everything it went through pre-production, it’s a miracle it wasn’t a complete bust. Ant-man was played too safe, never taking any risks or fully exploring what could be done with his character. It served its purpose by introducing a new Marvel character to the MCU, but it was also easily forgettable.

Peyton Reed will have complete control

Peyton Reed will have complete control over the new Ant-Man and the Wasp coming out in July 2018, and fans are hoping he takes things to a higher and bigger level.

13 Heating Up With Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World Best and Worst Marvel films

If there’s a glaring issue within the MCU, it’s that the sequels often fall way short of the originals. Sadly, this is often the case with movies. Thor: The Dark World had some big shoes to fill and it just couldn’t get the job done. Directed by Alan Taylor, it’s the eighth film in the MCU.

Jane is a drag, and despite Thor’s pouting at the end of Thor, he shows little to no interest in Jane whatsoever. The real relationship in the film exists between Thor and Loki, and it’s the only thing that saved the movie from being a complete disaster. The third act packed a good punch, but the first two acts were painful to sit through. If anything, Thor: The Dark World indirectly set Thor: Ragnarok up, helping it to become the hit it was.

12 Magical Wonders With Doctor Strange

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Doctor Strange best and worst MCU movies

Directed by Scott Derrickson, Doctor Strange is the fourteenth film within the MCU. Benedict Cumberbatch steps into the role of Doctor Strange perfectly, saving the overall film from complete doom and gloom. If any other actor had tried to pull off this part, the movie would have likely been removed from the MCU altogether.

The disappointing parts included the choppiness of the edits, poor action scenes, and a weird difficulty explaining to audiences what Doctor Strange actually does. The positive notes were Benedict Cumberbatch’s talented acting skills and the introduction of a cool Marvel character that often gets overlooked.

How he is used in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War should be interesting. If done properly, fans of the Doctor should expect the sequel that his character deserves. Not the watered-down blueprint original we got.

11 Keeping It Real With Captain America: Civil War

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Captain America: Civil War marvel movies best and worst

There is so much that works within Captain America: Civil War, along with some glaring issues that don’t. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, it’s the thirtieth film in the MCU library. The Russo’s nailed the fight scenes along with the overall pacing of the film. Even the conflicts created between the characters had a natural and unforced flow to it.

The Russo’s nailed the fight scenes

What keeps Captain America: Civil War away from the top of our list would be its ending. The whole third act felt rushed as way too many concepts tried to converge in on one another while keeping the film at a decent length. The airport scene, however, must be one of the best fights in the MCU. Although the taunting and side cracks went a bit too far, taking away the natural tension created in such a standoff.

10 Spoof Central In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 best and worst MCU films

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was hilarious, containing moments that should will be carved into history. But it wasn’t as strong as Guardians of the Galaxy. Directed and written by James Gunn, this volume felt more like a Mel Brooks parody on steroids than it did a sequel to the original. While not a bad thing, it lacked the story drive created in the first.

This volume felt more like a Mel Brooks parody on steroids

The biggest issue with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was the “shove it down your throat” scenes. Moments like Quill playing catch with his dad, or the red-carpet roll-out for golden queen Ayesha were like beating someone into submission with humor. Audiences aren’t dumb. We don’t need everything spelled out.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the fifteenth film within the MCU, and a GOTG 3 is already on the books for 2020.

9 One Of A Kind: Thor

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Directed by Kenneth, Thor is the fourth film within the MCU. Many critics would argue that the scenes on Earth palled in comparison to those on Asgard. Yet, even though they seemed somewhat off from one another, the balance worked. It was a risk that paid off both for Thor and the MCU.

It was a risk that paid off

Chris Hemsworth, along with Branagh’s direction, bring Thor to life. Without Hemsworth, the concept would have never worked. The only parts about Thor that weighed it down slightly was the Loki moments, or lack of them. Tom Hiddleston hadn’t come into his character yet, plus the interaction between Loki and Thor was less than what it could have been.

8 Taking Risks In Iron Man 3

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Iron Man 3 MCU Movies

Iron Man 3 and The Last Jedi both took risks in which the movies were perceived in a way which the directors and producers didn’t care about what had happened previously within the franchise. They rattled the cage while producing solid films. Directed by Shane Black, Iron Man 3 is the seventh movie within the MCU. Favreau handing off the reins was professional and should be commended more often.

Having different perceptions upon a franchise can either tear it apart or bring it into a new stage. Iron Man 3 brought the whole MCU into a new era that hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.

The Mandarin Twist had its weak points, much like Canto Bight did in TLJ, but overall, it’s not a bad flick. Shaking things up in a franchise as big as the MCU is a good thing, lest all the films become like the other — blending into a melting pot in which one is undisguisable from the other.

