The fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to end with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and with the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special serving as an epilogue.
This phase of the MCU kind of felt underwhelming, even though it had some really high moments. It had so much content, but I think the quantity trampled the quality. It all started with WandaVision back in January 2021, which was a great start, but unfortunately it became inconsistent.
I love Marvel; I’m probably one of the biggest Namibian fan. I’ve watched phase one to three several times over and that includes the non-canon shows like the Defenders Franchise and Agents of SHIELD.
There were 18 projects, so I’m not going to do reviews; you can go check out on my website or YouTube channel for those. I really had high hopes for this phase, because it was experimental which I guess ended up being the wrong choice. So it pains me to say that I was underwhelmed by it, but anyway let’s get to ranking.
18. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
I had high hopes and it started out fun, but it ultimately fell felt. Thankfully it gave us the return of Charlie Cox as Daredevil. And I do think Tatiana Maslany is the best Jen Walters.
17. Eternals
I actually liked this movie a lot. Is it perfect? Nowhere close, but it was experimental and I loved that. I hope we get to see more of the Eternals in Phase 5 and 6.
16. Black Widow
I love Black Widow, the character. She’s awesome and Florence Pugh as Yelena was the best. But the movie didn’t deliver in the end. It had generic villain and the MCU Taskmaster is just sad.
15. Ms Marvel
It was a great show. Something new and something fun, but they fumbled the end. Something most of phase four struggled with. Iman Vellani is awesome and she embodies Ms Marvel, so I can’t wait to see more of her.
14. Thor: Love and Thunder
Bare with me, this movie is actually good. Not great, not wonder but good. Christian Bale’s Gorr was fantastic and I’m just glad there’s hope for more Thor in the future.
13. What If?
This show had some great episodes and some underwhelming episodes. The Marvel Zombies and Doctor Strange episodes definitely stood out. And Chadwick Boseman’s Star-Lord was just coolest.
12. Hawkeye
Some might say this show is too high on the list, but I tell them not to ruin my Christmas. Hailee Steinfeldt and Jeremy Renner teaming up is all that we dreamt about. So suck it up and enjoy this Christmas show.
11. The Falcon and Winter Soldier
Starts off my top 10. This show wasn’t perfect, but it was great. I get it – once again the villain was underwhelming, but the story was great. And it gave us a new Captain America.
10. Moon Knight
Okay, so Oscar Isaac was the right guy for this show. Unfortunately we didn’t get enough Moon Knight or Mr Knight. Hopefully there’s more in store in the future.
9. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
This movie delivered on the madness with all those cameos, but not on the multiverse part of its title. Thankfully Benedict Cumberbatch and Elisabeth Olsen gave stellar performances.
8. I Am Groot
These shorts were just wholesome. Go check them out if you haven’t yet.
7. WandaVision
This is one of the experiments that actually paid off. It was amazing and it was a great start to this phase.
6. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Definitely the best end to this phase and it was awesome. The tributes to Chadwick were heartfelt and the potential future for the characters inspires hope.
5. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
It was hard choosing my top 5, because they are all brilliant. This movie definitely stands out as one of my favourite movies from 2021. I’m just a sucker for a good martial arts film.
4. Werewolf by Night
This special presentation was really special. It introduced a different side of the MCU. It was well-written, well-acted, well-directed and well… totally awesome.
3. Loki
Tom Hiddleston really knows how to Loki lovable. This is by far the best official MCU show. And it was hard not putting it higher. I’m already excited for season 2.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
This is the most wholesome edition of the MCU. James Gunn loves these characters, and we love them too. It is the best Christmas gift any Marvel fan could ask for.
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
This probably doesn’t come as a surprise as it is my favourite MCU franchise and it is without a doubt one of the best MCU movies. This was one of my favourite cinematic experiences of all time. The multiverse is beautiful, but only because of all the Peter Parkers. I heard a rumour that we haven’t seen the last of Peter 2 and 3.
