Love it or hate it, Rotten Tomatoes is now more important than ever when it comes to whether moviegoers decide to check out the latest releases in theaters (well, when they were still being released in them), and it's not uncommon for studios to tout scores as proudly as star ratings.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered hit after hit since Iron Man was released in 2008, and right up to last July's Spider-Man: Far From Home, not a single one of them has been dubbed "Rotten." They have, however, drawn very different opinions, and the scores vary wildly.
It goes without saying that looking back at how these movies fared on the review aggregator makes for interesting reading, and we think you'll agree after seeing how they all stack up against each other. Of course, with so many Marvel Studios having debuted in theaters, we thought you guys would appreciate this feature being split into two, so check back tomorrow for the rest!
To take a look through this feature, all you guys need to do is click the "Next" button below!
17. Thor: The Dark World
Score: 66%
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: It may not be the finest film to come from the Marvel Universe, but Thor: The Dark World still offers plenty of the humor and high-stakes action that fans have come to expect.
With Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor behind the camera, fans expected to see the MCU meet that HBO franchise with the God of Thunder smack bang in the middle. Instead, this disappointing sequel wasted its then unique London setting, and failed to lean into those fantasy elements even with the introduction of the Dark Elves (Christopher Eccleston's Malekith is best off forgotten).
16. The Incredible Hulk
Score: 67%
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: The Incredible Hulk may not be quite the smashing success that fans of Marvel's raging behemoth might hope for, but it offers more than enough big green action to make up for its occasionally puny narrative.
The black sheep of the MCU family in some respects, it seems the events of The Incredible Hulk are never really referenced, and the hope now is that it will change in the She-Hulk TV series coming to Disney+. This movie was a mess, but there was a lot to love, including that awesome final battle which saw the Jade Giant go one on one with the Abomination in New York City.
15. Iron Man 2
Score: 72%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: It isn't quite the breath of fresh air that Iron Man was, but this sequel comes close with solid performances and an action-packed plot.
Iron Man 2 had its fair share of moments, but it ultimately prove to be something of a mess which spent way too much time on setting up the events of The Avengers. On the plus side, we got to spend more time with Nick Fury and met Black Widow but that wasn't enough to distract from too much world building and a weak villain in the form of Whiplash (Justin Hammer was great).
14. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Score: 76%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Exuberant and eye-popping, Avengers: Age of Ultron serves as an overstuffed but mostly satisfying sequel, reuniting its predecessor's unwieldy cast with a few new additions and a worthy foe.
It's surprising how poorly received (not that 76% is a bad score) this Avengers movie is compared to the others, especially when Avengers: Age of Ultron was a spectacle which included a lot of memorable moments. James Spader's Ultron was awesome, while the introduction of characters like The Vision, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch was definitely welcomed here.
13. Thor
Score: 77%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: A dazzling blockbuster that tempers its sweeping scope with wit, humor, and human drama, Thor is mighty Marvel entertainment.
This was a solid introduction to the God of Thunder, and that final act was pretty solid despite what felt like a low budget final battle against the Destroyer (it wasn't quite as epic as the character deserved, but Marvel Studios was still finding its footing at this point). With a tremendous cast and some strong emotional beats, Thor is by no means bad, and a decent origin story for the hero.
12. Captain Marvel (TIE)
Score: 79%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Packed with action, humor, and visual thrills, Captain Marvel introduces the MCU's latest hero with an origin story that makes effective use of the franchise's signature formula.
As an introduction to Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel definitely works, but it wasn't really as groundbreaking as we expected and the origin story side of things was a tad uninspired despite an unorthodox take on it. However, there was a lot here to love, including some great action scenes, stellar performances, and punch the air moments celebrating this badass, female HERo.
12. Iron Man 3 (TIE)
Score: 79%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
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.
Iron Man 3 is a divisive movie which fans either seem to love or hate. Yes, The Mandarin reveal with "Trevor" was bizarre, but it worked for the tone that Shane Black was going for, and this definitely stands out as the best Iron Man sequel even if it made a handful of blunders. Look past what didn't work, and there's a tonne to love here, including that phenomenal Air Force One sequence.
11. Captain America: The First Avenger
Score: 80%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: With plenty of pulpy action, a pleasantly retro vibe, and a handful of fine performances, Captain America is solidly old-fashioned blockbuster entertainment.
With HYDRA given more screentime than the Nazis, Captain America: The First Avenger often bordered on being a generic sci-fi movie as opposed to a World War II epic. Despite that, it was an enjoyable period adventure, but the Red Skull deserved more than just a one-off appearance (beyond becoming the "Stonekeeper"). On the plus side, Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell were excellent here.
10. Ant-Man
Score: 83%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
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.
Ant-Man was a lot of fun, but it's hard to escape the feeling that the Edgar Wright version would have been so much better (the best moments were reportedly lifted from his screenplay). While Hank Pym not being a founding Avenger was a let down, Scott Lang was a great character to spend time with and Marvel did a solid job of setting the stage for a new Wasp.
9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (TIE)
Score: 85%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
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.
Expectations were high on James Gunn to deliver the goods with this sequel, and he definitely didn't disappoint. Baby Groot was a hoot to spend time with, but all of the characters were given the chance to shine and the emotional moments were surrounded by one hell of a soundtrack. It's surprising this didn't rate higher, but given what it ties with, there's no denying it was a critical hit!
9. Avengers: Infinity War (TIE)
Score: 85%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Avengers: Infinity War ably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions.
Marvel promised that Avengers: Infinity War would celebrate the MCU's tenth anniversary in epic fashion and it most certainly did, providing an incredible team-up between Earth's Mightiest Heroes and the Guardians of the Galaxy as they came together to battle Thanos. Full of surprises, amazing action, and stellar performances, this was Marvel's best...until the sequel came along!
To be continued...