The endgame is here. The culmination of 11 years, 21 films and countless hours of entertainment will grace the silver screen as “Avengers: Endgame” hits theaters Thursday night.
As the many stories of Marvel’s beloved characters come to a close, we took a look back at — and ranked — the movies which started it all.
Four members of The Argonaut ranked each film, and an average of those rankings were calculated to create the most conclusive list of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) the Palouse has ever seen.
- “The Incredible Hulk”
Voted the worst MCU film near unanimously, this entry has few redeeming qualities. Aside from the inclusion of General Ross, most plot threads have either been retconned or forgotten entirely. There even seems to be something different about Hulk himself, though we can’t place what it might be.
Max Rothenberg | Argonaut
- “Iron Man 2”
“Mickey Rourke: The Film” serves as a decent addition to the MCU, but fails to build off its predecessor’s positive qualities. While the Monaco Raceway scene is a standout, the rest of the film simply pales in comparison.
- “Thor: The Dark World”
We would be better off using the reality stone to create our own Thor sequel. Largely uninspired and convoluted, the film is made even worse by its Earthly focus and one-dimensional villain, Malekith. Who? Just like the nonsensical aether, let’s pretend “Thor 2” doesn’t exist and move on to better things.
- “Ant-Man and the Wasp”
Many Marvel sequels fail to live up to the hype of their predecessors, and the second installment of the Ant-Man saga is no exception. While the already wonderful cast receives a well-deserved increase in screen time, the simplicity of the first heist movie becomes over bloated in this sequel.
- “Iron Man 3”
While Mickey Rourke served as a passable Marvel villain, the ridiculous Mandarin punchline in this film completely underscores anything actually good about “Iron Man 3.” Without an exceptional airplane scene, this movie would definitely dwell in the basement of these rankings.
- “Thor”
International treasure Kenneth Branagh gave an average introduction to Marvel’s strongest Avenger. But why in the name of Odin did anyone approve the choice to dye Chris Hemsworth’s eyebrows?
- “Ant-Man”
“Ant-Man” would be nothing without the charm of Paul Rudd and his trusty ant, Antony. Well, only one of them may still be alive, but the point stands. It’s an entertaining, low-stakes plot with a distinctly different tone, but is relatively forgettable. Maybe more Louis exposition would elevate its spot.
Brandon Hill | Argonaut
- “Captain Marvel”
One of our list’s more divisive entries, the film’s strength lies more in its cinematography and buddy-cop dynamic than its storytelling. Captain Marvel’s character arc is as nonexistent as Brie Larson’s emotion, but thankfully the strong supporting cast makes up for her lack of flaws and blatantly overpowered abilities.
- “Captain America: The First Avenger”
Cap’s introduction into the MCU was a smooth, albeit somewhat forgettable affair. The WWII setting adds a different dash of seasoning previously unseen in comic book movies, but audiences had to wait until later installments for an intense look into Cap’s character.
- “Doctor Strange”
While questionable comedic timing may be Marvel’s greatest weakness, their exceptional casting serves as their greatest strength. Benedict Cumberbatch as the magical Doctor Strange elicits the feeling of a comic book come to life, while the incredible CGI gives a kaleidoscope experience tailored for enjoyment.
- “Black Panther”
The most underrated character in “Civil War” earned his own movie, and his introduction into the MCU should have come much sooner. However, Black Panther’s story of royal redemption has been done countless times before, making this otherwise great movie feel a bit stale and unoriginal.
- “Avengers: Age of Ultron”
Joss Whedon’s final MCU contribution is a densely packed bag of character introductions and tonal shifts. But while Ultron feels like a missed opportunity, the multiple seeds planted for future films and the introduction of the Hulkbuster earn this movie a spot in the top 10.
- “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
Sure, the jokes don’t all land — one of our members made that very clear. In fact, some of them miss entirely (Taserface). Yet, the beautiful, vibrant cinematography and on-point music selection do more than enough to merit the film’s ranking. Just the opening minutes are enough to at least bump it past “Incredible Hulk.” Let’s just not talk about Hasselhoff.
- “Iron Man”
The movie that started it all. Arguably the perfect comic book movie, “Iron Man” executes Marvel’s most well-known hero with style. Even in the beginning, Marvel knew how to cast correctly, and Robert Downey Jr.’s iconic portrayal will stand the test of time for generations to come.
- “Spider-Man: Homecoming”
Finally, Spider-Man done right. Once Marvel took the reigns from Sony, everyone’s favorite web slinger returned to his high school roots. Tom Holland’s performance is everything we wanted from Spider-Man: charming yet clumsy, dorky yet heroic.
- “Guardians of the Galaxy”
The most unexpected Marvel success to date, “Guardians” put an otherwise unknown group of ragtag heroes on the cinematic map. But the soundtrack — a love letter to the mid-‘70s — makes this movie shine.
- “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
Dark and surprisingly gritty, there’s no doubt this espionage thriller has earned its high placement. “The Winter Soldier” is a turning point not only for Captain America, but for the entire MCU. And with some of the most visceral and realistic fighting scenes in any superhero outing, this is a love letter to fans of multiple genres.
- “Thor: Ragnarok”
Is there such a thing as too much humor? Clearly, we don’t think so. “Ragnarok” succeeds in getting Thor’s bleached eyebrows back on track, and gives him a stunning haircut to boot. It’s hilarious while still emotional and risk-taking, and we can’t wait for its sequel.
- “Marvel’s The Avengers”
There’s only so much to be said about the team’s first outing. Home to some of the most iconic scenes in cinema history, the film’s rewatchability is simply off the charts. Of course it has its problems, and some of the CGI hasn’t aged perfectly, but it’s a joyride from start to finish every single time.
- “Captain America: Civil War”
“Avengers 2.5” dishes up the most emotional scenes in the series. While most comic book movies center on saving the world, “Civil War” has our heroes trying to save themselves from each other. The film offers a look into complex political and societal issues that have resounding effects in our own world, while also balancing developing character arcs and brand-new introductions.
- “Avengers: Infinity War”
With half of our panel ranking the film No. 1 and the other half ranking it a measly No. 2, there was no contest in deciding the pinnacle of the MCU. It’s refreshing to see our heroes finally lose — even if we know it is only temporary — in part due to this not even being their story. Thanos is front and center throughout, and the walking purple chin is a more compelling villain than any of his 21 predecessors. It’ll be hard to dethrone this entry, but we’ll see about that in just a few days.
Max Rothenberg and Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected]