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Dir: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo; Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, Josh Brolin. Cert 12A, 181 mins
The Avengers cycle comes to a rich and very satisfying conclusion with Endgame , surely the most complex and emotional superhero movie in Marvel history. At 181 minutes, this is a veritable epic, but with so many characters and plot strands, it fully warrants its lengthy running time.
The wonder here is the very dexterous way the film deals with such intricate subject matter. This is an extraordinary feat of planning and logistics. The Russo brothers, working from another screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, are dealing with death, bereavement and separation but show remarkable lightness of touch and humour in the way they do so. One of the most impressive elements is the ease with which the film switches back and forth in time, seamlessly changing storytelling styles.
Although there is plenty of action, the moments that invariably register the most strongly are the intimate ones in which we see the heroes’ faces in huge close-up, expressing their loss and bewilderment. The galactic scenes are combined with moments celebrating folksy, old-fashioned Americana. Most of the actors are seen as much in civilian clothes as in their superhero costumes and there are many fine performances here.
This is the sequel to last year’s Avengers: Infinity War . It opens with a very eerie sequence in which one of the heroes is enjoying an idyllic picnic on the farm he shares with his family. One moment he is asking the kids whether they prefer mustard or mayonnaise and the next he is confronted with cosmic despair and devastation. Thanos (Josh Brolin) has laid waste of much of civilisation on earth, wiping out 50 per cent of all living creatures. The Avengers themselves are in a state of despair over their failure to stop him.
Marvel films – ranked worst to bestShow all 23 1 /23Marvel films – ranked worst to best Marvel films – ranked worst to best Iron Man 2 23. Iron Man 2 barely holds together. Rather than act as a straight sequel to the surprisingly successful Iron Man, Marvel Studios decided to overstuff the film with universe-building references (Black Widow, Nick Fury and SHIELD’s Agent Coulson all make appearances) and two-dimensional villains (played by Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke). The result is a film without any direction that serves as a Trojan horse set-up for the Avengers.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Thor: The Dark World 22. When the Thor franchise lost its director Kenneth Branagh between the first and second films, it also had to kiss goodbye to the Shakespearean theatrics that had lent it a sense of goofy charm. Directed by Game of Thrones’s Alan Taylor, The Dark World prioritises its VFX effects above all else. It’s a dull affair: Christopher Eccleston’s Malekith is (by far) Marvel’s worst villain, being a pile of prosthetics with zero personality, while Chris Hemsworth’s Thor completes one of the most unrealistic London Tube journeys in all of cinematic history.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best The Incredible Hulk 21. Edward Norton’s version of the smashing Hulk often gets forgotten by Marvel fans – and for good reason. Whereas Mark Ruffalo’s bumbling interpretation of the character has a gravitational charm, Norton’s moping monster is void of any charisma. With Liv Tyler phoning in her performance as love interest, Betty Ross, the film falls emotionally flat and serves only as a by-the-numbers origins story.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Avengers: Age of Ultron 20. Just in case we’d forgotten that the Disney corporation is an all-consuming titan that owns half of Hollywood, the sequel to 2012’s Avengers decided to sneak in a little corporate synergy: when Iron Man accidentally creates a sentient robot (voiced by James Spader) who decides the earth’s only salvation is through the destruction of humanity, he announces his grim plans with accompaniment of a little citation of the classic “I’ve Got No Strings” from 1940’s Pinocchio. It’s a moment that exemplifies how Ultron feels like a cold, calculated operation from Marvel Studios. It’s merely tick list of obligations to move us on to the next chapter of the MCU.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Thor 19. Although Kenneth Branagh’s introductory outing for Marvel’s God of Thunder fared perfectly well on release, it’s suffered massively from the MCU’s dramatic sense of progression over the years. Certainly, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki is a strong, well-crafted character right out of the gate, and his plot against his adoptive father (Anthony Hopkins) is delightfully heightened. Yet, it arguably took until Thor: Ragnarok for Chris Hemsworth’s hero to develop much sense of character beyond the initial “fish out of water” trope.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Doctor Strange 18. A self-centred wealthy white man ventures to a distant land and realises his superhero potential – sound familiar? That’s because Doctor Strange and Iron Man are basically the same story, except one uses magic and the other explosives. