As audiences went almost two years without any new MCU movie for two years, it's almost as if Marvel Studios overcompensated by giving them so many projects that they sometimes overlapped. Due to the delays in 2020, there was an abundance of filming delays for movies and TV shows alike, allowing the MCU to release a plethora of content from movies on familial bonds to TV shows that play out like a Shakespearean tragedy.
The year marked the first time the MCU used TV as a format for the universe, and it worked surprisingly well, even better than most of the year's movies. There are a total of nine 2021 MCU projects, and interestingly enough, they include both the very worst and very best MCU movies according to IMDb.
Black Widow - 6.7
Unfortunately, Black Widow will probably be most remembered for the controversial and fumbled way it was given a day-and-date release on Disney+. And that led to messy lawsuits between Disney and Scarlett Johansson. But the movie isn't a particularly special or memorable MCU release.
Outside of the controversy surrounding the movie, the film itself is a lower-tier Marvel film, and it's the second-worst on IMDb after The Incredible Hulk. But there are still a couple of takeaways from the film. As Black Widow has some great team-ups in the MCU, her pairing up with Red Guardian (and their relationship) is one of the most entertaining.
Eternals - 6.8
Given the critical response of Eternals, it's quite a surprise that the movie isn't the lowest-rated, and 6.8 is pretty high for a film that was so critically scathed. Eternals set a precedent, but not a good one, as it's the very first film in the MCU to be rated rotten on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, the IMDb score just goes to show how Marvel fans will still show up in droves, and there is still a lot to love about the film. Though the Bollywood genre was underutilized in the MCU, the little Bollywood that's in Eternals is so extravagant that it leaves audiences wanting more. There's also so much star power within the film. In addition, Eternals forgoes sound stages for on-location sets gives the proceedings a unique Earthly feel.
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier - 7.3
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a fun but messy entry in the MCU. The series was criticized for being a little too preachy with its social commentary but also praised for confronting issues like racial discrimination. Sam's relationship with the shield and becoming the new Captain America doesn't make much sense, and Bucky overcoming his past is an arc that was already wrapped up in Captain America: Civil War.
But what the series lacked in character motivations and arcs, it more than made up for in blockbuster movie-like action set pieces. Every episode is filled with exciting action typical of MCU movies. And what the show did best was introduce interesting new characters, such as John Walker and Valentina Fontaine, who audiences can't wait to see again in the future.
What If...? - 7.5
Marvel Studios has taken full advantage of Disney+ as a platform to bring all of the writers' wildest ideas to life. What If...? asks questions like, what if King T'Challa was Star-Lord? or what if Ultron won? The show makes perfect use of the animated format, as fans get to see what would never be in the movies, such as the Avengers even becoming zombies.
Interestingly, What If...? is the only MCU project that isn't canon and doesn't have any kind of effect on the universe. And as the show is low stakes and inconsequential, it's perfectly fun comfort food for MCU fans to throw on without being locked in for hours at a time.
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The 10 Rings - 7.5
Though Black Widow was the first MCU movie to hit theatres in two years, it was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that really made fans feel at home. Shang-Chi might have daddy issues like every other Marvel hero, but it's an extremely unique take on an origins movie.
The film explores Chinese culture and mythology, and the martial arts sequences are the best-choreographed fight scenes in the franchise. While the movie might have some of the cringiest one-liners in the MCU, but for the most part, it's one of the funniest films in the universe that isn't an outright comedy like Thor: Ragnarok or Guardians of the Galaxy.
WandaVision - 8.0
As WandaVision was the very first taste of the MCU that fans got after the pandemic, it was somewhat of a risk given that the show's unique design. There's a distinct lack of action, one-liners, and fan-favorite characters. But the series was a huge hit, and the Twilight Zone-like approach couldn't have been more successful. And ironically, it's when the show attempts to be more like a Marvel movie that it fails.
The narrative is almost Lynchian, as the show is full of so many different mysteries, and just like the best David Lynch movies, the show doesn't even answer half of the mysteries. WandaVision is a Shakespearean-like tragedy that's full of inventive ideas, and the way each episode is shot in the style of a decade-defining sitcom makes it that much more entertaining.
Hawkeye - 8.1
The Avengers are now at legend status in the world of the MCU. With Captain America's shield being welded onto the Statue of Liberty and Broadway musicals being made about the team, Clint is watching a revisionistic history be told about him and his friends. And that's what makes Hawkeye so interesting.
It's Clint's hilariously cavalier attitude that makes it even more entertaining, as it doesn't follow a character who is trapped in a different dimension or anything like that, but an Avenger who is essentially retired. However, the show also subverted fans' expectations, as it's more about Kate than it is about Clint. Each consecutive episode of Hawkeye gets progressively better, which is partially thanks to all the big reveals. The most notable of which is Wilson Fisk, and it has led to debates amongst fans about where Kingpin could show up next.
Loki - 8.3
While Thor: Ragnorak is an epic space opera, Loki takes that and runs with it further than anyone could have imagined. Just like WandaVision, the show takes some huge risks, and its DNA is closer to 80s sci-fi movies than it is to the MCU. Loki is full of surprises, whether it's Loki being D.B. Cooper or all of the Loki variants.
The show is unique not just in the story but in the way it looks too. The art direction is so interesting, as some of the backgrounds even look like oil paintings, and it's such a visual experience. It's also the only MCU Disney+ series that is confirmed to be getting a season 2. As it ended on a cliffhanger that rivals the one in Infinity War, the second season can't come soon enough.
Spider-Man: No Way Home - 9.0
As it stands, Spider-Man: No Way Home is the highest-rated MCU movie and the ninth greatest movie of all time according to the movie database. Not only that, but the movie had the second-highest opening weekend at the box office ever, which is a massive feat considering that current climate.
As the movie delves headfirst into the multiverse, it's full of easter eggs and huge surprises. And with its overwhelmingly positive reception, the Spider-Man 'Home' movies are now in the conversation for the greatest trilogy of all time. No Way Home might not stay at a 9.0, as it's so new and there are still millions of fans yet to see it, but that's still based on over 200,000 votes, which is so impressive.