11. Ant-Man and Captain Marvel feature disconnected Cap moments
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Okay, it’s the first entry, and we’re already bending our ranking rules by lumping two into one. But really, Steve Rogers’ presence in these two movies is fleeting and falls flat. There just isn’t much to go on, to the point where it’s easy to forget he even shows up in them at all.
For those of you who need a quick refresher, in “Ant-Man,” Sam Wilson and then-Cap Steve Rogers pop up in an end-credit scene, where they’re shown with a captured Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) trying to figure out what to do in light of the recent, cryptically-referenced “accords.” It’s a dramatic scene, but really, it belongs to another movie (hint: “Captain America: Civil War,” which will show up on this list in a bit).
The “Captain Marvel” experience is similar. After the movie wraps up, we get an end credit scene between “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” showing us how Carol Danvers answers the deceased Nick Fury’s distress signal and returns to help the half-snapped-away Avengers. It’s high drama, but it ultimately is unrelated to the movie — and Cap doesn’t really do much in either scene. That’s why they’re tied for the bottom of the list.
10. Thor 2 (kind of) has Cap
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“Thor: Dark World” isn’t peak on-screen Marvel. For many, it’s the MCU’s nadir. Still, the story is important in Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) evolution as a character. It also sets up important future storylines, like its role in the time travel shenanigans of “Avengers: Endgame.” “Dark World” also features one of the strangest Captain America cameos of them all. We’re talking about the scene where Loki (Tom Hiddleston) turns into a fully assembled Steve Rogers while walking through the halls of Asgard.
This one’s fun. The mischievous Son of Odin’s jabs at Rogers’ purity and patriotism are particularly funny. (The commentary on the suit being a bit much — and too tight — is also great.) In the end, though, we don’t actually get anything out of it other than a quirky call out to the First Avenger that doesn’t actually impact the story, so it falls pretty low in the rankings.
9. Spider-Man: Homecoming takes end-credit Cap to the next level
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Okay, so the bottom of this list is littered with all of Steve Rogers’ little end-credit quips and minor cameos. But if there’s one that takes the cake for meaningless but great, it has to be his in-movie and end-credit appearances in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” He shows up on multiple screens throughout Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) educational experience, lecturing Peter and his fellow students about patience being the “key to victory,” redemption in detention, and changing teenage bodies. The pièce de résistance comes in the end credits, when we get Cap against a white screen, trying to talk with confidence, only to break down and ask how many more talking heads he needs to film.
While Cap isn’t integral to the movie in any tangible way, his steady presence actually does serve as a quiet, maddening reminder for Peter that Cap is on the lam and in hiding. At that point, as far as the fledgling “Spider-Man” is concerned, he’s a hypocrite, a failure, and a war criminal, and that knowledge does actually influence the movie, albeit indirectly. Between the fun, the frequency, and the stakes, this one gets a slight bump over the other cameo-level appearances.
8. Captain America: Brave New World falls a bit flat
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Not on your left. Front and center, babay. “Captain America: Brave New World” is Sam Wilson’s first full-length feature solo flight in the MCU, and it’s a fun one. He takes on a Red Hulk president in the form of the Harrison Ford-recast Thunderbolt Ross and does damage control for the re-emerged Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson).
Sam Wilson is great. He’s heroic. He’s full of grit and heart. But when he takes up Cap’s shield for his first full-length feature film, it just doesn’t hit with the same degree of gusto and epic awesomeness as the previous installments. Call it unfair, but one of the biggest problems is that he can’t perform on a super-soldier level. He didn’t take the serum, and that means every time he takes a hit, it’s kind of hard to believe he’s okay. Sure, he’s wrapped in vibranium thanks to his Wakandan Falcon armor and wings, but still. It’s just hard to believe. Toss in the fact that the movie didn’t do well at the box office, had some controversial story elements, and was plagued by reshoots, and it makes sense that it would fall further down the list.
7. Avengers: Age of Ultron is solid but not too special
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If you rank the “Avengers” movies so far, most put “Avengers: Age of Ultron” at the bottom of the list. The first “Avengers” is vintage MCU storytelling, and the two-part “Infinity War” and “Endgame” are peak Marvel. “Ultron”? It’s not bad. It’s just not the other three — and that goes for Cap as much as it goes for the overall movie.
The one redeeming factor for Rogers? The Mjolnir scene. During a party early in the movie, the First Avenger tries to prove he’s worthy enough to pick up Thor’s weapon of choice at the time: Mjolnir. While Cap doesn’t succeed, it does appear that he budges it, causing Thor to sit up in temporary consternation. This ends up being a big deal later on, when Cap does show he’s able to lift Mjolnir in “Avengers: Endgame.” The stirring scene is a top MCU moment, and one that is more earned than almost any other reveal in the long history of Marvel cinema. While epic, though, that doesn’t do much for Rogers’ second outing as an Avenger, and the entry comes in the middle of the list at best.
6. Captain America: The First Avenger is a memorable origin story
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Steve Rogers’ first outing in his spandex suit comes in “Captain America: The First Avenger.” This is one of the MCU’s better origin stories. It’s unique in the sense that it takes place early — all the way back during World War II. It also traces Rogers’ awesome transformation from a puny kid with heart who can “do this all day” to a muscle-bound hero who can back up his uncompromising morals and willingness to sacrifice for others with a punch that can stop almost anything
This is where he gets his shield, too, setting the tone for his protective rather than aggressive stance as a superhero. The movie also gives us Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) — yet another character who ends up quietly important in “Avengers: Endgame.” Don’t forget, this is where we meet and lose Bucky for the first time, setting the stage for many other MCU storylines and cameos to come. Does “Captain America: The First Avenger” have some growing pains? Sure. All origin stories have rough patches as a character’s story takes flight. But this is one of the more compelling, “rah rah” MCU entries to date, and one that still hits viewers in all the classic superhero feels.
