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Ranking The 2017 Marvel And DC Movies From Worst To First


2017 was home to countless blockbusters, but among them was a surprising amount of comic book movies – most notably, those featuring characters from Marvel and DC. Naturally, that means countless outlets are in the midst of compiling quintessential “year-end” lists to see where each of those films ranked, and we here at Epicstream are no different.

First off, though, we have a few ground rules. This list will not include Marvel’s Inhumans, which had two episodes air in IMAX theaters, or The LEGO Batman Movie, which is an animated feature. Similarly, this list won’t include any of DC’s three direct-to-video animated films.

Alright, now that we have that out of the way, here’s our ranking of the 2017 Marvel and DC movies from worst to first:

  1. Spider-Man: Homecoming

    After two reboots, everyone’s favorite web-slinger returned for his first solo outing under the Marvel Studios banner (albeit in conjunction with Sony) in Spider-Man: Homecoming. On the whole, this film did a lot of things right in terms of washing out the bad taste many fans were left with after the Marc Webb Amazing Spider-Man movies, but for all its merits, it didn’t feel like a true Spider-Man movie at times. The MJ/not-MJ reveal feels contrived, the depiction of Flash Thompson is questionable, and although it’s not as prevalent as the trailers led us to believe, the involvement of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man is overplayed at times. Still, it’s certainly great to have Spidey in the MCU, and with presumably two more solo movies on the horizon, we have plenty to look forward to.

  2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is by far one of the funniest MCU movies to date, rivaled only by Thor: Ragnarok when it comes to the sheer number of laughs it delivers. However, unlike Ragnarok, which does an excellent job balancing the humor with the drama and action, many of the jokes in GotG 2 end up undercutting the film’s heavier emotional beats. For the ones that do land, though, they land hard, which came as a welcome surprise from Marvel’s ragtag band of cosmic misfits. Plus, any movie that can actually capitalize on Dave Bautista’s limited acting chops by turning them into a defining trait of his character deserves praise.

  3. Justice League

    For all the hate Justice League has received, it’s still an incredibly fun, action-packed, pure “comic book” movie. Strictly from a filmmaking perspective, though, it’s not exactly a well-made movie. The production was rushed, and it shows; it’s a product of two directors, and it shows. And yet, Justice League is beautifully shot, the cast delivers standout performances, and for everyone who complained about Superman’s portrayal in past DCEU outings, the film represents a much-needed course correction in terms of a more hopeful and optimistic Man of Steel. All things considered, Justice League might not be remembered as a great movie, but it’s definitely one of the better pure, unadulterated superhero films of 2017. 

  4. Thor: Ragnarok

    While the aforementioned Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 struggled at times to balance humor and heart, Thor: Ragnarok did an impeccable job seamlessly weaving the film’s laugh-out-loud moments with its hard-hitting, bombastic action and surprisingly dark battle sequences. In fact, speaking of dark, this may very well be one of the MCU’s darkest films to date, from Thor losing an eye to the Warriors Three getting utterly dismantled on-screen to Asgard being completely destroyed. That Ragnarok can include such somber sequences, yet also remain a near-constant well of comedic gold, is a true testament to director Taika Waititi’s ingenuity, especially with this being his first big-budget blockbuster.

  5. Logan

    20th Century Fox’s X-Men films have always been hit or miss, but the franchise is now two for two when it comes to near-universally praised R-rated blockbusters, with Logan being the most recent addition to the slate. A superhero movie disguised as a gritty western, Logan is a perfect sendoff for both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, who played Wolverine and Professor X for the better part of two decades. Additionally, we’re introduced to Dafne Keen, who delivers a tremendous, standout performance as Laura/X-23 in her theatrical debut. The action is appropriately violent, complete with the blood, gore, and brutality that’s long been associated with Wolverine in the comics, yet has always eluded us on the big-screen, and it’s all capped off with a beautifully tragic ending that provides closure to Jackman’s 17-year journey.

  6. Wonder Woman

    It was back in 1996 that Warner Bros. began to actively pursue bringing the Amazon Princess to the big screen in her own standalone major motion picture, and after 21 years, Wonder Woman finally arrived, earning monumental praise from fans and critics alike. Packed with humor, heart, and action, this film appeals to all ends of the emotional spectrum, with countless standout sequences that won’t soon be forgotten (and even some that are likely to set new standards in the ever-growing, trope-filled superhero genre). Plus, let’s not forget that Wonder Woman is home to arguably the greatest scene in any superhero movie to date – No Man’s Land. Wonder Woman is a film that will stand the test of time, but more importantly, it represents a major step towards a more progressive approach to future superhero movies.

    What about you? What was your favorite Marvel or DC movie of 2017? Let us know in the comments section!

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