5. Thor vs. Hulk/Everyone vs. Hela – Thor: Ragnarok
In what is another tie for me, Thor: Ragnarok had two of the best MCU scenes to date with some memorable fights of its own. The first is Thor’s gladiatorial match with The Hulk on Sakaar while the second is the climactic battle on Asgard as everyone fought Hela and her undead forces.
The fight between Thor and Hulk in Sakaar’s arena was a welcome rematch between them. It was entertaining, had some great visuals and its comedic moments were well-timed. The moment of Thor’s excitement at seeing Hulk again was tempered with the evidence that this wasn’t exactly the same Hulk he’d known, but one who had evolved (however slightly) after two years of constant gladiatorial fights and being the Hulk without changing back into Bruce Banner. Director Taika Waititi wisely made the connection between these two evident as Thor tried using the lullaby on Hulk, infusing some nice character moments within the fight.
It is only matched by the climax in Asgard, specifically on the Rainbow Bridge, as Thor, Hulk and his allies (whom he christened the Revengers) fought against Hela and her army of undead soldiers. The climax brought to a close Thor’s arc of understanding his power and the burden of leadership while giving audiences some very nice visuals. The choreography and editing in the fight as it bounced back and forth between Valkyrie, Loki and Heimdall and others was well done, as was the re-use of Led Zepplin’s ‘Immigrant Song’. The only thing I could have used more of was Hulk fighting Hela’s giant wolf.
4. The Airport Battle – Captain America: Civil War
By Phase 3 of the MCU, the cast of the Avengers had grown to fairly large numbers, pretty much doubling in size. It only grew further still in Captain America: Civil War as Bucky Barnes, Black Panther, Ant-Man and Spider-Man unofficially joined the team in the film. Or perhaps I should say teams as the film featured a schism between the Avengers as Cap somewhat went rogue in order to clear Bucky’s name and Iron Man was tasked with bringing him and his allies in.
The division between the Avengers and those who sided with Cap and Iron Man led to one of the most memorable and exciting moments in the series with a skirmish on the runways of an airport. This fight delivered some truly awesome moments, from the formal introduction of Spider-Man to the MCU to Black Panther fighting against several of the heroes, the Russo Brothers brought some great moments to the screen. The real coup de grace, however, was Ant-Man going giant instead of his usual shrinking, throwing War Machine and vehicles around like they were nothing. While the ‘civil war’ was really just a free-for-all brawl, this scene was still quite exciting.
3. Captain America vs. The Winter Soldier – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is thus far my personal favourite film of the MCU. One of the reasons for that is because of how tense and practical the action scenes in the film are. Whether it’s Cap vs. Batroc, the elevator fight or Cap taking down a Quinjet all by himself, Winter Soldier is chalk full of suspenseful action. Nowhere is that more clear, however, than Cap’s fight with the title antagonist in the middle of the street.
This is a brutal confrontation between Cap and Winter Soldier, one that highlights both their capabilities and just how deadly Winter Soldier can be. The fight also goes through several different ‘phases’ as Cap is with and without his shield, Soldier switches between guns and knifes or they just settle for straight-up punches and kicks. The choreography is on point, creating a clear and concise sequence which is helped further by the fact that it’s actually Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan for much of the fight.
The real kicker, however, comes with the reveal of Winter Soldier’s identity as a brainwashed Bucky Barnes, the childhood friend and war comrade of Steve Rogers. It’s a moment that’s ripped right out of Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting’s story of the same name as a dumbfounded Cap says “Bucky?” only to be greeted with the reply “Who the hell is Bucky?” from Soldier. It’s an emotionally conflicting moment that just ups the stakes in the film.
2. Avengers Assembled – Avengers
Prior to 2012, many wondered if Joss Whedon’s Avengers would live up to the task of successfully merging all these varied heroes into one cohesive, universal crossover. A lot was riding on the film, but Marvel and Whedon certainly succeeded asAvengers became a billion dollar blockbuster.
There are several moments in Avengers that are worthy of merit in this list, but my personal favourites come during the climactic Battle of New York as the Avengers assemble for the first time ever. That rotating shot of the team readying their weapons as they’re surrounded by numerous foes is one of the best looking shots in the whole film. It’s no wonder it was so prominent in many of the trailers, yet still was incredibly awesome to see on the big screen alongside the Avengers’ theme.
The only moment to really top it follows shortly after when Whedon employs a tracking shot in the battle that seamlessly follows all of the Avengers’ movements. It’s a part of the New York battle that elicits a lot of joy as we get to see the Avengers working together, from Hulk and Thor fighting in tandem atop a Leviathan to Iron Man reflecting his lasers off of Captain America’s shield into a bunch of enemies. There are several things in the tracking shot to make one’s inner fan and child squeal with glee.
1. Captain America’s Speech – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
One of the other reasons Captain America: The Winter Soldier remains my personal favourite of the MCU is how seriously it takes Cap and delivers a superhero film that’s in the vain of 1970s espionage thrillers with deep themes. Winter Soldier reconciles Cap’s values of his generation with that of the 21st Century’s, highlighting the changes society has gone through and the murkier area Cap is in as he tries protecting the world.
The film challenges the viewer on the changing times and whether Cap is right about how fear seems more of a priority than protection and freedom or if he should, as Nick Fury tells him, “get with the program” on how the new world works. It all leads to a stunning revelation that over the decades Cap was iced, Hydra reorganized itself within S.H.I.E.L.D. by taking it over from the inside and were preparing their action to create an everlasting ‘peace’ in the world.
It all culminated in a scene where Cap rallies the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. against Hydra with a speech. It exemplified why many think Captain America is the heart of the Avengers and the MCU as a whole as he told the agency that though the price of freedom is high, its one he’d gladly pay even if he was the only one doing so. He did, however, have faith others would join his cause as well, showcasing how his faith and optimism in people doing the right thing never wavers.
The speech made Falcon dryly comment if Cap had prepared it beforehand or just came up with it on the spot. It even led to a great moment where a lowly computer ops agent stood up to Crossbones, telling him he wouldn’t launch the Helicarriers on “Captain’s orders.” Whether its fighting alongside the Avengers or taking on Thanos with his barehands, Captain America’s speech solidifies him as the heart and soul of the MCU.
What are some of your favourite MCU moments? Let us know below…
Ricky Church
