With the upcoming Thor Love & Thunder debuting today, I felt that I had to do my best Daily Bugle impression and get to covering superheroes. So for this week, the Elli-torial will cover how impactful these characters have been to the superhero genre and how it has blossomed into the Juggernaut that it is. Plus as an added bonus, it’s time for another tier list! I have ranked all of the MCU films, no shows/Sony properties, from what I feel are Beyonder level good and movies that could probably be left faded from the snap. Now I know a lot of us are Loki excited for Thor to be back on the big screen, but Thor in the MCU has definitely gone through his fair share of growing pains. All of these characters have gone through their fair share of developments that have led them to become the heroes we are all so enthralled to watch.
Why not start with the God of Thunder, Thor. His first appearance came in his debut movie Thor which showcased the Brodinson as a cocky, arrogant warrior. After Odin basically took away his allowance and kicked him out of the house, Thor was sent down to Earth where he began his campaign of coffee mug destruction. During this, he meets Multiverse sweetheart Jane Foster and they begin one of the first relationships in the MCU. I’m gonna do Thor and you a favor and skip right past Thor: Dark World and go straight to Ragnarok. This is the film that for me, truly showcased not just Chris Hemsworth as being a funny actor, but also gave us the best outing of the character to date. A confident Thor gets a HARD reality check when he meets Helen, aka his sister, that genuinely feels like the first overpowered villain of the MCU. Outmatched, He and Loki bail and get separated, which leads to Thor being stranded on a battle world. By the end of Ragnarok, we finally see Thor as not only a true God of Thunder, but also the leader Odin believed him to be and the brother Loki needed to grow. Thor Ragnarok is in my opinion the best MCU film not starting with Avengers, truly worthy of all the glory. Speaking of glory, why not go to another avenger who is worthy.
Seeing as it was just the 4th of July, why not go over the Stars and Stripes Avenger? String Bean Steve Rodgers, the kid from Brooklyn with a heart of gold transforming into Captain Chad, proving that steroids do make you a superhero much like Hulk Hogan or Barry Bonds. In true American fashion, he then goes on a kickin’ ass and taking names tour through WWII Germany. This is where we are first introduced to Red Skull, the MCU’s first wasted super villain. Though we lose Red Skull, what we get in the rest of the Captain America trilogies is some of the best movies in the MCU. Winter Solider gave us a more grounded yet action-packed film that answered questions from the first and set us up for a perfect ending of a trilogy with Civil War. What made Civil War really stand out wasn’t just the introduction of Spider-Man or Black Panther into the MCU, but it gave real stakes into the relationships of these characters. One of those being between Captain American and the Avenger that started it all, Iron Man.
Though in the timeline the Cap might be first, none of this would have started without Iron Man. When it comes to perfectly setting up a movie UNIVERSE, look no further than the first Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. is the perfect Tony Stark. Egotistical, haughty, and self-centered, Robert brought that out in spades, yet it never felt overbearing. In fact, even when he’s flaunting his wealth and military might, he feels like one of the boys. No, not those boys but we’ll talk about them later. After being abducted and basically having his heart removed, Tony has to literally build himself up all over again, that and a metal ass battle suit. It was this transformation of self that made the movie so enthralling while also giving us a realistic way of making Iron Man work. His trilogy might have fizzled out but with RDJ’s groundbreaking portrayal none of the MCU would have got the green light. While we’re on the subject of green, I think it’s time we address the big green elephant in the room.
Hulk, the strongest there is when it comes to anything but movie count. The very first Hulk is a bit of a throwaway, though those gamma dogs were crazy. MCU Hulk didn’t technically start until The Incredible Hulk. A film I feel is under appreciated. You had Edward Norton Jr playing what I felt was a spot on Bruce Banner, a great looking Hulk, and a BADASS finally battle between Hulk and Abomination. Plus it really showed how feared Hulk was not just by the military, but also by Bruce. Constantly checking his heart rate, his battle with his anger is what makes the Hulk so fascinating, which I feel is somewhat lost in Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal of the character. Don’t get me wrong, Mark Ruffalo is a heavy-hitting actor and really made the Hulk his own. Personally, I would love to see another Hulk movie so we can get a deeper look into Mark’s take on the battle of control between Bruce and Hulk. However, it looks as if they’re taking Hulk in a more comedic direction with She Hulk coming to Disney+ soon. Though I understand the reasoning why it feels like they left food on the table with Hulk. I put a lot of focus on the four I guess you could say “heavy hitters” but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about the two without powers Black Widow and Hawkeye.
