If you watch a lot of movies and need a way to keep track of them all, then Letterboxd is possibly the best website for you. With over half a million films listed, members can check off every single one they've seen, leave reviews, and more. Those reviews make Letterboxd a great place to gauge what major cinema fans feel about these flicks.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is, of course, well represented on Letterboxd. Most of the entries in the series have positive average ratings but a few really stand out with some of the best scores of the entire library. These scores are done on a 5-star scale.
Updated on March 10th, 2022 by Kevin Pantoja: It's incredibly difficult to really keep up with everything in the MCU. The franchise is so massive that it spans more than 25 films (and counting), over a dozen years, and that's not even mentioning the TV shows that are now out. The ratings on Letterboxd can help someone new to the franchise pick out the best films to watch. While it's important to see them all together to really understand everything, someone who doesn't want to commit that much time can check out the best of the best. While the TV shows are all on Letterboxd, they are not considered in this ranking.
Doctor Strange (2016) - 3.51
It was hard to fully know just how important Doctor Strange would be to the greater MCU when it arrived in 2016. The film didn't have many connections to the rest of the franchise at first glance but has ultimately come to mean more thanks to the inclusion of magic and the titular character.
The movie was praised for everything from the visual effects to the performance of Benedict Cumberbatch, who has reprised the role in several team-up films and has his own highly-anticipated sequel set for 2022. The most common score given out for Doctor Strange is 4-stars, coming 26% of the time.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) - 3.53
While there has certainly been plenty of big-screen takes on this hero, the MCU arguably has the best. They scored some of the highest Letterboxd ratings for Spider-Man flicks, including Spider-Man: Far From Home, the second solo adventure starring Tom Holland.
This one worked because while the action featuring the hero battling Mysterio was great, it also had some quality teen comedy moments. You could take out the Spider-Man here and still have a great time watching Peter, MJ, and Ned interact. 27% of users have this at an impressive 4-stars.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) - 3.55
One of the most notable names in superhero filmmaking is James Gunn. He recently banged out hits in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker but his true calling was evident with Guardians of the Galaxy and its sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Everything that worked about the well-received first installment was back this time around, from the wacky characters to the memorable soundtrack. It also had an added bonus of some emotional highs regarding Gamora's relationship with Nebula and Yondu's sacrifice. 28% of users gave it 4-stars.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) - 3.61
Out of a possible 5-star rating, 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming has an average of 3.6 stars. Audiences were incredibly excited about this release but also a bit worried given that previous iterations of the hero had ended in disappointment.
Tom Holland wowed fans when he debuted as Peter Parker a year prior and his first solo film as the character delivered, with a little help from Tony Stark. It was praised for the work of Holland as well as Michael Keaton as the villain. 31% of the Letterboxd ratings for this were 4-stars, and it's among the best live-action Spidey films.
Captain America: Civil War (2016) - 3.63
That movie where Holland debuted was 2016's Captain America: Civil War. This film split most of the Avengers thanks to the Sokovia Accords, as some wanted to let the government control them and others wanted to remain free. Though not an official Avengers flick, it brought together more heroes than almost any other movie.
This was a huge commercial success, grossing over $1 billion. It balanced tons of heroes while also having a good villain, and introducing Spider-Man and Black Panther. Most ratings are at 4-stars (29%), while the perfect 5-stars were given out 12% of the time.
The Avengers (2012) - 3.68
The MCU may have started with Iron Man but everything really came together with 2012's The Avengers. This marked the first official time that so many superheroes teamed up on the big screen. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Hulk battled Loki and his Chitauri army through the streets of New York.
31% of the ratings are at 4-stars, with nearly another 100,000 total reviews giving it 4.5 and 5-stars. This also marked the first time that the MCU grossed $1 billion at the box office, signaling that it was indeed a new era in the world of superhero blockbusters.
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021) - 3.70
One of the newest heroes to join the MCU is Shang-Chi, debuting in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This marked a different feel for a film in the franchise thanks to some outstanding martial arts fight scenes and a cast filled with Asian actors.