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Marveldebut impresses with kaleidoscope visuals but lacks the heart of Robert Downey Jr’s hero, leading to a film that wastes the talents of both Tilda Swinton and Mads Mikkelsen.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 17. The first Guardians of the Galaxy was a risky Star Wars-inspired romp through space, following a bunch of a-holes who form an unlikely familiar bond. For the second film, James Gunn decided to turn everything up to 11, cramming half a dozen interweaving storylines, leading to Chris Pratt’s gaunt Star Lord getting side-lined. The sequel did, however, introduce the now beloved line “I’m Mary Poppins, y’all”, shouted by Yondu as he gracefully falls from the sky. A wonderfully comedic moment in a film that misses on another half-dozen punches.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Avengers Assemble 16. Marvel’s first crossover film was an unparalleled cinematic event – one that arguably changed Hollywood filmmaking forever, now that every major studio seems to be attempting the “shared universe” approach to franchises. Although the MCU has refined the template since, Avengers Assemble still established the focus on humour, character, and heart that would come to define the success story of Marvel Studios. It’s a blockbuster that feels large on all fronts, delivering thrills not only in the “Battle of New York” finale, but in the creation of a team of characters that feel perfectly balanced and complementary.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Captain America: Civil War 15. Despite Captain America: Civil War (AKA Avengers 2.5) featuring Iron Man, Black Widow, and Ant-Man (as well as introducing Black Panther and Spider-Man), the film remains first and foremost about Captain America. And that’s perhaps why the stuffed blockbuster works – were it not for a central focus, Civil War could have fallen into the trappings of other Marvel sequels in being too convoluted. The Russo Brothers also direct one of the best actions scenes in Marvel history so far, the airport scene, which looks as if it leapt straight out of a comic book.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Ant-Man and the Wasp 14. While the first Ant Man was a mirror image of its star Paul Rudd, essentially delivering a studio comedy dressed in spandex, the second found a new trick up its sleeve in the form of Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne – a smart, capable female hero who didn’t simply exist to serve as a caretaker for the male characters.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Spider-Man: Far From Home 13. What comes after the end? It’s the question that was hanging over the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since the release of Avengers: Endgame was sold to us as the ultimate, cumulative chapter in a series of 22 interconnected films. And yet, while Far From Home is distinctly mid-level Marvel fare, there’s a lot to be said for the fact it isn’t crushed under the weight of its own ambitions. It feels comfortably like the end of a chapter, the beginning of a new one, an epilogue, and a palate cleanser all at once. It also works perfectly well as a film about Spider-Man.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Ant-Man 12. Ant-Man should not have worked as a film. Just look at the title! Ridiculous to think a movie about a man with ant powers should work – let alone be a blockbuster success and part of the biggest cinematic universe going. Yet, despite production problems (Edgar Wright was initially meant to helm the film), Peyton Reed directs this hilarious heist film with aplomb, taking the Marvel world a little less seriously than others.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Avengers: Infinity War 11. Marvel redefined cinematic narratives once more in 2018, creating a single culmination to a decade’s worth of films. While it plays as total nonsense to anyone who’s a newcomer to the franchise (if that’s possible), it was, for fans, an unmatched emotional release. The Russo brothers faced the monumental task of making each crossover – from the Guardians of the Galaxy to the kingdom of Wakanda – work in a way that feels natural, while also ushering the MCU’s biggest villain, Thanos, into centre stage. Epic both in its sense of scale and stakes, Infinity War also stages one of the most memorable finales in blockbuster history.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Captain America: The First Avenger 10. With or without the beard, Steve Rogers aka Captain America has now become the brooding centre of the Avengers, but there was once a time when he was all about the old-fashioned heroics. Director Joe Johnston stayed true to the film’s 1940s setting in a film that embraces that pulpiness of early comic book history, as Steve punches Nazis and romances military officer Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), although her character is thankfully never relegated to the role of damsel in distress.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Captain America: The Winter Soldier 9. Despite centring on a super-powered American nationalist, the Captain America trilogy has the most consistent quality in the MCU. Its crowning moment comes with The Winter Soldier – an adrenaline-fuelled conspiracy thriller that features a spectacular twist and provokes questions regarding modern day surveillance. However, given The Russo Brothers root the rest of the movie in realism, the bombastic CGI-heavy ending is a little ridiculous.