25 Best Reviewed Franchise Films Of The 21st Century (According To Metacritic)

21. Iron Man (79)

War For The Planet Of The Apes Cornelius
Marvel Studios

Arriving two months before The Dark Knight landed in theatres with an electrifying intensity, Jon Favreau's nascent MCU kickstarter delivered an altogether different kind of superhero exhilaration; an oft-giddy shot of popcorn adrenaline that remains among its franchise's very best.

The best-reviewed film in Kevin Feige's back-pocket for a decade and the film that helped birth a sprawling cinematic empire, it holds up as a watertight repulsor blast of high-flying spectacle years later - and Robert Downey Jr, as titular hero Tony Stark, is a brilliantly livewire presence.

Contributor

Something of a culture vulture, Mr Steel can historically be found in three places; the local cinema, the local stadium or the local chip shop. He is an avowed fan of franchise films, amateur cricket and power-chords.