Marvel Cinematic Universe movies (2008-present)

 

What if you’ve never seen a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie and want to get caught up before checking out Captain America: Civil War. What should you see? Here’s a quick guide to the must-see and the skippable in the MCU. (Fortunately, with one exception, the must-see movies are also the better ones.) 

Iron Man (2008) is the MCU’s debut film and a rollicking good origin story. Robert Downey Jr.’s rapid-fire wit and redemptive arc from callous playboy war profiteer to morally aware, guilt-ridden superhero sets the tone for the whole MCU franchise. (You can skip both Iron Man sequels; for what it’s worth, I like the second one, while most people prefer the third.)

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) offers the other side of the coin, the rise of a hero (earnest Chris Evans) who is innately noble and virtuous and doesn’t need a redemptive arc.

You can skip The Incredible Hulk (2008) and both Thor movies, not only because the Hulk and Thor aren’t in Civil War, but also because they aren’t great movies. I guess if you want to see the original Thor (2011) that would be okay, since it also introduces Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, the villain in The Avengers. But keep your expectations in check.

The Avengers (2012) is pretty much unskippable, both because it brings together the main pillars of the Marvel universe for the first time, and also because it’s one of the top two or three Marvel movies. It establishes Cap and Iron Man’s prickly relationship, but also shows how Iron Man’s continuing redemptive arc is partly to Cap’s credit. 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) is widely regarded as another one of the best Marvel movies. I think it’s kind of overrated, but it’s worth seeing, and the role of the Winter Soldier in Civil War elevates it to must-see status.

Then there’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). This is the one awkward entry, a must-see for Civil War, but not a great movie. You need it to know who Vision and Scarlet Witch are, among other things; beyond that, its leaden execution will help you appreciate Civil War’s relatively light touch.

Finally, Ant-Man (2015) is probably worth catching, though not essential. He’s in Civil War, but you can wing it with him without knowing his origin story.