When talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are three types of people that exist. There are people, like me, who have fervently gone to see every movie and will continue to do so until the day we die. On the other hand, there are some that roll their eyes and think about how movies were a lot better “back in the day”. Then there’s some in between who have managed to watch every Avenger’s movie and the odd other movie here and there but completely miss all the important bits in between (it still baffles me how you got through Infinity War and Endgame if you’re this person!). But regardless of what camp you’re in, there’s one thing you have to admit – the MCU Infinity Saga was truly revolutionary. You have to respect the craftsmanship that went into creating ten years of collaborative storytelling, and give kudos to the fact that they managed to stick the landing. 

The MCU nowadays gets a lot of flack and I’ll admit the quality has dipped and for several reasons – a lack of direction, a focus on quantity, pandemic related constraints. But when you take the time to look back on the first three phases of the MCU, and take off those rose-tinted glasses, you quickly realise that, for all the great movies made, there’s a lot of not so great ones too. So with that in mind, I thought it was about time to actually reflect back on the 23 movies that comprise the Infinity Saga and create my definitive ranking. Enjoy! 

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#23: The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)

The bottom of my list has to sadly go to Louis Letterier’s 2008 Incredible Hulk. It’s not inherently a bad movie, but in the grand scheme of the MCU it is certainly the least necessary. Edward Norton is great in the role, but the combination of big bombastic action and an overly serious tone makes it in retrospect feel more akin to the Fast franchise than what the MCU ultimately became (which I suppose is what made Letterier a great choice for directing Fast X!). 

#22: Thor: The Dark World (November 8, 2013)

The Thor franchise in general is plagued by identity crises and director changes, and Alan Taylor’s Thor: The Dark World is likely the weakest of the bunch. I do personally find the movie entertaining, but it really doesn’t bring anything new to the table, and it doesn’t service any of its characters whatsoever. It’s forgettable, and serves only to move a few chess pieces around, from introducing the reality stone (although that was the clearest ret-con of them all), taking Thor and Loki’s parents off the board, and bringing Thor to Earth to participate in the next Avengers movie.   

#21: Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)

The Ant-Man franchise in the MCU has always been a breath of fresh air (Quantumania aside) amongst the many heavy hitters, and this movie is no exception releasing right after Infinity War. That said, ultimately this is a movie plagued with a lack of stakes, a lack of character growth, and lack of anything interesting or original. There are still some enjoyable parts, particularly when the movie leans into the size changing shenanigans. But ultimately this is just another okay addition to the MCU that serves to move the chess pieces into place, introducing Wasp and the Quantum Realm, and establishing why Ant-Man isn’t present in Infinity War. 

#20: Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)

Interestingly, this entry is yet another movie that I consider to be a bit of a chess board movie. In this case, Iron Man 2 was plagued with having to include just way too much. Tony Stark’s hubris, dealing with the poisoning from his arc reactor, competition from Vanko / Justin Hammer, and Tony trying to keep his armour out of the hands of the US government, are all worthy follow-ups to the first Iron Man, all of which showcase ongoing character growth for its titular character. But adding on top of that the introduction of War Machine, Black Widow, Nick Fury, SHIELD, and even the introduction of Thor in a post-credit sequence – this movie just has way too much going on.  

#19: Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)

I’ll be the first to admit, this movie is lower on my list than I think it is for many others. I just don’t like war movies, and I’m generally hit or miss on period pieces. So sue me. Ultimately, The First Avenger is a more than serviceable origin story that shows how Steve Rogers ultimately transcends beyond the propaganda moniker that was bestowed upon him. Chris Evan’s is perfectly cast, and it introduces us to some important characters in Bucky Barnes and Peggy Carter. But is it one that I return to again and again? No, not really. 