There were some critics and fans who felt that there were issues with the third act in terms in terms of pacing and an over-reliance on CGI but not enough to put a real damper on the rating. Most users (29%) gave the new film 4-stars and a solid number (12%) have it at 5-stars.
Iron Man (2008) - 3.71
It's where everything began. In 2008, Iron Man was released and though it was met with strong reviews, nobody could've believed what it would spawn. It was such a success that the MCU could be born and the highest-grossing franchise in cinema history would follow.
Thanks to Robert Downey Jr.'s charismatic performance, even some of the few issues the movie had were glossed over. He was that good. Again, 4-stars was the most popular rating (33%), there were over 40,000 perfect scores (12%), and almost no negative reviews.
Black Panther (2018) - 3.73
In terms of building the franchise, there were bigger MCU films but not many can top the impact that 2018's Black Panther had. Thanks to its phenomenal world-building, depictions of African culture, and Black representation of a superhero and king, the film was a massive success.
The majority of the reviews were strong as well, with fans praising the work of director Ryan Coogler, the tremendous villain, visual effects, score, and the cast. Although 29% of the reviews gave it the 4-star total to lead the way, it also boasts over 80,000 perfect scores for a whopping 18%.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - 3.78
Sandwiched in between a strong start with the 2011 film (3.3) and the aforementioned Civil War, there's 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 30% of the many reviews have it at 4-stars, while it also features over 50,000 perfect 5-star scores.
This was a remarkably important film for the MCU. Along with reintroducing Bucky Barnes into the modern era, it marked the debut of Sam Wilson, built the bond between Cap and Black Widow, and also was the first directorial work in the franchise for The Russo Brothers, who would helm two future Avengers films.
Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) - 3.82
The MCU has accomplished a ton throughout history but there's a chance that this is their most impressive success. In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy proved to be a critical and commercial hit despite featuring many characters that most audiences had no clue about.
With more than 288,000 likes on Letterboxd, those fans are indeed still around. 4-stars is once again the most common rating for this film (35%), while the next two most frequent scores are 3.5 and 5-stars, proving just how beloved this tale about a ragtag group of space heroes is.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) - 3.88
The first two entries in the Thor trilogy were certainly not among the most acclaimed MCU films. The first has a 3.0 average while the 2013 sequel clocks in with a low 2.6 on Letterboxd. Thankfully, director Taika Waititi came on board for 2017's Thor: Ragnarok and changed everything.
Injecting a major comedic aspect while still delivering the huge action that the MCU is known for was the right recipe. 32% of the ratings are 4-stars, while the perfect rating was given out over 68,000 times (19%) for this flick that teams up Thor with Valkyrie, Hulk, and Loki to take on his sister Hela.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) - 3.93
It's legitimately the biggest movie in cinema history, grossing a record box office intake at teh time. 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron was a mild disappointment (3.1 average) but the team-up films afterward were better received, including 2019's Avengers: Endgame, which marked the ending of the Infinity Saga.
Unlike the rest of this list, Avengers: Endgame is really close in terms of their top scores. 27% gave it 4-stars while 26% have it at a perfect 5-star rating. Those fans believed it was an ideal ending for many of their beloved superheroes.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) - 3.98
A year before Avengers: Endgame, the world was introduced to Avengers: Infinity War. Another massive success to surpass $2 billion, this one put the focus on the villain, Thanos. It told his story as the Avengers fought numerous battles to stop him in his quest to acquire all of the Infinity Stones.
The shocking ending where Thanos wins and snaps away half of all humanity in the universe set the stage for the 2019 iteration. Avengers: Infinity War is like its successor in that most ratings are 4-stars (30%), with a perfect 5-star score coming in second (25%).
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) - 4.20
It was hard to imagine any movie being as anticipated as the final two entries of The Avengers series but then Spider-Man: No Way Home came along. Rumors were swirling for months that this would open up the multiverse and bring together characters from past Spider-Man films.
That was the case not only with villains like Green Goblin and Electro but it also brought back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, making for an epic team-up. The film managed to balance so many characters brilliantly and end in a satisfying yet heartbreaking way. A whopping 35% of reviews have it at a perfect 5-stars.