Ranking The MCU’s Phase 2 Movies

We had settled into the MCU by the end of Phase 1. We knew our Avengers and we had an extended universe wide open to play around. This took us into Marvel's Phase 2, where we got to continue the stories of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. But we also got to meet some new faces. Ones you probably weren't aware of beforehand.

So without further ado, let's see where these movies are in my ranking.

6. Thor: The Dark World

It's at the bottom of the list, and arguably at the bottom of the overall MCU ranking list in all honesty.

Thor: The Dark World is the sequel to the God of Thunder's first outing, which sees him reuniting with Jane Foster as he brings her to Asgard to remove the ether (the Reality Infinity Stone) from her and protect her from the evil Dark Elves.

I don't really want to mince my words on this one. It's not a great movie, and it's nothing to do with the acting. The cast are the saving grace if anything. But The story. The concept. The pacing. None of it really mixes well unfortunately. Loki's death and that Loki twist at the end is what has us drawn in, but then that's about it sadly.

5. Iron Man 3

The threequel for main Avenger. Iron Man 3 kicked off Phase 2, and saw Tony coping with the aftermath of the Battle of New York from 2012's Avengers. Packed up anxiety and lacking his tech, Tony is forced to go with brains over brawn when it comes to defeating the villainous Mandarin.

Robert Downey Jr once again isn't playing around in this role. He's bring another layer to Stark's personality as he deals with PTSD whilst still acting as stoic as possible to be the hero. We also can't hate on everything around the gadgets. The suit pieces flying to Tony and the sequence with the Iron Legion. It's a real feat, and that's when it's our fourth time seeing RDJ's Stark on screen.

But, does it do better than the other Iron Man movies? Nu-uh. Supporting cast is good and the concept works, but just where the story goes at times feels like a bit of a let down. The Mandarin identity twist is a fine example.

4. Avengers: Age of Ultron

The second link up for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but this time the villain is kind of their fault. Avengers: Age of Ultron brings the team back together, as Earth's Mightiest Heroes must work to defeat a villain of Tony and Bruce's creation; Ultron.

This movie is fun and gives you what you would want from an Avengers sequel. You get some friction within the team thanks to Tony's actions. We get an iconic Iron Man vs Hulk fight. It also sets the stage for Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War too.

But is it the best of the Avengers movies? Not by a country mile. It doesn't hold the stakes that the other movies do, and it feels more like a movie that exists to build out other aspects of the MCU rather than tell a specific story.

3. Ant-Man

Enter Scott Lang. Burglar. Ex-Con. Now Superhero. 2015's Ant-Man has Paul Rudd's Lang sucked into a dangerous heist with Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyne in order to make sure Pym's technology doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

I'll be honest. This movie didn't grab me when it was first announced. "Ant-Man" sounds like a parody. Paul Rudd didn't strike me as the superhero-type. But this movie does deliver.

It continued Marvel's new stride in making real genre movies, with this being an all-out heist movie. And it did cement Rudd as a Marvel staple. Plus, having Michael Douglas in the MCU? Something we did not see coming.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

The space opera we didn't realise the MCU needed. This movie thrusts us far into outer space as we meet Peter Quill/Star Lord, Gamora, Drax The Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot, who are banded together to be an unlikely team of misfits who need to save the galaxy from the villainous Ronan.

This still stands to be, in my opinion, one of the best Marvel movies out there. Like Ant-Man, it changes the usual tone of the MCU and even branches so far that it pretty much has zero connection to the stories we had been told already.

It's a great cast, a fun & compelling story, plus it's cool to see heroes who are rough around the edges to this extent.

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

For me, this is easily the top movie of Phase 2.

This First Avenger sequel sees Steve Rogers acclimatising to the modern day, and learning that good and evil isn't black and white as he and Black Widow begin to uncover dark secrets with SHIELD. This is all whilst coming face-to-face with his past as he learns what became of his best pal, Bucky Barnes, who is now the evil killing machine, The Winter Soldier.

It's the perfect follow up to the first Captain America movie. Steve Rogers is a real fish out of water, and it's cool to see how he is blending into modern society. We also get to see his morals tested in a big way as he really learns about espionage and who has been working for.

The emotional stakes are there too. His history with Bucky. His growing friendship with Black Widow. Even the introduction of his friendship with Sam Wilson.

This is just a top class movie. Superhero movie or not, it works as a real thrill ride.

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How would you rank the Phase 2 movies of the MCU? Agree or disagree with my picks? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section!