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Captain Marvel 8. Brie Larson gives a superpowered performance as Carol Danvers, the actor playing a hero that's both relatable and aspirational, strong but vulnerable. While Captain Marvel may not revolutionise the studio’s formula, the superhero's debut outing provides a platform to show off her Thanos-annihilating powers. Thanks to a smart script, it also offers some of the very best character development in the MCU.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Spider-Man: Homecoming 7. While Spider-Man’s miraculous arrival in the MCU came with Captain America: Civil War, it was not until Homecoming that we truly got to know Peter Parker. Tom Holland’s incarnation swings past Andrew Garfield’s version, thanks to the film’s lower-stakes high school story allowing for intimate moments with the character. Along with including some great comic performances (Jacob Batalon as Ned stands out), Michael Keaton’s Vulture makes for a terrifying villain, and the twist is superbly done.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Iron Man 3 6. While divisive among Marvel fans, Shane Black’s superhero outing – with the writer/director’s sharp, stinging dialogue – brings Tony Stark's story arc to an end (or what should have been its end) with humour and heart aplenty. As Robert Downey Jr’s genius, billionaire philanthropist deals with PTSD and struggles with his robotic creations, we see an actor giving his all.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Avengers: Endgame 5. It’s a film that’s hard to place within the MCU canon, simply because the majority of its emotional pay-offs only work due to the groundwork laid by over a decade of filmmaking. Avengers: Endgame is less about individual storytelling and so much more about the collective experience of cinema itself. This exists to be consumed in the dark, surrounded by loved ones, as you all cheer, gasp, and cry in unison. The fan service at work may, at times, feel a little outrageous in just how bold it feels, but Endgame earns the right to indulge. This, above all, is a celebration of these movies and their impact on the world.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Thor: Ragnarok 4. Completely transforming the Thor franchise in a single, effortless move, director Taika Waititi injected new energy into the MCU. Ragnarok is perfectly balanced both as a standard Marvel movie, with all the right heroics and world-building intact, and as a work belonging exclusively to Waititi, filled with the humour and charm he’d previously displayed in What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. By finding a way to incorporate individual voices into its massive franchise machine, Marvel found the secret to true long-term success.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Iron Man 3. Where it all started. Iron Man subverted expectations by not only reintroducing Robert Downey Jr to the world, but by showing that a relatively unknown B-character could be at the centre of a blockbuster. Other cinematic universes fail because they attempt to introduce too much (a mistake made in Iron Man 2). The first Iron Man, though, had a self-contained story that only hinted at a bigger world – a world that would eventually become a multi-billion-dollar franchise.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Blasting the Marvel universe into space for an adventure with a truly ragtag group of heroes, including both a talking racoon and a sentient tree-creature, Guardians of the Galaxy is arguably the biggest risk the franchise ever took. And it paid off in spectacular fashion, with director James Gunn giving the superhero genre a light coat of B-movie glee. It also transformed Parks and Recreation star Chris Pratt into the major box office draw he is today.
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Marvel films – ranked worst to best Black Panther 1. Although Black Panther still dutifully fulfils all the requirements of a Marvel film, providing a bridge to films both past and future plus ending in a cinematic battle filled with CGI trickery, Ryan Coogler’s achievement as a director is to use a familiar framework to tell a radical story within mainstream filmmaking. In the strife between Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, the ruler of Wakanda, and Michael B Jordan’s Killmonger, he provided a nuanced, layered commentary on colonialism and black identity. It’s a film that triumphs both within its genre, bringing new perspectives to the superhero story, and outside of it, satisfying purely as a piece of narrative drama.
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Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man is first seen close to death in a space ship far above the world, floating in a most peculiar way and with his oxygen about to run out. It looks, for a few minutes at least, as if he and the rest of the team are well and truly licked. As he sardonically tells Captain America, “guess what Cap, we lost and you weren’t there”.