#18: Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)

I’ll caveat this low ranking by saying first off, like all MCU movies, watching Captain Marvel is still an enjoyable experience. I think Brie Larson is perfectly cast, and her chemistry with Lashana Lynch and Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic. But ultimately this movie falls flat for me because, again, it feels too much like a chess game than a movie. Serving to not only introduce us to the character, the movie also provides us with an origin for Maria / Monica Rambeau, Nick Fury, the Skrulls, and the Kree. Couple that with a lack of a convincing arc for the main character (the movie makes a point to tell us that Carol Danvers has always been the same strong person she has been throughout her whole life), and it leaves me personally feeling a bit dissatisfied. The movie just has no stakes – even the Kree feel so inconsequential that Marvel felt comfortable enough to recast Gemma Chan in the same universe. I am very much looking forward to the Marvels and hope we can give the character a bit more to do rather than just be powerful, persevering and quippy.

#17: Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)

Yes full stop, the Mandarin reveal was disappointing. I think this movie for me had a great vision, but just not the greatest execution. Being able to explore Tony Stark’s PTSD and anxieties, tearing him down to literally nothing and watching him use pure ingenuity to overcome his obstacles – those were great ideas to explore and for that this movie has earned some respect (and a higher ranking on this list than Iron Man 2). But the movie is ultimately bogged down by its villains who fall flat, and its moment of catharsis (Tony blowing up all of his suits and removing his arc reactor) that is immediately undercut by the knowledge that Iron Man will indeed make future appearances in the MCU. 

#16: Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

As previously mentioned, I will appreciate how Ant-Man 1 and 2 serve as perfect “counter programming” to the rest of the MCU, giving us some levity, real comedy, and just genuinely fun times on screen. This is ultimately where I feel like Quantumania falls short (but that’s a whole other topic in and of itself). Ant-Man is a solid origin story, and in comparison to other entries on this list, showcases some real character growth. Not a great movie, but also not a bad movie whatsoever. And for that I give it a very middle-of-the-road ranking. 

#15: Doctor Strange (November 4, 2016)

Similar to Ant-Man, Doctor Strange at its core is just another origin story that fits quite well into that typical MCU formula, down to a one-note villain played by an amazing actor. But I will appreciate the fact that it went for something different, introducing the mystical side of the MCU and attempting something more dynamic with the visuals (although truthfully they could have gone further) and its final Dormammu confrontation. And it’s also the movie that brought Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen and Michael Stuhlbarg to the MCU. 

#14: Thor (May 6, 2011)

The Thor movie holds a special place in my heart because I think it’s the first MCU movie I watched in theatres. Kenneth Branagh is such an interesting choice to direct an MCU movie, but in a way makes so much sense with a property like Thor that could certainly have gone in a more gravitas-filled Shakespearean direction. Overall, I think this is a great origin story, taking us through an entire hero’s journey by introducing the character, showing us his fall for grace, and allowing us to see him ultimately become worthy of his own mantle. It’s genuinely funny without needing to be overly silly. The supporting cast is great. It’s a nice little package of an MCU movie.  

#13: Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)

So I acknowledge this movie isn’t the greatest. Like other movies lower on this list, Age of Ultron is yet another chess piece movie (boy there are a lot more of those than I remember). Importantly, it provides the origin for Vision, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Ulysses Klaue. It is a vehicle to get Thor and Hulk off planet so that the MCU can tell more grounded stories. And of course, it gives us our first look at the Infinity Stones. But all that said, this movie was a lot of fun to watch and has a replayable quality for me that previous entries on this list just don’t quite have. What the Avengers franchise nails is the group battle sequence, and this movie is no exception. From the opening battle against Hydra to the ending battle surrounding the world-ending MacGuffin in Sokovia, the action sequences and set pieces are incredible. It’s this group battle choreography that I have always hoped we would get in an X-men or Justice League franchise, and for that I offer this movie some well deserved praise. 

