Captain America is one of the most iconic characters in the MCU, and his standalone movies are incredible. Take a look at how we rank the three entries.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown exponentially since first launching with Iron Man back in 2008, and though so much has changed since Robert Downey Jr. first put on his iconic suit, the original movies in Phase One will forever have a special place in our hearts.
In the first phase, we also got the first installments of the Thor, Hulk, and Captain America movies, as well as the very first Avengers film. If Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is still your favorite Avenger to this day, chances are you’ve seen all three of the Captain America movies multiple times.
The Captain America movie series kicked off in 2011 with Captain America: The First Avenger, which was followed up by its sequels, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016). Evans has been applauded for his performance, which brings honor, humor, and all-around greatness to the superhero.
In the MCU, Captain America quickly captured the hearts of viewers upon his introduction with his unwavering sense of justice and selflessness. The character is a symbol of hope and perseverance, and he inspires people all around the world to stand up for what’s right. What sets him apart from other superheroes in the MCU and beyond is his morals. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect the innocent and fight against evil, even if it means sacrificing his own life. He’s a true hero in every sense of the word.
In addition to his heroism, Captain America has also played a significant role in the Avengers team. He’s a natural leader for the other members of the team. Each Avenger brings something special and different to the group, and Steve Rogers’ strengths are very apparent in each movie he’s appeared in.
So let’s break down every Captain America movie! Flip the page to learn how we rank the three from worst to best.
3. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
It’s rare when the original movie of a series is the weakest, but that’s only because the Captain America trilogy is so good! It gets better from here. The first entry was helmed by Joe Johnston from a script written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. It does a great job getting viewers familiar with Steve Rogers’ origin story and why he’s such an important part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The film takes place during World War II and sees Steve transform from a thin and sickly young man into a super-soldier all thanks to a top-secret government experiment. As a superhero, he then has to fight against the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), who plans to use a powerful artifact called the Tesseract to take over the world.
The cast of Captain America: The First Avenger is great, with standout performances from Evans and Weaving. The supporting cast includes Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Chester Phillips, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes. The film also features a brief appearance by Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, setting up the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe.
One of the strengths of Captain America: The First Avenger is its portrayal of the character. Evans perfectly captures the essence of Captain America, showing his dedication to justice and his willingness to put himself in harm’s way to protect others. The film also has great action scenes and impressive visual effects.
However, one weakness of the movie is its pacing. The first half of the film is slow, spending a lot of time on Steve’s transformation and his initial training, which gets a tad boring. On the flip side, the love story between Steve and Peggy feels rushed.
Overall, the first Captain America movie is a solid entry in the MCU and sets up the character and his story for future movies. While it has its flaws, it’s still an enjoyable ride.
2. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Much to the joy of Marvel fans, the Russo Brothers returned to helm the third movie in the Captain America series, Civil War, with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely teaming up again to write the script. This is without a doubt one of my favorite movies in the MCU.
Captain America: Civil War pits heroes against each other in a battle of morals and ideologies. It follows a feud between Captain America and Iron Man which stems from the government regulation of the Avengers. The movie does a fantastic job in its exploration of complex themes such as the consequences of vigilantism. It’s a thrilling and thought-provoking story that does more than we traditionally ask for in a superhero movie.
The cast also includes familiar faces such as Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier, and Anthony Mackie as Falcon, as well as new additions such as the late and great Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, Tom Holland as Spider-Man, and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff. What an awesome crew.
Civil War features some of the best action sequences in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the airport battle scene which is a fan favorite. The movie does a great job of balancing a large ensemble cast and giving all the major characters their moment to shine. However, that said, there are still a few characters in the movie who feel underutilized and poorly developed, such as Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) and Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl). And when all is said and done, the movie’s resolution feels somewhat unsatisfying, which is a disappointment.
All of that said, Captain America Civil War‘s strengths outweigh its weaknesses, making it a must-watch for Marvel and action movie fans alike.
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely returned to pen the script for the first Captain America sequel, The Winter Soldier. The movie also marks directing duo Anthony and Joe Russo’s entry into the MCU, who went on to helm three other epic installments throughout the next phases.
While other superhero sequels like Iron Man 2 fail to live up to the originals, that’s not the case for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The film manages to take what worked in the first film and expand on it, making for an awesome watch.
Widely considered to be one of the best movies of the MCU, The Winter Soldier takes place after the events of The Avengers and follows Steve Rogers as he tries to adjust to life in the modern world. However, when a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. is exposed, he must team up with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and newcomer Falcon (Anthony Mackie) to stop their new enemy known as the Winter Soldier.
Evans delivers an excellent performance as Captain America again, showing both his physical power and his moral conviction. Johansson and Mackie also shine in their roles, bringing depth and humor to their characters. We get strong supporting performances from Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce.
One of the best parts of Captain America: The Winter Soldier is its focus on character development. The film explores Steve’s struggle to adapt to his new reality, as well as his unwavering commitment to his beliefs. The action sequences are also impressive again this time around.
That said, the plot is a little bit too convoluted at times, which can be hard to follow. Some fans have criticized the film for its depiction of S.H.I.E.L.D., arguing that it undermines the agency’s heroic status in the MCU.
Despite these criticisms, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a standout film in the MCU. It’s an exciting ride and my favorite in the trilogy!
How would you rank all three Captain America movies?