The basic plot here is close to sci-fi hokum. The Avengers plot a “time heist”. Using the experiences of Ant Man in the so-called Quantum Realm, they plot to head back in time in pursuit of the six infinity stones. If they can get hold of them, they can reverse the damage wrought by Thanos. The hitch, as one puts it, is that, “if you mess with time, it tends to mess back”.
Avengers characters - rankedShow all 27 1 /27Avengers characters - ranked Avengers characters - ranked 27. War Machine Played by: Don Cheadle
Imagine Iron Man but without a backstory or humour. That's War Machine. Terrence Howard saw that the character would be underwritten and dropped out after filming the first Iron Man. Still, it's hard to dislike Don Cheadle, even when he's shortchanged.
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Avengers characters - ranked 26. Mantis Played by: Pom Klementieff
The forgettable Mantis is purely there to make up the numbers. It doesn't help that she was introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, one of the MCU's weakest films to date, as the servant to Kurt Russell's tedious villain, Ego. In a crowded ensemble, Mantis is drowned out by the larger personalities.
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Avengers characters - ranked 25. Hawkeye Played by: Jeremy Renner
"Oh no! It's a man with no superpowers and a bow and arrow! I, an alien with futuristic technology who has travelled through the galaxy to invade Earth, am terrified!" – Thanos's army of Outriders, probably.
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Avengers characters - ranked 24. Doctor Strange Played by: Benedict Cumberbatch
Oh, Doctor Strange. Perhaps there's a good character there, but Benedict Cumberbatch wasn't the man to play him. He's probably the least likeable presence in the MCU, even if a few kick-ass moments in Avengers: Endgame almost pull him back from the brink.
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Avengers characters - ranked 23. Gamora Played by: Zoe Saldana
Although the father-daughter relationship between Gamora and Thanos is interesting, it's completely overshadowed by the dynamic between her half-sister Nebula and the Mad Titan. And now she's AWOL. Perhaps. No one really knows.
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Avengers characters - ranked 22. Star-Lord Played by: Chris Pratt
Star-Lord – the half-man, half-Celestial – remains one of the funniest Marvel characters to date. Yet, the Avengers would have saved the universe the first time around if it weren't for his (quite understandable) temper tantrum over the death of Gamora in Infinity War. For that, the leader of Guardian of the Galaxy falls many places.
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Avengers characters - ranked 21. Nebula Played by: Karen Gillan
Nebula has all the makings of being a vintage Marvel character, but the feeling that she's been slightly short-changed by her appearances to date cannot be escaped. Going forward, she'll undoubtedly have an elevated role in the MCU, so here's hoping she's handed the justice she deserves.
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Avengers characters - ranked 20. The Winter Soldier Played by: Sebastian Stan
Sebastian Stan's Bucky was a bit of a non-entity in the otherwise underrated Captain America: The First Avenger, which is why his do-over as the villainous Winter Soldier in the sequel three years later injected the character with some much-needed intrigue. His shift back to being a good guy, though, has dampened the interest around him once again. Still, that teased romance with Shuri (Letitia Wright) is sure to do him some favours.
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Avengers characters - ranked 19. Vision Played by: Paul Bettany
Vision is the purple embodiment of Tony Stark's AI butler JARVIS, brought to life by the Mind Stone. One of the only other characters capable of wielding Thor's hammer (oi oi, Cap!), Vision is overpowered to the point of being boring. Still, he doesn't know his paprika from his cayenne.
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Avengers characters - ranked 18. The Wasp Played by: Evangeline Lilly
Sidelined during the first Ant-Man, The Wasp finally became a headline name in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Not only is she smarter, quicker and a better fighter than Ant-Man, she can also fly thanks to a set of wings. Fingers crossed we'll be getting more Wasp post-Endgame.
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Avengers characters - ranked 17. Falcon Played by: Anthony Mackie
There's no two ways about it: if Falcon wasn't played by Anthony Mackie, he'd be far lower down this list. His character remains memorable solely due to the vibrancy the ever-entertaining actor brings to the role. Falcon might be a lesser Avenger, but no appearance since his debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier has left fans wanting more. For that, Falcon should be celebrated.