#12: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)

As I will further explain a bit later on this list, the Guardian’s of the Galaxy franchise is indeed one of the best trilogies in the MCU, and Volume 2 is a solid entry. Gunn continues to deliver personal and touching character pieces hidden beneath the superhero guise. The emotional weight of Peter Quill’s storyline, and his relationship with his actual and surrogate father, is handled so well. That said, this movie falls a bit short due to its bloat, introducing way too much (Ego and the Celestials, Mantis, the extended Ravagers line-up, and the Sovereign), and ultimately leaving many of its existing characters and their amazing actors with not much to do. 

#11: Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

In general, I quite enjoy the Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy, and Far From Home brought us some more enjoyable high school fun. It demonstrates how the MCU so adeptly deals with consequences – showing us the aftermath of the Blip, the loss of Tony Stark, and villains created directly from the actions of its heroes. And it’s this connection to the MCU that makes this version of Spider-Man feel so fresh. The story direction is perfect, showing us how Holland’s Spider-Man comes to terms with being a superhero on his own without the support of his mentor. Overall, it’s a great movie, and a great palate cleanser from Endgame.  

#10: Iron Man (May 2, 2008)

The movie that kicked everything off, Iron Man is certainly a triumph when you realise that the filmmakers really didn’t know what they were doing when they started filming (giving birth to the MCU problem of filming without a completed script). It’s Robert Downey Jr. that ultimately makes this movie great, delivering the perfect blend of arrogant cockiness and pure vulnerability. It’s the film that firmly established in this universe that actions have consequences, setting the tone for what would become the rest of the universe (and I think ultimately instilling this mindset is what makes the whole interconnected universe work so well). To this day it still honestly gives me chills to watch Tony Stark make and don the Iron Man armour for the first time. A truly great foundation for what was to come.  

#9: Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)

Spider-Man: Homecoming was a pleasant surprise in the MCU, taking an all too familiar formula but still giving us something that honestly felt fresh. Tom Holland really captured that awkward, youthful, and quippy side of Peter Parker well, and it was nice to see an iteration of high school Spider-Man that just felt…right. Not to mention that the chemistry between Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon is just fantastic. Michael Keaton was a genuinely scary Vulture, and again we see how well the MCU deals with consequences, in this case the aftermath of the Battle of New York. While its not required viewing for the MCU as a whole, and doesn’t really add anything new to the universe, it’s the movie that showed us how Spider-Man grew to become an Avengers worthy superhero, and showed us why Tom Holland was more than perfect for the role. 

#8: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)

I feel like a broken record but again, the thing that for me makes movies in an interconnected universe great are (1) meaningful character arcs, and (2) meaningful consequences. And Captain America: The Winter Soldier truly had both. Having been so invested in the film franchise at that point in 2014, and also invested in the Agents of SHIELD show, it was incredible to see Marvel take such a big swing, basically tearing apart the foundation of its universe and showing us that they are willing to make big changes. And I love that they really leaned into the political intrigue and spy thriller genre for this one, helping to really differentiate The Winter Soldier from the rest of the universe. If there’s one thing I can fault about this movie is that, in comparison to later entries on this list, this movie is less about the characters and more about the events that unfold around the characters. But that doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyable experience. 

#7: Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)

I will always appreciate that this Avengers movie stuck to its guns, and gave us an ending where the good guys lost. Not many franchises would do that. We ended up with consequences and losses that felt real, and while I know that many of these deaths were ultimately reversed, at the end of the day we actually got to watch on screen Wanda killing Vision, and Peter Quill pulling the trigger on Gamora – how crazy! This movie would be higher on my list if it wasn’t part 1 of 2, and also if it wasn’t tasked with putting all the pieces in place for a grand finale. We aren’t given a lot of time with any character, with the exception of Thanos. And while it sets up the chess board perfectly, there’s a part of the movie that always feels a bit incomplete if I’m looking at the movie on its own. 

