Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked from worst to best, by Rotten Tomatoes
By Mike McNulty
Credit: Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures; from Iron Man 3 (2013)
12. Iron Man 3 (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Audience Score: 78%
"Critics Consensus: With the help of its charismatic lead, some impressive action sequences, and even a few surprises, Iron Man 3 is a witty, entertaining adventure and a strong addition to the Marvel canon."
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Once again, I agree with where Rotten Tomatoes ranked the film and their reasoning for doing so. While I do think Iron Man 3 divided critics and comic book fans (particularly when it came to The Mandarin) I also believe it’s a movie those fans have come to better appreciate over time. Sometimes, it takes awhile for a film to warm-up to people, especially after repeated viewings. That seems reflective with its current audience score standing at 78%. Still, it probably will never have the same clout as some of the other MCU films.
Credit: Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures; from Ant-Man (2015)
11. Ant-Man (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Audience Score: 86%
"Critics Consensus: Led by a charming performance from Paul Rudd, Ant-Man offers Marvel thrills on an appropriately smaller scale — albeit not as smoothly as its most successful predecessors."
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Coming up just short (pardon the pun) of the tenth place spot feels just about right for Ant-Man. Yet in looking at the Rotten Tomatoes score, it does make me wonder, as I talked about in my list, if this score would’ve been higher had Edgar Wright stayed on as director. We’ll never know, of course, but what we did get did seem to satisfy critics, and especially the audience. Since Ant-Man and The Wasp is coming out this summer (July 6, 2018), it’ll be interesting seeing how it scores by comparison.
Credit: Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures; from Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017)
10. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
Audience Score: 88%
"Critics Consensus: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘s action-packed plot, dazzling visuals, and irreverent humor add up to a sequel that’s almost as fun — if not quite as thrillingly fresh — as its predecessor."
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
As you know doubt know from my list, I do consider Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 one of Marvel Studios’ top 10 films. I would not, however, consider it as the tenth best film as according to the “Tomatometer.” Moreover, for what the consensus leaves out is that, what it lacks in terms of “freshness,” it makes up for with its poignant, timeless themes about father and son relationships. While I agree it doesn’t surpass the original Guardians of the Galaxy, it deserves a higher rank than this.