MCU Phase 4 Reviews and Rankings

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been dishing out amazing content one after the other, especially with the completion of the MCU’s Infinity Sage. Marvel has been hell-bent on giving us the very best in its Phase Four and in order for you to be updated with how each film and show stands in terms of our Hype Meter, here are our Final VerdictS and ratings for our MCU Phase 4 reviews.

EDITED (11/29/2022): We added the review of Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special which is the last entry to the MCU’s Phase 4. 

Phase 4 has taken us on an interesting journey of highs and lows with one more special to come this November in the form of The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special. We were also just treated to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. (READ: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Review)  As we wait for this last film, here’s a look at all the films, shows, and specials under Phase 4:

MCU Phase 4 Reviews: MOVIES

Black Widow

This film honestly was a missed opportunity in highlighting Natasha Romanov and was a huge disservice to the character. With all controversies aside regarding the film, the success of the Black Widow film can be attributed to the spy and action route in its execution. The biggest downside as mentioned is the way the film served more as a tribute and closure for the character while ushering in the new age of Black Widows led by Florence Pugh’s Yelena Bolova. The film could have been an even bigger hit and success if only the timing was better thought off since it made the Black Widow story seem more like a mere afterthought.

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Hype Meter Rating: 6/10

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Shang-Chi’s origin story is pretty great, to be honest, and one of the better films in Phase 4 as the world-building is truly spectacular and immersive especially when you get to the second half of the film. There are some slight problems in terms of CGI and consistency in tone but overall it’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings delivers everything that you would expect and hope for from a Marvel film.

Hype Meter Rating: 8/10

Eternals

The Eternals takes a very bold step in creativity and this is expected from the Oscar-winning director of Nomadland, Chloe Zhao. It does become confusing tonality wise however as it doesn’t own up to a specific direction — a Chloe Zhao masterpiece or a full-blown MCU blockbuster. It instead plays it safe in between the two — often shifting back and forth thus creating more of a mess than it set out to in the first place.

Hype Meter Rating: 6/10

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home pulled out all the stops and every tool in its arsenal to deliver an exhilarating, heart-pounding, spectacle of a film. It was able to meet expectations and in my opinion, even surpass them. I personally believe that although it still may not be the film to defeat End Game, it does come as a close second and is, in my honest opinion, the best Marvel film so far in the MCU’s Phase Four. It’s a movie that almost anyone would enjoy but I feel is truly a masterpiece meant for fans of Spidey. It’s a film that also honors generations of Spider-Man fans as it depicts the power of movies and stories to create a fantastic and emotional ride all for the fandom.

Hype Meter Rating: 9/10

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

This is an MCU film that still delivers in the grander scope of things. It boasts a unique direction by adding slight horror movie elements into the mix while maintaining the identity and continuity of a Marvel film. It may have a couple of flaws here and there, especially in terms of the pacing and some small missteps in continuity in the story, but overall it still is a must-see film.

Hype Meter Rating: 8/10

Thor: Love & Thunder

As a whole, Thor: Love and Thunder is an enjoyable film with some minor flaws here and there. The ’80s rock theme plays well in lifting up the film alongside the brilliant performance of Bale as Gorr The God Butcher. Love and Thunder however suffer from its quick pace that steals a lot of the emotional qualities from the film. There are also some inconsistencies here and there in terms of the visuals but overall it’s a pretty decent film.

Hype Meter Rating: 8/10

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Aside from being a very fitting tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, what makes Black Panther: Wakanda Forever great is how its core story represented Africans and Mayans, and how it was–to an extent – empowering women with its dominantly female cast. There are a few flaws here and there–which is partly due to Boseman’s sudden passing–but as far as Phase 4 is concerned, we think that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever second-best movie in this era next to No Way Home and Shang-Chi.

Hype Meter Rating: 8/10

MCU Phase 4 Reviews: TV SHOWS

WandaVision

The Scarlett Witch finally gets the recognition and background story that is fitting for the character. Pacing wise it had a slow start in terms of the action and the elements that make a Marvel film. The show however excels in the way that it tackles mental health issues as well as the utilization of the sitcom genre, which is done in a fantastic manner given the vehicle of being a Marvel film. This is admittedly one of the best shows to come out from Marvel so far in terms of story. The acting chops of Elizabeth Olsen are also noteworthy as this showcases the very beginning of the impeccable acting chops of the actress.

Hype Meter Rating: 9/10

Falcon and the Winter Soldier

A great follow-up to the success of WandaVision with a show that dives into the more political side of the world from Marvel which is the familiar route of The Captain America films. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan showcase amazing chemistry in what appears to be a buddy action-comedy film. The overall direction and pacing of the story also have its moments that it drags along and it does try to pack in so many sub-plots along the way, but the central themes of equality and the questions regarding an African-American Captain America are handled really well. It’s a show that feels very current and relevant while still retaining the identity of being a Captain America-esque story.

Hype Meter Rating: 7/10

Loki

Loki is able to kick off the escapades with the multiverse with the god of mischief as he creates chaos of his own with the various variants of himself that he meets along the way. The story is very engaging from start to finish and is truly amazing in terms of the visual appeal and world-building that it brings. It’s excellently done and immersive with the final moments of the show being a very intense cliffhanger moment. Loki also excels in the fact that it is able to juggle the crime and adventure genres which are elevated all the more with the great performances from the show’s entire cast.