#6: Thor: Ragnarok (November 3, 2017)

While not necessarily always my sense of humour, Thor: Ragnarok was a really special movie. A true rebirth of a character, this is the first (and maybe only) time that Thor felt right. Not overburdened by the mythology of the character. Not overly prim, proper and royal. And the quirky and fun “not taking yourself too seriously” tone Taika Waititi is so effortlessly able to achieve fits so perfectly. Waititi was an inspired choice, as a director who is so adept at telling stories of trauma, and how we laugh through the pain, which lined up so perfectly to where we were in Thor’s story arc. And as a result we got several great character developments not only for Thor, but also for Bruce Banner, Loki, and even newcomer Valkyrie. Great action choreography. Stunningly colourful visuals. Overall this one was a great MCU movie. 

#5: The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

Kicking off the top 5 with the movie that arguably reinvented blockbuster filmmaking as we know it, The Avengers showed us how weaving franchises together can create pure magic and a special moviegoing experience. The cherry on top: the final battle sequence. The “one-shot” panning action sequence in the final act is perfect and is what I think all group action scenes should aspire towards – watching groups of heroes work TOGETHER, using their powers in unique and interesting combinations rather than just watching several individual fights at once. For that sequence, and for essentially being a cultural phenomenon, this movie deserves a spot on the top 5 list. 

#4: Black Panther (February 16, 2018)

What I will always say about the Black Panther franchise is that what makes me appreciate the movies more is learning and understanding how much love and attention was put into the movie by its creative team. Director Ryan Coogler, composer Ludwig Göransson, soundtrack producer Kendrick Lamar, costume designer Ruth E. Carter – every behind the scenes video or interview would just expand my appreciation of the film and the true artistry that went behind putting all of this together. And this is before I even start talking about its amazing cast. This is the movie that brought us Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan to the MCU who both deliver amazing and perfectly  contrasting performances. But it’s the female cast – Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, and Letitia Wright – that makes this movie shine. While it’s the final fight sequence, which falls into some of the CGI pitfalls of other MCU movies, that prevents this movie from moving even higher up on my list, Black Panther still well deservedly sits in my top 5. 

#3: Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)

I will always have so much respect for James Gunn for taking such a deep cut of a team and creating one of the greatest and most consistent trilogies in the MCU. Like Waititi in Thor: Ragnarok, Gunn brought his very specific vision to the MCU, and what resulted was magical. The movie felt so fresh and innovative, giving us a new take on the “superhero”, a new sense of humour to the MCU, and some much needed fun and silliness that just hadn’t existed in the MCU yet. And on top of that it’s just a damn good movie. The cast is incredible. The story is well crafted, balancing multiple characters and giving each of them room to shine. There is real, emotion-driven, character growth. Needle drops are used with actual INTENTION. Even if its sense of humour is not for you, this is a masterclass in directing. 

#2: Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)

In the penultimate spot we find the movie that more or less ended the saga, Avengers: Endgame. There’s no denying that Avengers: Endgame is a triumph in filmmaking. As a fan of the MCU, to watch 10 years of movies pay off in such a satisfying way, both in terms of action and emotion, was absolutely incredible and well worth the patience, dedication, and commitment. It was incredibly smart to focus in on the main six cast members, and Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner deliver. Their well deserved final end credits tribute gives me goosebumps each time I watch it. The stakes are at their highest, and the consequences as a result are incredibly heart wrenching and powerful. The final 30+ minute action sequence is everything that you want it to be, and I’m glad they kept it long and indulgent. What stops this from taking the final spot is that I do wonder how impactful the movie is on its own, without that 10 years of context. But that said, I couldn’t imagine a better ending to the saga. 

#1: Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)

And in the final spot, my #1 MCU movie goes to Captain America: Civil War. A bit of a surprise maybe? This has been my #1 for many years and most people look at me a bit incredulously when I mention it. 

Captain America: Civil War is, for me, the perfect MCU movie. I will caveat by saying that, no matter how successful this movie was, I would not want this movie to become a standard for the industry, and I acknowledge that in many ways this movie is responsible for a lot of the terrible superhero movies that followed (looking at you Justice League). For all intents and purposes this movie just shouldn’t have worked. This movie reeks of studio overreach, and I would love to have been a fly on the wall watching writers Markus and McFeely pull their hair out with each character introduction they were asked to hamfist in. This movie really is lightning in a bottle.