Let’s start with every nerd’s crush since Iron Man 2, and rightfully so. Scarlet Johansson is another example of perfect casting in the MCU. From her delivery of lines, her overall look, and the choreography of her moves, Scarlet truly brings out the best of Black Widow’s mission-first attitude. My only issue, and I mean ONLY issue with Black Widow, is her movie. Not that it was made, but that it was made 10 years too late. She is a key member of the Avengers, has been in the MCU since 2010, and yet her movie (which is in the same time frame as Spiderman) wasn’t made until 2021. I understand that you couldn’t quite make a movie after the events of End Game, but you had 10 years to get this sorted out, plus with the controversy with her issues with her contract and it being in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, she deserved better.
Hawkeye on the other hand I feel got it perfect. He was a great addition to the cast and team but didn’t feel like a big enough hero to warrant his own movie. What better way to give him his time to shine than in a Disney+ series. Both Hawkeye and Black Widow shine when they are together as their sense of comradery and mutual support for one another gives us one of the strongest bonds on the team. A bond we see in full display by the end of the Avengers run.
Now that the team has assembled I think it is only fitting to now go into the tier list. This list is compiled with all of the movies released up until today’s movie. Like I said at the beginning, there will be NO Sony projects (sorry Spiderverse, Venom) and no streaming series (sorry Punisher, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage). I will also shorten my reviews of these films because of A. There are a lot of them. B. I kinda just went over most of the characters. C. The bad ones speak for themselves. So without further adieu, let’s dive right on in.
We will start from worst to best.
Probably Not Gonna Watch It: The tier speaks for itself.
Black Widow: This sadly was a victim of poor scheduling and release issues, made 10 years too late and deserved better.
Eternals: This one outside looking in feels like a stand-alone film, like it brings no value to the overall story of the MCU, kind of like the Inhumans but we don’t talk about that…
Not Worth it: Movies you hopefully skipped in theaters, a streaming only movie and most likely trying to go through the films in chronological order to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Thor: The Dark World: This was definitely Thor’s awkward phase, uninteresting from the start and if it wasn’t for the chemistry between Thor, Jane, and Loki, this movie would have been probably their worst.
Iron Man 3: I initially had the 2nd movie worse but looking back, there’s no way it’s worse than this iron-suited disaster. A waste of the Mandarin, though thankfully he has been redeemed in a movie we will discuss soon.
Iron Man 2: Whiplash? Seriously, WHIPLASH? Iron Man has some solid villains you could have used to come back strong after the first movie’s success, and instead we get Whiplash. We even got drunk Tony having to work on himself and his feelings for Pepper, but it feels like those moments are wasted with this misfire. Positive note though, we meet Black Widow.
Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness: I felt really let down with this movie. The acting was fine, the art style and effects I thought were cool, but the characters were at an all-time dumb. Literally the dumbest decisions were made in this movie, but literally, every problem could have been avoided.
Thor: Finishing out the tier is the God of Thunder’s debut movie. Though the chemistry is there and we are introduced to Loki, this movie just felt lackluster.
Ok: These are your popcorn movies, it’s on tv so you leave it on. No harm and mindless
Doctor Strange: Much better than its sequel, we are introduced to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr. Strange and he nails it. The effects are unique to the MCU but it didn’t have the impact to have it higher, still fun though.
Captain America: The First Avenger: It fun, cheesy with the time era’s aesthetic, and it’s America kicking ass.
Captain Marvel: Do you like OP characters? Then look no further than Captain Marvel, an absolute BEAST. Where this movie fails is in its threat, seeing someone be overpowered is fun, but there still needs to be a looming threat, and you never feel that in this movie.
Avengers: Age of Ultron: It’s an Avengers movie, so it’s guaranteed fun. We are introduced to Vision, Wanda, and though briefly, Quicksilver.
The Incredible Hulk: Though it isn’t the same actor, This movie is the definition of movie fun. Giant angry monsters throwing hands. One of the most entertaining final fights in the MCU.
Ant-Man 1 & 2: These should not have been as good as they were. Both are funny, the side characters bring the laughs, and Paul Rudd can’t miss.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2: Yondu man, you are missed. Kurt Russell makes any movie better and we got Tiny Groot. Not as good as the first but always a good time with the space crew.
Very Good: These movies just hit different, a ton of replay ability and great all around.
Shang Chi and the 10 Rings: This movie KICKED ASS. A hero way out of left field but man was it the surprise hit we wanted in 2021. The action is fast-paced but never too fast to where you can’t follow, plus Awkwafina in the MCU is must watch.
Spider-Man Far From Home: It’s a Spider-Man movie so I’m probably grading it on a curve, but the climax of the movie plus this was our first tease at a multiverse. The Ned side love story was also a great yin to the blooming romance between Peter and MJ’s yang.
