MRQE Ranks: Marvel's Best Movies

1

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris

Director: Sam Raimi

Synopsis: Stan Lee's all-too-human superhero returns to the screen in this highly anticipated sequel to 2002's blockbuster hit Spider-Man. Peter Parker (Tobe... [MORE]

2

The Avengers (2012)

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner

Director: Joss Whedon

Synopsis: Marvel Studios delivers the ultimate comic-book film, which ties together such characters as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris E... [MORE]

3

Iron Man (2008)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb

Director: Jon Favreau

Synopsis: From Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures comes Iron Man, an action-packed take on the tale of wealthy philanthropist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr... [MORE]

4

Spider-Man (2002)

Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco, Cliff Robertson

Director: Sam Raimi

Synopsis: After incorporating elements of comic book style and design into many of his films, director Sam Raimi helms this straight-ahead, big-budget comic ... [MORE]

5

X2 (2003)

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden

Director: Bryan Singer

Synopsis: When a failed assassination attempt occurs on the President's (Cotter Smith) life by the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), it's Profe... [MORE]

6

Men in Black (1997)

Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rip Torn

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Synopsis: For his fifth effort as a feature-film director, one-time cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld brought his cartoonish visual style and darkly humorous ... [MORE]

7

X-Men: First Class (2011)

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Caleb Landry Jones, Nicholas Hoult

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Synopsis: Set in the era before Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr became mortal enemies as Professor X and Magneto, respectively, director Matthew ... [MORE]

8

Kick-Ass (2010)

Cast: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Grace Moretz

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Synopsis: Adapted from Mark Millar's hyper-violent comic book of the same name, director Matthew Vaughn's (Layer Cake) vigilante superhero film tells the tal... [MORE]

9

X-Men (2000)

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, James Marsden

Director: Bryan Singer

Synopsis: One of the most popular superhero teams in comic book history finally comes to the screen in this big-budget adaptation of the long-running Marvel ... [MORE]

10

Thor (2011)

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Synopsis: Exiled to Earth after his arrogance fans the flames of an ancient conflict, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) of Asgard discovers the meaning of hu... [MORE]

11

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Cast: Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, Susan Sullivan, Jack Colvin

Synopsis: The Incredible Hulk, the live-action TV series based on the popular Marvel Comics character, was preceded by a 2-hour TV-movie pilot. Bill Bixby st... [MORE]

12

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Cast: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones

Director: Joe Johnston

Synopsis: Meek U.S. Army soldier Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) takes part in an experimental military program that infuses him with super-human powers, and uses... [MORE]

13

Blade II (2002)

Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Leonor Varela, Norman Reedus

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Synopsis: Four years after scoring a box-office touchdown with Blade (1998), actor Wesley Snipes returns to portray the Marvel Comics character again in this... [MORE]

14

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, John Slattery, Garry Shandling, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Leslie Bibb, Jon Favreau, Christiane Amanpour, Philippe Bergeron, James Bethea, Michael Bruno, Katie Clark, Luminita Docan, Francois Duhamel, Larry Ellison, DJ A.M., Tim Guinee, Eric L. Haney, Ali Khan, Eugene Lazarev, Stan Lee, Isaiah Guyman Martin IV, Helena Mattsson, Keith Middlebrook, Anya Monzikova, Margy Moore, Olivia Munn, Elon Musk, Bill O'Reilly, Alejandro Patino, Davin Ransom, Karim Saleh, Brian Schaeffer, Phillipe Simon, Jack White

Director: Jon Favreau

Synopsis: As Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) owns up to being Iron Man before the world press, Anton Vanko lies dying in Russia. Years ago, Anton worked with ... [MORE]

15

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Famke Janssen

Director: Brett Ratner

Synopsis: The explosive X-Men motion picture trilogy officially draws to a close with this release that finds Rush Hour director Brett Ratner stepping in for... [MORE]

16

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace

Director: Sam Raimi

Synopsis: Your friendly neighborhood web-slinger is back, only this time his sunny outlook has become partially overcast in the third chapter of director Sam... [MORE]

17

Blade (1998)

Cast: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright, Donal Logue

Director: Stephen Norrington

Synopsis: British director Stephen Norrington helmed this David S. Goyer adaptation of the Marvel Comics character created in 1973 by scripter Marv Wolfman a... [MORE]

18

Hulk (2003)

Cast: Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Nick Nolte, Josh Lucas

Director: Ang Lee

Synopsis: Ang Lee directs the live-action feature film The Hulk, based on the Marvel comic book created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby. Emotionall... [MORE]

19

Daredevil (2003)

Cast: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell, Michael Clarke Duncan, Jon Favreau

Director: Mark Steven Johnson

Synopsis: One of Marvel Comics' most popular characters comes to the screen for the first time in this sci-fi action-thriller. Matthew Murdock (Ben Affleck) ... [MORE]

20

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Lynn Collins

Director: Gavin Hood

Synopsis: The gruff, adamantium-clawed Marvel superhero Wolverine strikes out on his own in this X-Men spin-off starring series regular Hugh Jackman. The sto... [MORE]

21

4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon

Director: Tim Story

Synopsis: The world's most famous team of astronauts-cum-superheroes returns in the effects-heavy sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. As the st... [MORE]

22

Men in Black II (2002)

Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Synopsis: Otherworldly villains are on the loose again, and it's up to Earth's interstellar police force to bring them to justice in this sequel to the sci-f... [MORE]

23

The Punisher (2004)

Cast: Thomas Jane, John Travolta, James Carpinello, Laura Harring, Will Patton

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh

Synopsis: An ordinary lawman goes outside the law to carry out his own brand of justice in this dark-themed thriller. Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) is an FBI ag... [MORE]

24

Fantastic Four (2005)

Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon

Director: Tim Story

Synopsis: A handful of heroes become superheroes under unlikely circumstances in this action drama adapted from the long-running Marvel comic-book series. Fo... [MORE]

25

Blade: Trinity (2004)

Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Dominic Purcell, Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds

Director: David S. Goyer

Synopsis: Wesley Snipes returns as legendary vampire hunter Blade in this, the third film inspired by the popular Marvel Comics character. A fearless warrior... [MORE]

26

Ghost Rider (2007)

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Sam Elliott, Peter Fonda

Director: Mark Steven Johnson

Synopsis: When a motorcycle-riding stuntman offers his soul to Mephistopheles in order to save the life of the one he loves most, he is forced to play host t... [MORE]

27

Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Cast: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Dash Mihok, Julie Benz, Wayne Knight

Director: Lexi Alexander

Synopsis: Marvel Comics' vigilante character The Punisher gets another big-screen outing in this third film incarnation of the character, this time from Gree... [MORE]

28

Elektra (2005)

Cast: Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Kirsten Prout, Will Yun Lee, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Director: Rob Bowman

Synopsis: Daredevil's main squeeze gets resurrected in her own flick with this spin-off martial arts actioner from director Rob Bowman (Reign of Fire, The X-... [MORE]

29

Howard the Duck (1986)

Cast: Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Tim Robbins, Paul Guilfoyle

Director: Willard Hyuck, Willard Huyck

Synopsis: In this sci-fi comedy from executive producer George Lucas, Howard the Duck is an extra-terrestrial fowl who is accidentally beamed to earth by phy... [MORE]

30

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Idris Elba, Ciarán Hinds, Christopher Lambert, Violante Placido

Director: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor

Synopsis: Crank co-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor helm this sequel to 2007's Ghost Rider that finds Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) summoning his infe... [MORE]