15 greatest superhero movies of the decade

3. Captain America: The First Avenger

Released: July 22, 2011

Though it may be one of the MCU’s most overlooked films, Captain America: The First Avenger is perhaps its most important. The film that initially gifted us all with Chris Evans’ wholesome portrayal of Steve Rogers, it is set during World War II and is chronologically the first film in the MCU timeline.

From its aesthetically pleasing period setting to its countless war-torn battlefields, The First Avenger offered something different from the typical superhero origin story, adding some realism and depth to a universe that had, up until this point, thrived on robots and monsters. However, even with the threat of the war and Hydra looming in the background, the film never shied away from the triumphant and uplifting nature of its titular character.

A love-letter to war films, this one had an unmistakable tone that set it apart from everything else in its genre and it ultimately served as the perfect backdrop for Steve’s battles with the Red Skull, and his touching relationship with the incomparable Agent Peggy Carter – a relationship that is, without a doubt, the MCU’s greatest.

With strong performances from Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan and Tommy Lee Jones, and a stunningly patriotic score from Alan Silvestri, Captain America: The First Avenger was nothing short of a triumph.