“Captain America: Civil War” is the 13th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And the comic book mega-giant, with Disney and Sony distributing, have nearly as many films – 12 (both origin stories and sequels) – scheduled from now through 2020. So before this superhero saga really gets (Doctor) “Strange” in November, let’s see how “Civil War” stacks-up against the others. Here’s my ranking of all 13 – Best to Worst:
1. “Marvel’s The Avengers” (2012) – A dream come true for diehard Marvel fans, bringing together one of that year’s best ensembles for an unforgettable experience
2. “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) – Funny, emotional and wildly unpredictable
3. “Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011) – Rich, engaging and moving
4. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) – A well-crafted and effective political thriller
5. “Iron Man 2” (2010) – A light, fun, Summer popcorn blockbuster
6. “Iron Man” (2008) – Tony Stark is stuck in that cave way too long, but Robert Downey, Jr.’s Marvel debut is quite noteworthy
7. “Captain America: Civil War” (2016) – Combination of newcomers (Spidey, Black Panther) and regulars provide wow-factor
8. “Iron Man 3” (2013) – Lengthy and lacking in excitement, but a solid continuation of the “Avengers” timeline
9. “The Incredible Hulk” (2008) – Mark Ruffalo has been great since, but Edward Norton was OK as Bruce Banner/Giant Green Guy
10. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015) – Action-packed, but rarely interesting
11. “Thor” (2011) – Charismatic Chris Hemsworth unable to elevate the dull script
12. “Thor: The Dark World” (2013) – Can’t overcome corny and awkward attempts at humor
13. “Ant-Man” (2015) – Just doesn’t fly