With 23 films under its belt, the MCU has provided the world with much entertainment. Grossing over $22.5 billion, the comic book franchise has accrued a large fanbase over the years through its dynamic characters, gripping storylines, and talented cast. The films have also proved to be a hit with the fans due to their exciting battle scenes and fight sequences.
However, if fans had to rank their favorite scenes, from worst to best, what order would they be placed in? What battles exceeded expectations or failed to live up to them? From the Battle of New York to the Battle of Sokovia, here are some of the fans' favorite scenes and some that disappointed them.
Disappointed: Battle On Titan (Avengers: Infinity War)
The Battle on Titan had all the makings of becoming a memorable fight. It had action, good choreography, and even saw the Guardians team up with several Avengers. However, fans couldn't help but be disappointed in the outcome of the battle as they felt that it was ruined by Quill's actions.
Considering Quill insisted everyone stuck to the plan and not let personal emotion affect their judgment, he certainly didn't follow his own. It felt like Quill's character regressed as he had never been this reckless before. It also made the battle on Titan and Wakanda pointless - especially since the film already implied Thanos was unstoppable.
Best: Spider-Man v. Mysterio (Spider-Man: Far From Home)
One of the best fights in the MCU has to be the Spider-Man v. Mysterio fight in Far From Home. Since this was the first installment since the death of Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow, fans were curious to see how this would play out. Especially when Tony was seen to be an integral part of Peter Parker's life.
Compared to the first, this film exceeded the fan's expectations as they saw Peter embrace his inner-Avenger. He managed to outsmart and outwit Mysterio by exposing his plans, regain his confidence, and build his own gadgets. Bonus points should be awarded to the special effects team as well for they made this confrontation really entertaining.
Disappointed: Battle Of Sokovia (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)
The Avengers' battle against Ultron was another fight that disappointed fans because there were no stakes. Although the cinematography and special effects were good, the audiences didn't like that this was all there was to it. Not many people liked that the majority of the fight saw the Avengers battle these fragile, CGI robots.
They also felt like Ultron wasn't much of a threat to the Avengers as the trailers made him out to be. Even Quicksilver's death wasn't impactful enough since audiences didn't have an emotional connection to him. It was just a little underwhelming.
Best: T'Challa v. Killmonger (Black Panther)
Compared to their final showdown, many fans thoroughly enjoyed the ritual fight between Killmonger and T'Challa. One of the many reasons why this was favored was the fact that it solely relied on hand-to-hand combat. The lack of CGI made the scene more authentic as it allowed the audience to focus on their combat skills and techniques.
It also allowed viewers to get an insight into the characters' personalities as their different fighting styles emphasized their strengths and weakness. The cinematography and editing were exceptional here too as the quick takes and music made it more intense and gripping. It was a lot more entertaining than some of the fights in the other MCU films...
Disappointed: The Airport Fight (Captain America: Civil War)
Initially, most people thought the airport scene in Captain America: Civil War was quite entertaining and thrilling. However, some fans have appeared to have a change of heart looking at it in retrospect. One of the flaws many people didn't like was the fact that there was no suspense.
Since the two sides were close friends, the heroes treated it light-heartedly and had no intention of hurting the other. A lot of people have also said it felt forced and the cinematography wasn't very good either. At least with Captain America, Bucky, Iron Man fight, there was an emotional investment. There was no point with this one...
Best: The Battle Of New York (The Avengers)
One of the more obvious entries on the list has to be the Battle of New York. In the climax of the first film, the audience sees the superheroes battle Loki and the Chitauri after the demigod attempts to take over the earth. This battle was the first time fans saw the chemistry between the as they initially struggled to get along.
It allowed the audiences to see some memorable partnerships form, such as Nat & Clint and the Hulk & Thor. It also enabled fans to see their strengths and skills. Not to forget Iron Man's altruistic deed at the end. The whole sequence had fans on the edge of their seats...
Disappointed: Iron Man & War Machine v. Whiplash (Iron Man 2)
Considering the epic introduction Whiplash had, the villain's demise was rather anti-climatic. When Whiplash and Iron Man first faced off, the director immediately gained the audience's attention. Whiplash proved to be very violent and dangerous, managing to catch Tony off guard and make his suit malfunction with his electrified whips.
He also proved to be a nuisance for Tony professionally too, creating replica armored suits drones that he can control from his computer. When the villain turned up in a heavily weaponized version of Tony's suit, the viewers were prepared for an epic showdown. However, they didn't get it. Within five minutes, it was all over. It was very disappointing.
Best: Captain America v. Bucky (Captain America: Winter Soldier)
Once it was made clear that Winter Soldier would see Steve reunited with his best friend, Bucky, everyone was excited to see how it would unfold. They became even more intrigued when they realized that Bucky was working for HYDRA, which meant they would be pitted against one another. Unsurprisingly, it did not disappoint.
When Natasha, Steve, and Sam caught up with the assassin, everyone was captivated by what they saw. There was a lot of action and a well-choreographed hand-to-hand combat scene. The fans also loved that Steve didn't use his shield much either as it allowed fans to see his full potential. It's probably the best-choreographed sequence in the MCU.
Disappointed: Spider-Man v. Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming)
While many fans thoroughly enjoyed the plot in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the final showdown between Vulture and the web-slinger was a huge letdown. For one, the lighting of the sequence was of poor quality, which meant the audience could hardly see any of the action.
There were about five minutes of hand-to-hand combat and a lot of fans were able to spot a few continuity errors within the sequence too. It would have been much better if the director had made the ferry boat scene the final showdown as this was far more thrilling and entertaining.
Best: The Battle Of Earth (Avengers: Endgame)
By far, the fight that exceeded the fans' estimations had to be the Battle of Earth. After the tragedy of Infinity War, the world was forced to wait a year to see the Avengers get justice after Thanos wiped half the population with 'The Blip.' Fans knew there was going to be an epic battle, they just didn't expect it to be as great as it was.
After restoring the balance and bringing everyone back, fans witnessed one of the greatest fight sequences in cinematic history. There was action, combat, great choreographed sequences, and some good special effects. Fans also cannot forget the emotional pay-off of seeing Thanos obliterated or the heartbreak of seeing Iron Man die. It was worth the wait.
