Ranking MCU's Phase Four Movies: The Multiverse Saga

After a year's break Marvel Studios returned with WandaVision on Disney+ and kickstarted phase 4 at the theatres with Black Widow. We recently have seen the last project of phase 4 hit theatres in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and that means it's time to discuss our rankings. I wanted to make individual review videos but somehow it always never got done so this will also be a small review of these movies, so bare with me.

Feel free to leave your rankings in the comments.

Let's start ranking:

7. Thor: Love and Thunder

After Taika Waiti reinvigorated the Thor franchise with Thor: Ragnarok and the Russo's sort of undid all that work in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, hopes were high for the JoJo Rabbit director to deliver a spectacle like no other. The villain was promising and trailers hyped us up. The movie was funny, very funny. But it didn't fit the tone of what they were trying to do. Jane Foster battling cancer shoul've been done better. Gorr the God Butcher should've been done better. It makes me feel like funny, fat and revenge seeking Thor from Avengers: Endgame was much better. All that said the ending did make me feel good with the realisation of what the title actually meant. The ending sets up alot for the future of the MCU: Eternity's avatar Love and her wierd yet beautiful dynamic with Thor, Jane in Valhalla, Hercules coming after Thor are all exciting things to look forward to.

6. Black Widow

The movie that finally got made after so many years, but it might've been too late. I reviewed this last year in my ranking video so check that out. Black Widow had an amazing first half but dull second half. A good sendoff for Natasha and exciting times ahead for Yelena. Task Master works for me though I feel they could've had a much cooler third act fight. And the building in the sky just didn't work.

5. Eternals

No one can change my perception of this movie. I loved it. Introducing 10 new characters and making them all interesting is hard. Introducing concepts like creators of the universe and immortal robot beings is too much but I was invested in most of the characters and would love to see more of them, especially since they directly tie in with the celestials and that means Judgement Day is coming.

4. Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse Of Madness

I had a good time with this movie. But ultimately I felt it didn't live up to its potential. Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange are my favourite characters so this was the movie I was looking forward to the most. I can bring it down to me expecting too much and after giving the movie some time I felt it worked but Wanda's character took such a huge turn offscreen especially after the great exploration of her grief in WandaVision that it felt untrue to the character. I still loved her scenes, because I'm that big a fan. Doctor Strange was the coolest in Avengers: Infinity War, and we are yet to see him on that level again. I just hope all this character development leads to some crazy stories and powers on display in the future.

3. Shang-Chi and The Legend Of The Ten Rings

This movie has heart. It has great action, brilliant use of the rings and a complex hero. I say complex beacuse he has killed. This is the only other 'corner' of the MCU that has a couple of strong female characters, I'm talking Xia Ling, ShangChi's aunty Ying. Katy and Trevor Slattery were good comedic reliefs. Overall a great package with arguably the two best post credits scene of Phase 4. Excited for the future of the Ten Rings, Shang-Chi and his entire corner of the MCU.

2. Spider -Man: No Way Home

This is by far the best movie on the list. The only reason it doesn't get the first spot is the villains and it relies on nostalgia which I don't hate, I loved the nostalgia treat they gave us. William Daefoe's Green Goblin was great and it was good to see Doc Ock and the other villain but they weren't original; we had seen them before. The emotional journey Peter needs to go through from his identity being revealed by Mysterio to him accidentally messing up a spell - Aunt May's death - him teaming up with the Spidey's - sacrificing his identity to set things right, would work without the cameos but they are still integral and I think that was balanced well. The score gets me always. Tom Holland and Zendaya gave their best.

The franchise can be reimagined to tell better stories now that no one knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The movie took itself seriously and it had high stakes with some jokes and funny moments sprinkled in where necessary. The movie had to deal with so much and it could've felt wrong in countless ways but it held together. The movie has so many awesome characters, great action scenes with the introduction of the Talokans and a fierce villain in Namor. I hope we get to see him in more projects, because I loved his character. Letitia Wright had to fill in the gap of the lead actor and she did well of course with some support from other characters in most of the film but she took the centre stage after Queen Ramonda died and I don't mind her (never have) being Black Panther. When the movie ended I thought that was it; they solved the 'how do we move forward question' but the mid credit had better ideas and I just can't praise them enough for it. We will have a T'Challa and it will be connected to Chadwick Boseman. It doesn't cheapen Chadwick's contribution in any way. This was like you liked the movie but the mid credit made you feel alot better about it. They set up the government coming for Wakanda and I hope it pays off in a huge way in Black Panther 3.

Phase 4 has felt disconnected and thought I tune into every episode as soon as it airs and watch the movies on the first day sometimes it feels not worth it. Some episodes feel like filler and Thor: Love and Thunder just through seriousness out of the window in a story that needed it. I used to say I have faith in the MCU but now I'm worried that by the time we get to Avengers: Secret Wars the experience of the MCU shouldn't get tarnished. Here's hoping to an amazing Phase 5. Stay tuned for the MCU shows ranking.

Until then 'Love You 3000!'