7 Spot On With Thor: Ragnarok

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Thor: Ragnarok best and worst of MCU movies ranked

It’s funny, enjoyable, and tells a great story. These components are what makes the Thor movies a continued success. Directed by Taika Waititi, Thor: Ragnarok takes the MCU deeper into the characters which make up the series. The film is currently the most recent and a seventeenth within the MCU. Chris Hemsworth pulls off another fantastic performance, along with Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, and Jeff Goldblum.

The only setback to Thor: Ragnarok was humor being put in a spot where it wasn’t necessary. But Taika Waititi isn’t the only director doing this as its occurring more often. The MCU and Hollywood need to find a balance between light and dark storylines. Adding a joke during a serious moment doesn’t make the film a light movie. Just unbalanced.

6 Hello Cap: Captain America: The First Avenger

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Captain America The First Avenger MCU best and worst movies

Directed by Joe Johnston, Captain America: The First Avenger is the fifth movie within the MCU. At its core, bringing Cap to the big screen was brilliant and groundbreaking. Without its popularity and strong standing, the MCU might not have withstood like it has.

The fight scenes and heroic imagery paved the way for Patty Jenkins' take on Wonder Woman. Which is a great thing because the world is on its way towards being a better place.

Like Chris Hemsworth and Thor, Chris Evans is Captain America

The only downside to Captain America: The First Avenger was Cap going on a tour to promote the armed services. It fell flat and felt more like a convenient way to move the film along. Like Chris Hemsworth and Thor, Chris Evans is Captain America. His take on the character is original and authentic, making it that much more enjoyable to watch.

5 History Being Made With Guardians Of The Galaxy

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Guardians Of The Galaxy MCU Movies

Guardians of the Galaxy changed comic book movies forever. Taking a Mel Brooks style blueprint that was commonly used specifically for spoofs, it became a success by bringing these much unknown comic book heroes to the big screen. Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy is a classic that will forever stand the test of time. There isn’t a bad character within the series, and the soundtrack is stellar.

The only downfall to its success, is that Hollywood promoters and marketers are failing to understand why the comedic parts of GOTG won’t work well within other franchises. How these iconic crapshoot heroes are mashed into Avengers: Infinity War should prove to be very interesting. You don’t want them to lose who they are, but the style they’re written in might not balance with the rest of the movie either.

4 Brilliant! Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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Captain America: The Winter Soldier Marvel best and worst movies

Captain America: The Winter Soldier felt like an actual continuation of Captain America: The First Avenger. It wasn’t forced, and it didn’t feel like a sequel that fell short of living up to the original. If anything, it’s the Empire Strikes Back of the Captain America films. Directed by Anthony and Russo, it’s the ninth movie within the MCU.

While a good deal of might argue its place on this list, Captain America: The Winter Soldier was everything a superhero movie should be. It was full of great action scenes, understandable and relatable conflict, while also being cutting edge and well-written.

There were parts (like helicarriers falling out of the sky) which weren’t needed, but if that’s the worst moment of the movie — then there isn’t much to complain about.

3 Nailed It With Spider-Man: Homecoming

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Spider-Man: Homecoming MCU movies

There is finally a Spider-Man who lives up to the comic book version, and he just happens to be a part of the MCU. Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming is the sixteenth film within the MCU. Tom Holland is a brilliant match, creating a young teenage Spider-Man that had yet to be portrayed correctly on the big screen.

Tom Holland is a brilliant match

Incorporating a modern take of a typical teenage millennial was pure genius. The only downfall with the film was the use of the soundtrack. Music plays such an important role in the overall feel of the film. Yet, the music is nothing spectacular to borderline boring and cliché. Incorporating more modern styles of classical tracks, like what Hans Zimmer has done with the DCU films, would have put Spider-Man at number one.

2 Mashups Work In The Avengers

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Being an oldie myself, I guess you could say I’m more inclined to favor the films which impacted MCU the most. The Avengers is written and directed by Joss Whedon, making it the sixth film within the MCU.

What makes The Avengers so unique, is that Whedon showed the world how multiple superheroes could share the stage successfully. This movie created the blueprint of how to put multiple superheroes together while telling a compelling story.

The only notable setback to The Avengers was the opening. After that, everything fell into place like it had been there all along. There may never be another Avengers movie like it, but it will forever remain one of the best MCU movies ever made.

1 Back To The Beginning With Iron Man

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The first Iron Man Movie, Marvels best and worst

What came first shall remain number one. Directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man is the first official movie of the MCU, while also being the most creative. Jon Favreau is a brilliant actor and a wonderful creator. He made a story out of an adult man reinventing himself once discovering the world is far more complex than he originally believed. He also made Iron Man completely superhero-ish and relatable at the same time.

And let’s not forget what Robert Downey Jr brought to the film too. At the time, many considered him to be washed up and strung out. Now, he’s the glue which holds the entire MCU in place. Iron Man literally changed the course of history and comic book movies. It launched the MCU today, and is without a doubt, the best Marvel movie ever.