Guardians of the Galaxy: No one was prepared for how good this movie was gonna be. Setting up the actual universe in the MCU, Starlord and the introduction to the characters was done perfect. Not only that but quite possibly a top 4 moment in the MCU with the dance battle, and arguably the second best one-liner in the MCU. “You said it yourself B**ch, we’re the Guardians of the Galaxy.” Also gave us our first look at Thanos.
Spiderman Homecoming: Tom Holland shines in his debut leading movie. The modern take on Flash being a different type of bully, Peter trying to balance being a superhero and a teenager, and Michael Keaton might be the only guy who can make Vulture intimidating. The mentor/student relationship between Peter and Tony is the webbing on the cake.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier: When it comes to superheroes, Captain America isn’t my first choice. That said, this movie didn’t feel so much as a superhero movie as it did an action movie. This movie is perfect for fans that like a more grounded superhero movie. Every punch, kick, and knee between Steve and Bucky feels like it weighs a literal ton.
Iron Man: The one that started it all. What made Iron Man so good outside of RDJ’s perfect portrayal, is that it felt real. Taken hostage and forced to fight his way out, you see Tony change and grow as a character while still having a sense of smugness. Something only RDJ could do. Not only that this gave us Samuel L. Jackson’s introduction as Nick Fury and left us wondering what is next.
I Can Do This All Day: These are timeless classics. Box Office Destroyers and great from the start to the end.
Spider-Man: No Way Home: Think of all the best parts of all the Spider-Man movies of the past 20 years and throw them into one monumental film. Everything fans wanted, they got and then some. Not only that but this film also might have given Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man a potential rebirth which is deserved. Plus we got Willem Defoe back as Green Goblin AND Toby back.
Black Panther: Long live the King. This movie just felt bigger than most superhero movies. Chadwick Bossman will forever be King T’Cholla and his legacy will live on. Michael B. Jordan might be the most rememberable and overall best antagonist in the MCU with his role as Kilmonger. Culturally impactful and has without a doubt the best soundtrack in the MCU with Kendrick Lamar behind it.
Captain America: Civil War: This was the movie a lot of MCU fans were waiting for. Team Cap vs Team Stark. Neither team was right or wrong, yet were pitted against one another. Spider-Man was introduced to us as well as a vengeful Black Panther. This movie had one of the best chase scenes in an action movie and one of the most emotional conflicts toward its climax. Scars were left on the hearts of these heroes and those scars helped shape the remaining movies.
Avengers Infinity War: The Mad Titan has arrived and is ready for all the action. This movie was enormous. This movie was so hyped that betting houses were taking odds on who was gonna survive the film. No one saw the certain character deaths coming and what the audience is left with is a sense of despair and longing. On top of all that Thanos is out here throwing moons, hype through and through with impactful sacrifices is why this movie is high on the board.
Avengers: The movie that changed cinema history. Where would the superhero genre be without this movie? The collab of all collabs as we are given one of the best superhero movies of all time. A great villain in Loki plus the growing pains of working as and becoming a team. What we have is the blueprint to successful superhero team-ups, a blueprint DC still hasn’t looked at.
EXCELSIOR: The absolute best the MCU has to offer.
Avengers: End Game: The perfect ending to the Avengers saga. We get introduced to time travel, the age-old question to Ant-Man defeating Thanos, A passing of the torch for multiple characters, monumental hype moments that left audiences cheering mid-movie, and both happy and sad endings for characters. This was the perfect end for Chris Evans time with the shield and RDJ’s goated one-liner. We love this movie 3000.
However, this movie is Marvel’s Best.
Ghostrider…
Thor Ragnarok: Funny right out the gate and fun throughout the whole film, This is the crown jewel of the MCU. Want Battle World Hulk fighting a giant wolf? Got it. Want Thor and Loki acting like brothers? Say less fam. Want a badass female character riding into battle of a PEGASUS??! It’s all here plus a menacing antagonist in Helen who actually feels unbeatable for Thor and the crew. This movie helped Thor grow not just as a character but as a leader for his people. Korg is possibly the best side character ever introduced in a superhero movie and has perfect timing with his lines. Thor is truly worthy after this film and is deserving of ANOTHER.
So there you have it. I initially thought this was going to be one of my shorter blogs but has now become my longest. I will say this in closing. I know that seeing these movies can feel like a lot and that some people might be burnt out of it. If that is the case, I recommend watching “The Boys.” They are a perfect palette cleanser in the sense that the villains are a clear representation of what some of us would look like if we had powers. The action is brutal and the jokes most often than not hit with Homelander being one of the best villains we’ve had in a long time.
Thank you for reading this week’s blog and sorry for the delay. Next week will be back on time Thursday at noon. Go see Thor Love and Thunder which is in theaters now!