So what makes this such as a special movie for me? Let me explain.

#1: The movie has a great story. Let me just say, yes I’ve read the comics, and yes this movie does not follow that story whatsoever. But to me this is one of the best ways that the MCU has taken a concept from the comic and applied it to the movie universe. The story continues to hit on what the MCU handles so well – consequences. Weaving together the aftermath of all the big MCU battles, the response from the government to begin to regulate superhero activity just makes sense as a natural consequence to superhero activity. Even the subplot of Zemo and Black Panther works, because both characters are naturally motivated by the consequences of these very same MCU battles, Zemo by the events in Sokovia in Age of the Ultron, and Black Panther by the events in Lagos earlier in the film. 

#2: This movie is still a great Captain America movie. While other trilogies in the MCU have a more consistent approach to focusing on the titular character, this movie still captures the essence of a Captain America movie. The Captain America movies have always been politically driven action-espionage films, tackling themes involving the overreach of political powers, and how political motivations conflict with moral obligation. And while the context is vastly different from the previous two Captain America outings, this movie is no exception. 

#3: The characters are well written. As much as the movie is about recreating our childhoods of smashing superhero action figures together, the movie also handles this idea of inter-superhero conflict in a more adult way. I’ll admit these moments are brief, but there are so many perfect scenes where characters just talk through their motivations like adults, and we actually get to see how each character is responding and changing based on the events of the movie. We’re aided by the fact that we’ve been with many of these characters for 7 years at this point, but it’s still incredible to see actually meaningful dialogue transpire between characters in a summer blockbuster. 

#4: The film is so tightly edited. The movie has so much to handle, that I will always appreciate how tight and well organised this movie is, down to its simple and in your face location cards as the movie moves at lightning pace from location to location. No moment is too long, and this allows us to catch those moments between supporting characters that add to our understanding of the movie, the characters and their motivations. In a less adept hand I imagine that a studio would have cut those moments out, which certainly would have been to the films detriment. 

#5: The movie handles its hamfisted introductions well. Please let’s not continue this trend, but yes the movie handles its many introductions surprisingly well. As a lesser known character, Black Panther is given his own supporting storyline, which not only establishes the character and his motivation, but actually gives us a conclusion with some character growth as T’Challa ultimately decides to take Zemo into custody instead of killing him outright. While Spider-Man doesn’t get quite the same treatment (which makes sense since it’s a character we all know pretty well at this point), Tom Holland’s limited scenes make such a strong first impression for this version of the character, and establish some great chemistry between Holland, Downey Jr., and Tomei. And on top of all this, Civil War also managed to plant the seeds of what would become future MCU shows – WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Such an incredible feat indeed. 

#6: The movie avoids typical third act pitfalls. It’s refreshing to see that the big epic battle of the movie is actually the end of Act 2, setting up a much more personal and emotionally charged Act 3 final showdown between Iron Man and Captain America. And the final showdown is one of the best in the MCU. As much as it’s physically brutal, it’s also emotionally devastating. The look on Tony’s face when Cap rips off his helmet. Cap eventually dropping the shield as he carries Bucky out. It’s incredible how well these moments are handled. 

I realise that this long of a post in support of my #1 movie makes it feel like I need to justify my choice. But honestly I think people write off this film a little bit too quickly, without actually thinking about the pure craftsmanship that had to go into it. This movie handles an “Avengers” formula better than some of the Avengers movies, and brought together so many characters and storylines in an actually meaningful way. And for that it will remain my #1 of the Infinity Saga.

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If you’ve stuck around this long thank you for indulging me in my thoughts on the Infinity Sage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As I’ve mentioned before, I treat these lists as thought exercises, helping me hone my own thoughts and critical thinking when it comes to movies, and I would encourage you to do the same! Let me know in the comments below, how does your top 10 stack up to mine?