Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked from worst to best, by Rotten Tomatoes

Credit: Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures; from Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

15. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
Audience Score: 83%

"Critics Consensus: Exuberant and eye-popping, Avengers: Age of Ultron serves as an overstuffed but mostly satisfying sequel, reuniting its predecessor’s unwieldy cast with a few new additions and a worthy foe."

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Although I rank Avengers: Age of Ultron one spot lower, I don’t have much of a problem it’s “Tomatometer Score.” 75% seems just about right, to me. There’s definitely enough positive elements in the movie, which I talked about Bam Smack Pow‘s series of retrospective reviews on the Marvel Studios films. Yet, as I also talked about in that review, Age of Ultron does fall short when compared with The Avengers. Rotten Tomatoes places this film just a shade higher than I did for my list, but I can live with it.

Credit: Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures; from Thor (2011)

14. Thor (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
Audience Score: 76%

"Critics Consensus: A dazzling blockbuster that tempers its sweeping scope with wit, humor, and human drama, Thor is mighty Marvel entertainment."

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Here’s another Marvel Studios film in which I take no issue with its scores or placement. After all, Thor also placed 14th on my list. Moreover, with a score of 76% from the audience score, both they and the critics are appropriately in accord. I do find it interesting how, in the “critics consensus,” it uses “tempers” in the same vein as “balances.” Yet, as stated in my review of the film, I believe one of the reasons why Thor didn’t rank as higher is did was because it wasn’t properly balanced. At least when it came to the scenes on Asgard versus the scenes on Earth.

Credit: Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures; from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

13. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Audience Score: 74%

"Critics Consensus: With plenty of pulpy action, a pleasantly retro vibe, and a handful of fine performances, Captain America is solidly old-fashioned blockbuster entertainment."

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

While I do agree with Rotten Tomatoes’ “Critics Consensus,” I cannot agree with where they’ve positioned this movie. Even though it’s the weakest of the Captain America films, I consider it one of Marvel Studios’ stronger entries. Like Superman: The Movie (1978), Captain America: The First Avenger took what comic book fans dismissed as a bland character and showed why 1940’s readers looked up to him in the first place. It also, dare I say, recovered Chris Evans’ career after the disastrous Fantastic Four movies. Those are the kind of things which should elevate this film from where it’s placed here.