5. Captain America comes alive in Avengers
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Steve Rogers’ origin story is a fun way to jumpstart the character. But in reality, his true superhero story doesn’t take off until he comes out of the ice nearly 70 years later. That’s when he meets Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and becomes part of the newly minted Avengers initiative. In fact, at this point, Rogers, along with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), is the core of that group, and it’s the first movie in the “Avengers” franchise where he really comes into his own.
“Avengers” gives Rogers a chance to flex his leadership and charisma in new ways. In that group, he isn’t a super soldier among normal ones. He’s trying to inspire, guide, and lead other heroes like himself. As he finds his sea legs, his potential to make a genuine difference in the world skyrockets. His role in the movie is a perfect taste of what’s to come as he gets into his groove and sets the tone for a group that will stop at nothing to save the world, and eventually half of the universe.
4. Captain America: Civil War is a heartbreaking favorite
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A complete 180 from “The First Avenger,” the third Captain America film, “Civil War,” is full of doubt, struggle, and heart-wrenching moments for Steve Rogers and his friends. It follows a doubting and torn Rogers as he tries to make sense of his loyalty to his friends, his coworkers, and his country. The movie follows a rift in the Avengers team and leads to one of the most painful duels of all time in the form of Rogers and Tony Stark’s third-act showdown.
There’s also the fact that this one is basically “Avengers 2.5.” The story is critical to the larger MCU epic that unfolds throughout the first three phases of the MCU. It is integral to the eventual way things play out when Thanos (Josh Brolin) shows up on the scene, which gives it a more compelling and high-stakes feel. Count this one as a top entry.
3. Avengers: Infinity War resurrects Rogers with inspiring effect
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Steve Rogers lies low for a while after “Captain America: Civil War.” With Rogers on the run, he doesn’t factor into any major storylines — that is, until Thanos shows up and everyone puts down their gripes to focus on the apocalyptic threat. This is the moment when Cap and company re-emerge from the shadows (literally) to stop Thanos’ children and try to cobble together a last-minute plan to stop the Mad Titan from collecting the Infinity Stones.
The result is an all-out war in Wakanda, where Cap reunites with Bucky (then going by the moniker “White Wolf”) and the World War II buds join forces with the free peoples of the universe to do everything they can to stop Thanos. One of Rogers’ best moments follows, when he manages to actually stop the Infinity Gauntlet-ed Thanos for a second. All to no avail, though. Thor fails next, Thanos snaps, and the movie ends with Cap and the other survivors devastated, with no hope. It’s gut-wrenching. It doesn’t pull its punches. And Cap’s role at the center of the drama makes this a top entry for his MCU resume.
2. Avengers: Endgame embodies everything Captain America stands for
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Steve Rogers spends most of the Infinity Saga establishing who he is and then spiraling into a years-long process of self-doubt and uncertainty. The distressing cycle finally stops in Rogers’ swan song: “Avengers: Endgame.” In that movie, Rogers is no longer hiding from the law. He isn’t fighting with the government or his friends. He isn’t torn about his duty. He is back on the straight and narrow, and he is laser-focused on what he has to do, or more accurately, undo: The Snap. He’s also in full-on heart-led leader mode, which is his best look.
This leads to several of Rogers’ greatest moments. He reunites with Tony Stark. He helps lead the time-travel heist (including risking himself in a desperate ad hoc plan staged in 2012 New York City after things go awry). He duels his previous self. He finally gets his happily ever after with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). And, of course, he picks up Mjolnir, beats the crap out of Thanos, and finally calls the Avengers to assemble.
It’s all peak Rogers Captain America, and arguably the best outing for the Little Guy. That said, while “Endgame” sums up everything awesome about Captain America, as far as this humble journalist is concerned, there’s one quieter, more contained entry that still takes the cake when it comes to a pure value ranking.
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best Captain America movie of them all
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If you’re looking for the best Captain America experience, it’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Period. Full stop. Here’s why.
On the one hand, while movies like “Endgame” and “Infinity War” are special, they’re really ensemble films. Steve Rogers plays an important part, but he’s just a part. “Captain America: Civil War” is technically a Cap franchise film, but again, there’s a lot of crossover and backstory there.
On the other hand, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is a complete Cap experience. Yes, you need to know his origin story to fully understand everything, but overall, you can enjoy the film without a ton of backstory. The movie also has several key Cap developments, like the introduction of Sam Wilson as Falcon, actually developing Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) as Black Widow, and the unleashing of Hydra as more than a World War II Nazi threat. And let’s not forget that Bucky is back as the brainwashed Winter Soldier. That whole portion of the film is compelling and one of Bucky’s best MCU storylines. To top it off? We have the elevator scene, which, barring the Mjolnir and Avengers Assemble moments, is arguably his best Marvel scene onscreen ever.
This is also the first time Rogers really starts to struggle with his purpose and destiny as a superhero. The movie is gritty and compelling. The down-to-earth choreography is gripping. The story is equal parts tragic and heroic. Like those ignorant Hydra agents in the elevator, once it starts, no one wants to get off. That’s why it gets the top spot.