Hype Meter Rating: 9/10

What If…?

The MCU’s first try at an animated series had its fair share of ups and downs. It is for the most part inconsistent with some episodes being better than others. The anthology aspect of the series was fun and exciting to watch, to begin with, but the penultimate and concluding episodes weren’t as grand as we expected them to be. These two episodes which aimed to unite everything that the show had first established were a tad bit on the underwhelming side but overall the show is still pretty much okay enough to watch, it just sadly misses the mark on several areas story-wise. 

Hype Meter Rating: 6/10

Hawkeye

Hawkeye is a pretty great Christmas-themed Marvel film that combines two great personalities in Jeremey Renner and Hailee Steinfield whose chemistry as Clint Barton and Kate Bishop is admittedly worth the price of admission. It does however suffer from a slow pacing to get to the actual action and meat of the story. The big confrontation in the last episode also left us wanting more as it served more as a prelude to a bigger story at play for future MCU films and shows.

Hype Meter Rating: 7/10

Moon Knight

Moon Knight’s success is found in its altogether different tone and direction. It’s fresh and exciting to witness. Admittedly there may be moments that would be difficult to follow at first but it’s a testament to the creativity and ability of the showrunners and producers to deliver a very intellectual yet exhilarating show. We particularly love the performance of Isaac and the portrayal and handling of mental health issues which was done so in a very creative manner. There are so many elements going for this show while having only a few minor flaws here and there.

Hype Meter Rating: 9/10

Ms. Marvel

Ms. Marvel is a fresh take on the superhero genre as it adds a modern/current flair that focuses on the new generation. The utilization of animated/comic book animation adds a whole new dimension to storytelling. The show also gives justice to certain ethnic groups specifically Pakistani Americans. Ms. Marvel is all the more enjoyable and engaging due to Vellani’s performance as she is able to carry the entire show almost single-handedly even at times.

Hype Meter Rating: 8/10

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Despite having its fair share of flaws, especially in regards to the CGI animation side of things, She-Hulk is still a pretty decent Marvel flick which is all the more elevated by its ability to inject enough humor which stays true to the personality of the character and storyline direction found in the comic books. The breaking of the fourth wall is a great adaptation from the source material which is subtle enough that it works in this show. The highlight personally was the Marvel meta direction seen in the last episode which was admittedly worth the price of admission — sadly it took that long to occur.

Hype Meter Rating: 7/10

MCU Phase 4 Reviews: SPECIALS

Werewolf by Night

The first special from the MCU and Disney+ is a step in the right direction. Werewolf by Night is a great combination of a Marvel film with a full-blown horror direction. There is an old horror vibe that the film gives off which is mostly given by the fact that it’s a predominantly black-and-white flick. The gore, bloodshed, and horror elements are spot-on which all come together nicely with a pretty solid story at the center of it all. Werewolf by Night is simply a well-put-together horror film from Marvel that is definitely worth seeing.

Hype Meter Rating: 8/10

Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special

A fun Christmas-themed film that gives justice to two characters from the beloved ragtag team of space voyagers, that up until now have been comfortably been in the background. Drax and Mantis have a unique chemistry that rely heavily on stupidity, sarcasm and dark humor that for some reason just work. There’s even a moment of emotional weightiness and sentimentality. This is a special that honestly combines so many elements, even a musical touch to it, that make it absolutely work. This is a reminder that Marvel is capable of bringing in variety to the superhero genre with comedy, horror, drama, and now — the Christmas spirit.

Hype Meter Rating: 8/10

MCU PHASE 4 REVIEW

As seen in our reviews, The MCU Phase 4 has had its fair share of highs and lows. Surprisingly the films in this particular phase aren’t as consistently good while the introduction of the TV shows on Disney+ has proven to be shockingly successful. It is clear that the MCU is now working its way up rebuilding storylines once again so only time will tell how it will all go on from here. As mentioned there is still one more film to drop on Disney+ this November which will be The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special. In the meantime, however, we give The MCU Phase 4 an overall rating of…

Hype Meter Rating: 7/10

Phase 4 is clearly just the beginning. As Marvel has announced the new saga under their sleeve is called The Multiverse Saga. Phase 5 is set to start next year with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania which hopefully will bring in a more tightly-knit MCU as we move closer and closer to a new chapter in the MCU which clearly is here to stay for years to come. 

MCU Phase 4 Reviews: MCU PHASE 4 IN A NUTSHELL

MCU Phase 4 Reviews: Movies Ranked

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
3. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
4. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
5. Thor: Love and Thunder
6. The Black Widow
7. Eternals

MCU Phase 4 Reviews: TV Shows Ranked

1. Loki
2. WandaVision
3. Moon Knight
4. Ms. Marvel
5. Hawkeye
6. Falcon and the Winter Soldier
7. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
8. What If…?

MCU Phase Four Ranked

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
2. Loki
3. WandaVision
4. Moon Knight
5. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
6. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
7. Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
8. Werewolf by Night
9. Ms. Marvel
10. Hawkeye
11. Falcon and the Winter Soldier
12. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
13. Thor: Love and Thunder
14. The Black Widow
15. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
16. Eternals
17. What If…?

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