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Avengers characters - ranked 16. Captain Marvel Played by: Brie Larson
There's no doubt that Captain Marvel could become one of the best characters in the MCU. Fresh off her billion dollar-grossing debut – the series's first female-led superhero film – the character returned to save the day (well, help the crew out) in Avengers: Endgame. Now her origin story is out of the way, the sky's the limit for her; it'll be exciting to see which planets her story scales next.
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Avengers characters - ranked 15. Groot Played by: Vin Diesel
To be quite honest, it's hard to screw up a character who is literally a tree that's able to speak just one word (his name). There's no denying that Vin Diesel's Groot was one of the best things about the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, and his camaraderie with Rocket Raccoon a highlight. Sadly, being turned into a baby for the entirety of the sequel made his character slightly more annoying.
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Avengers characters - ranked 14. Valkyrie Played by: Tessa Thompson
Introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie has the swagger of Han Solo and the powers of Wonder Woman. The result is probably the coolest and smoothest Avenger yet, and someone we very much look forward to seeing again in Thor: Love and Thunder.
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Avengers characters - ranked 13. Hulk Played by: Mark Ruffalo
The Hulk was originally played by Edward Norton, but Mark Ruffalo took over for the Avengers films. The actor brought out a manic unpredictability to the character, who remains a skittish presence in every film. Since the first Avengers outing, though, Bruce Banner/Hulk has been less integral to the team.
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Avengers characters - ranked 12. Black Widow Played by: Scarlett Johansson
Black Widow has had a rough ride. Introduced during Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson's agent was a fierce fighter with an intriguing back story. However, this has rarely been explored since, with the Avengers films focusing on the lads rather than the one female character in the team. Almost 20 Marvel films on and the character is finally getting a solo film – but it's a prequel film arriving after her death in Endgame that's been delayed because of coronavirus. Ouch.
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Avengers characters - ranked 11. Shuri Played by: Letitia Wright
One of Black Panther's biggest revelations was Shuri, T'Challa's kid sister who might just be the cleverest character in the entire MCU. She's brought to life by British actor Letitia Wright, who capitalised on the several opportunities she had to steal the film from under her co-stars' noses. “Great, another broken white boy for us to fix," she says as Martin Freeman's Everett Ross is carted into her workshop – and thus, a star was born.
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Avengers characters - ranked 10. Scarlet Witch Played by: Elizabeth Olsen
Scarlet Witch doesn't really do much save for wave her hands around while looking concerned about the well-being of her love, Vision (Paul Bettany) – but it doesn't matter considered she's played by the the extremely talented Elizabeth Olsen who, as ever, gives it an admirable stab.
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Avengers characters - ranked 9. Captain America Played by: Chris Evans
On paper, Captain America should be the most boring Avenger. Yet, with Chris Evans at the wheel, the patriotic super-strong OAP who fought in the Second World War has been enjoyable company in every film he's been in, his righteous values never being too overbearing. Captain America, with his pure heart, really is one of the ultimate superheroes.
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Avengers characters - ranked 8. Iron Man Played by: Robert Downey Jr
The leader of the MCU used to be its greatest character. But with the influx of newer additions, Tony Stark has been pushed down that list – which isn't to say he isn't still a reason why the series has been such a success. No Marvel actor has thrown themselves into a role more than Robert Downey Jr, whose larger-than-life personality made him the only candidate to have brought the billionaire industrialist and former playboy to screen. Among the big-budget explosions, he's a breath of fresh air and without him, the MCU would have run out of steam long ago.
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Avengers characters - ranked 7. Ant-Man Played by: Paul Rudd
A man who presses a button and takes on the powers of an ant: not exactly a thrilling premise for a superhero. Thankfully, Marvel accepted that Ant-Man's power are a bit of a joke and cast the ever-delightful comic actor Paul Rudd as the mini-hero. And despite his stature, Ant-Man stole the show in Captain America: Civil War when he reversed his powers and became Giant Man.
