It’s safe to say that hearts have not yet mended since the release of Avengers: Infinity War, a cinematic event packed with destruction, resulting in dire consequences for some of our favourite characters. “Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good,” and “Steve?” are phrases that will forever haunt my dreams, regardless of the permanence of the deaths.
However, as the sun sets on Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we have the opportunity to travel back down through the timeline and reminisce about happier times, taking a look back at the stand-out movies of the past ten years…
Iron Man: The movie an empire was built upon. Marvel took what was then a less well-known character, and with the help of the charismatic Robert Downey Jr., created an icon. In a movie full of the struggles of heroism and cocky, memorable one-liners, “give me a scotch. I’m starving,” being an example of both, Iron Man proved to everyone that comic book movies should be taken seriously.
The Avengers: Another milestone in the genre, The Avengers successfully brought together a cast of characters from multiple standalone movies in order to create something bigger. The team faced one of the most dynamic and well rounded MCU villains to date in Thor’s adopted brother Loki. With quips and CGI action sequences galore, The Avengers was a fun ride, worthy of this list just for that 360° shot of our heroes assembling for the first time alone. Despite being somewhat dated – I’m looking at you, spandex Captain America costume – it should still be remembered as a game changer for the genre.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier: The second installment in the Captain America franchise marked a change in tone for the MCU. Captain America: The Winter Soldier presented an edgier, more nuanced iteration of the crisp, cookie-cutter Steve Rogers of previous films. Right from the first scenes of the movie, Rogers engaged in grisly, close-quarters combat and dealt with internal conflict as he struggled to do what was right in order to seek the truth. Sebastian Stan stole the show as the elusive Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes. His relationship with Steve throughout the movie made this political action thriller captivating enough that it deserves a spot among the best.
Guardians of the Galaxy: It was a property so obscure and out-there that few thought it could work in the mainstream, yet with James Gunn at the helm, Guardians of the Galaxy surpassed expectations and brought a colourful, ragtag group of misfits to the forefront of the MCU. The retro soundtrack and plethora of pop culture references were integrated seamlessly into the movie, making it a real nostalgia trip. Every planet and location had a distinct feel, with immersive production design and beautiful cinematography.The camaraderie between the Guardians was tangible, which is a feat in itself given that two of the core members are a sentient tree creature with a three word vocabulary and an irritable, gun-slinging raccoon, both CGI. The chaotic group dynamic was the relatable core found in the midst of this wild cosmic adventure.
Thor: Ragnarok: The third, and most likely, final, Thor movie, Thor: Ragnarok finally gave the Son of Odin a much needed revamp. The God of Thunder was once pigeonholed as a stoic,simple-minded royal. In the hands of director Taika Waititi, however, Thor was given room to evolve into a funny, rough-around-the-edges,empathetic soul.The look of the movie was reminiscent of Guardians of the Galaxy, with a retro, eccentric aesthetic and a score to match. With a star-studded supporting cast, including Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster, Thor: Ragnarok will go down as one of the wilder, more fun additions to the MCU, combining heart and action with unforgettable style.
Black Panther: It’s hard to argue a comic book movie has had a more visible cultural impact than Black Panther. Bringing some much needed diversity and centering of people of colour to the MCU, the movie offered a modern, visually stunning take on themes such as inequality, colonialism and tradition. Chadwick Boseman played regal king and noble warrior T’Challa with such an air of honour and grace that he will likely be returning “Wakanda Forever” salutes to eager fans for years to come.
Black Panther also highlighted women in positions of power, namely through the characters of Nakia, Okoye and Shuri. With colossal box office takings and a soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamar, this is a movie which proved that Marvel’s sometimes static formula can flourish if it dares to take on a new type of story.
It can be hard to definitively rank the ‘best’ Marvel movies, as each of us will have a predetermined bias due to our level of affinity for each of the characters. My personal honourable mention would have to go to Captain America: Civil War due to the aforementioned Steve and Bucky dynamic. Avengers: Infinity War may also make this list one day, once my period of mourning has come to an end. With many more movies on the horizon, much like Groot, this list will surely continue to grow.
