Let me preface this list by saying most of the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are pretty good, some are even amazing.
There are a few movies in this list that fall into both categories. This is a PSA to prevent people from wasting precious movie watching time in the week before the release.
“Iron Man 2”
The original Iron Man movie kicked off the MCU with a bang. It’s sequel however, fails to live up to the hype. In my opinion, it is not a bad movie. We explore the relationship between Pepper Potts and Tony while also gaining more backstory into the palladium reactor in Tony’s chest.
The only important character introductions are Nick Fury, the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Natasha Romanov, A.K.A Black Widow.
I will say that Ivan Vanko is my favorite villain in the Iron Man series. He represents a possible alternate universe Tony who chose the darker path. He creates bootlegged weapons with Stark’s technology and brings Tony down a notch in battle. He acts as Tony’s foil, using his genius and access to limitless wealth. Vanko represents a kind an inner conflict between Stark’s warmongering past and his integrous future.
“Iron Man 3”
If “Iron Man 2” fell short, then Iron Man 3 dug the hole even deeper. It received mild critical acclaim but in my eyes, it is hot-garbage. There are no important character introductions for the overall MCU and instead we get a stereotypical megalomaniac villain.
The only saving grace is the deeper human aspect that we see from Tony. He goes from playboy billionaire to a human with real emotions and a painful past. Giving Potts Extremis powers didn’t seem to fit with the tone of the movie. It seemed like a quick plot point for them to add extra time to the movie.
“The Incredible Hulk”
Many people will disagree with me on this, but I think Edward Norton as the Hulk is much better than Mark Ruffalo. That aside, The Incredible Hulk is a mishmash of cliché science and big guns.
Do not watch this movie for the introduction of the Hulk, the Mark Ruffalo hulk is in both Avengers. I will admit, this is a guilty pleasure movie for me, mostly because of my nostalgia glasses. Don’t worry about leaving out, you won’t miss anything.
“Thor: The Dark World”
Well, not much to say on this one except it’s bad. Not the, “it’s bad because it is surrounded by great movies.” It just fails as a movie, with a predictable plot and uninteresting villains. The Dark World is a stain on an otherwise fantastic trilogy.
Trust me on this one, do not watch it. Instead, read the plot summary on Wikipedia, maybe read the actual Norse mythology behind characters like Frigga. I can promise that hour will be much more entertaining than the 112 minutes watching Dark World.
“Ant–Man”
Before you start angrily typing a comment saying: “Ant-Man is actually critical to the MCU as it introduces a vital character and is a really good movie.”
It is a good movie, just not vital when prepping for “Infinity War.” Ant-Man is introduced in “Civil War” and, much like Black Panther, the standalone movie can be saved for after Infinity War. I debated putting this movie on the list, but I still believe the introduction of Ant-Man in “Civil War” is enough to get you up to speed.
“GuardianS of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
I rode the hype train for this movie since its release and even for a week or two after I saw it. Only after I digested the entirety did I come to realize my dislike. Star-Lord, in the first movie, is an above average joe in a universe of fantastical aliens. The second movie throws that away in favor of making him a literal god whose father is a parasite.
I loved Kurt Russel’s character early in the movie but as time went on that faltered. I still think it’s worth a watch, but don’t go in expecting it to be on par with the original.
This list isn’t meant to dissuade you from delving further into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, let this motivate you to explore the ups and downs of comic book film.
You have hours of movies to experience and new friends to make. Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility.
Griffen Winget can be reached at [email protected]