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Avengers characters - ranked 6. Rocket Played by: Bradley Cooper
In many ways, the success of Guardians of the Galaxy – Marvel's first true move away from the cleaner cut Avengers (see: Captan America, Thor) – rested on the shoulders of Rocket Raccoon. Many questioned whether it'd work, but thanks to impressive effects, Bradley Cooper's terrific voice work – and not to mention James Gunn's knockout screenplay – Rocket found himself with more range than most characters on this list.
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Avengers characters - ranked 5. Black Panther Played by: Chadwick Boseman
Few characters have had the cultural impact of Boseman's Black Panther. First appearing in Captain America: Civil War, T'Challa's measured demeanour was a counter to the quip-making norm of the other Avengers. Come the character's solo film, the noble leader finally accepted his role as King of Wakanda and, in the process, unleashed the inner Panther. It's no wonder that the film became a box-office sensation, even out-grossing Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in the United States.
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Avengers characters - ranked 4. Drax Played by: Dave Bautista
Drax is proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. His burly appearance suggests he should be fighting for the bad guys, but the opposite couldn't be truer – thanks to Dave Bautista, the character is given a cuddly sheen that belies his full name (Drax the Destroyer). The only thing Drax, who first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy, truly destroys is your rib cage – he's one of the MCU's funniest characters.
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Avengers characters - ranked 3. Spider-Man Played by: Tom Holland
Spider-Man's back. Again again. Where Tobey Maguire's webslinger was an out-and-out dork, and Andrew Garfield's version was arguably too slick to really be Peter Parker, Tom Holland has found the perfect middle ground: still obsessed with making Star Wars references yet also capable of talking coherently with members of the opposite sex. It's a miracle that Marvel Studios managed to bring Spider-Man into their cinematic universe – and a miracle they managed to make him feel this fresh third time around.
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Avengers characters - ranked 2. Okoye Played by: Danai Gurira
Black Panther was a landmark moment for cinema, let alone Marvel. It was a film filled with selling points – the lustrous visuals of Wakanda; a villain you actually cared about – but sitting at the top of the heap was Okoye. The Walking Dead star Danai Gurira swapped the katana for a vibranium spear and showed audiences that not only was she more than just television character Michonne, she could translate a comic book character into one of the very best characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Avengers characters - ranked 1. Thor Played by: Chris Hemsworth
Thor was not a great film. Thor: The Dark World was even worse. Yet, against all odds, the God of Thunder has established himself as the greatest Avenger. How? It's namely thanks to Taika Waititi's revisioning of the character in Thor: Ragnarok. Rather than making Hemsworth deliver sub-par Shakespearean prose, the filmmaker enthused Thor with a sense of humour – something that played to Hemsworth's strength as an actor. The result was a charismatic, short-haired, smouldering superhero who was finally able to charm Marvel fans. If only Thor had been this way all along.
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There are mind-bending scenes in which characters come face to face with their past selves or with loved ones they thought they had lost. As always, the more portentous moments are leavened with plenty of humour. Many of the jokes come at the expense of Paul Rudd’s Ant Man, a blue-collar everyman who can sometimes behave in a very dumb fashion. Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk has changed and matured in ways that few fans will have anticipated. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor has turned into a beer drinking, paunchy slob with more than a passing resemblance to the Dude in the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowksi . There is plenty of joshing about Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, one of the newest and most self-reliant members of the team.
Inevitably, not all the heroes get the same amount of screen time. Some are barely seen at all. Robert Downey Jr is the dominant figure in the film, playing Tony Stark/Iron Man with his usual cynicism and irony but also bringing extra pathos to the role. Karen Gillan also registers very strongly as Nebula, Thanos’s fiery and deadly daughter, a character with an unexpected streak of decency.
For all their backbiting and competitiveness, the old comrades can’t hide their affection for one another. At times, they’re trying in almost comical fashion to out-do each other with their selflessness and desire to put themselves first in the face of danger. The final-reel battle is a little perfunctory, even if it is on the biggest scale imaginable. For all its ingenuity, the film sometimes feels like a roll call in which every figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is mentioned or seen at least once. Nonetheless, this is a movie that dazzles you with its spectacle, provides plenty of irreverent slapstick and gags along the way and yet still ends with a huge emotional kick.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ is out in UK cinemas on 25 April
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