When it comes to the MCU, most of the movies and television series they've released have been well received. While there are a few that fell short of expectations, most MCU projects have several redeeming qualities that make them stand out from other movies. Even the so-called disappointing movies are at least watchable due to their stellar performances and/or solid special effects.
The MCU's popularity is still growing as new characters debut every year. However, topping the impact the Infinity Saga had from 2008 to 2019 is going to take some work for the second wave. The epic team-up movies and exhilarating solo projects, where each MCU film told a story that connected it to a larger universe, were instantly loved by critics and fans alike. However, there are some films that need to be rewatched to fully appreciate their significance.
10 Thor Was The First MCU Story To Deal With Another Planet Besides Earth
The original Thor from 2011 is looked back on as a disappointment. However, it's still an entertaining film that introduces the God of Thunder to the MCU. The film also introduced Asgard, which made it the first MCU movie to take place on another planet besides Earth.
While Asgard plays a big part in Thor, the best parts of the story take place on Earth after Thor is banished. It's a solid origin story for Thor, and with the exception of Thor's bleach blonde eyebrows, the costume design looked authentic and the CGI was on point.
9 The Incredible Hulk May Be The MCU's Black Sheep But It's Much Better The Second Time Around
While the CGI wasn't up to par in comparison to other MCU films, The Incredible Hulk is wrongly overlooked. Edward Norton did an excellent job as Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk, which is what made it a movie with great character development. Also, William Hurt's Thunderbolt Ross was so good that the character is still being utilized in the MCU.
The Incredible Hulk is loaded with non-stop action, including a crazy chase scene at the beginning of the film, and the love story between Bruce and Betty is one of the rare success stories in the history of the MCU.
8 Ant-Man & The Wasp Felt A Little Small In Scale After Being Released Right After Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War was an amazing film that brought many of the MCU characters together for the first time. While Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne were not involved in Infinity War, their story continued just mere months afterward in Ant-Man and The Wasp.
After audiences experienced the magnanimity of Infinity War, Ant-Man and The Wasp was bound to feel a little underwhelming. However, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly were as charming as ever as the titular heroes, and the story itself was fun. Dealing with the fallout of Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang was caught up in a unique situation that initially caused a rift between him and Hank Pym. However, it only made their relationship stronger by the end of the movie.
7 Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Introduced Celestials To The MCU & Added More Layers To The Guardians
The first Guardians of the Galaxy film was an absolute triumph in modern movie history. Introducing a ragtag group of lesser-known Marvel characters to the MCU, the sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, further explored the dysfunctional family. It also introduced new characters such as Ego the living planet, who was Peter Quill's father and a powerful celestial. The movie was filled with a lot of comedy and some intense action scenes. However, the emotional backstory of Yondu and Peter's complicated relationship was the heart of the film.
6 Captain America: The First Avenger Was A World War 2 Story That Introduced The Future Leader Of The Avengers
Captain America: The First Avenger may not be the most popular MCU film; however, it introduced one of the MCU's most important characters and told an entertaining story about the super soldier in WW2. Chris Evans' "skinny Steve" CGI wasn't the best, and his performance came off as a little generic, but there was obviously something special about Evans' Captain America considering his later popularity. The whole cast of Captain America: The First Avenger were super talented, and the soundtrack was perfectly patriotic. The scene towards the end of the movie – when Cap makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the world and is forced to reschedule his dance with the love of his life, Peggy Carter – is iconic.
5 Iron Man 3 Was The First MCU Movie Released After The Avengers & Is An Entertaining Holiday Action Film
Released after The Avengers, Iron Man 3 served as an excellent finale to Tony Stark's solo outings. However, Iron Man 3 is sometimes overlooked because of its smaller scale in comparison to the mega team-up in The Avengers. Yet, Robert Downey Jr. shines as Iron Man once again as he deals with PTSD after the events of The Avengers.
The Christmas setting was unique to the MCU, which added another fun element to a story and made it feel like a classic action movie. The final 30 minutes of Iron Man 3 has some amazing sequences, including the crashing plane scene and the introduction of several new Iron Man suits.
4 Captain Marvel Was Released Right Before Endgame So The Story Was Overlooked Yet Still Nostalgic
Released between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel hit the silver screen at a tough time. It also had to introduce an interesting new character to the fold with Brie Larson's portrayal of Carol Danvers. Taking place in 1995, Captain Marvel serves up a boatload of nostalgia for kids who grew up in the 90s, and it also gave backstories to a few familiar MCU faces from previous movies. Brie Larson's performance may have come off a little wooden, but fans often forget that Carol is suffering from an identity crisis and is supposed to seem a little aloof. By the end of the movie, Carol's powers shine through (along with Larson's performance) as the importance of Captain Marvel's power is fully realized.
3 Spider-Man: Far From Home Had The Impossible Task Of Following Endgame's Epic Conclusion
Similar to other MCU movies, Spider-Man: Far From Home had a huge mountain to climb after the success of Avengers: Endgame. As such, it felt a little smaller in scale.
Even so, Tom Holland's second solo outing as the wall-crawler is a solid movie that mixes the vibe of John Hughes' vacation movie and a straightforward superhero story. In addition to some great acting and solid action, Far From Home includes two of the most important post-credits scenes: both of which will change the future of the MCU forever.
2 Doctor Strange Introduced Other Dimensions & The Master Of The Mystic Arts
One of the darker and grittier MCU movies, Doctor Strange introduced the Master of the Mystic Arts, the Time Stone, and other dimensions to the universe. All these introductions were vital for the MCU's past, present, and future considering Dr. Stephen Strange played a huge role in Infinity War and Endgame. Strange's first solo movie was greatly improved by Benedict Cumberbatch, who was born to be the Sorcerer Supreme. In the movie, he overcomes his issues and becomes one of the Earth's greatest protectors.
1 Thor: Ragnarok Is An Action Packed Comedy That Deserves Several Viewings To Truly Appreciate It
While Thor: Ragnarok is considered one of the MCU's best films, the story is a little complicated for the casual viewer – hence the reason it gets better the more it's watched. Hemsworth shines as the God of Thunder once again, as does Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Anthony Hopkins as Odin. Plus, Ragnarok introduces important characters like Valkyrie, The Grandmaster, Surtur, and Hela. Mark Ruffalo also joins in on the fun as the returning Bruce Banner/Hulk, whose interactions with Thor steal the show. The story is filled with lots of laughs and big-time action. However, it also knows when to take itself seriously. Consequently, it's the most rewatchable movie in the MCU.
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