It’s hard to believe that the Marvel Juggernaut only started 15 years ago! it only seemed like yesterday where Iron Man released in 2008. Why not celebrate the birth of Phase 5 by ranking the previous 4 phases. So here is our movie list for the Top MCU Phase One films.
6. Iron Man 2
The second installment brought a lot of new things to this franchise, new characters, new suits, and a new…Rhodey! However, Iron Man 2 fails to live up to the heights of the first film and flounders with its lackluster villains with the third act being too clunky and it over use of humour, a trend that we will see a lot more during the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
5. The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk doesn’t seem like it is part of the MCU until the post-credits scene. This film can easily be watched as a separate film. The action sequences and performances are spectacular but the lack of character development and poor pacing stops this film from being great
4. Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger faithfully adapts the comic book source material and perfectly captures the character of Captain America through its nostalgic and patriotic tone, which captures the essence of the time period in which the story takes place. However, the plot is easily predictable and the lack of depth towards the character makes them less compelling.
3. Thor
There is a lot to like about the first Thor film, the action sequences are fantastic, the performance by Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston is great and it perfectly balances the humor throughout the duration of the film. However, the forced romance between Thor and Jane Foster doesn’t feel organic which makes it less impactful.
2. Iron Man
The film that started it all and launched this juggernaut of a franchise. Iron Man can still be considered one of the best comic book films ever made as it redefined the genre. The outstanding action sequences, gripping story, and career-defining performance from Robert Downey Jnr help make this film fantastic. Also, let’s not forget that jaw-dropping post-credits scene.
1. The Avengers
After five films in the first phase it has all come down to this film. The plotting, build, and character introductions have led to Marvel’s first team-up movie and the first step in their overall story arc. No one thought Kevin Feige and his team could pull this off but they did. The interactions between each superhero, Loki playing the Avengers like puppets and the action sequences are just a cherry on top, and that hero shot with the iconic Avengers team is easily one of the best comic book moments.
Keep up with our Movie List as we will be ranking each phase of the MCU.
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