Marvel has been building this Cinematic Universe for a decade now and we have very much seen the culmination of an 19-movie arc result in possibly the grandest film spectacle of all time!
With this film following on from Thor: Ragnarok, Captain America: Civil War and several other previous releases, we are immediately thrown into the action as Thanos immediately makes his presence known after finding the Asgardian refugee ship in 2017’s Ragnarok! Without giving too much away, this interaction is then what helps connect The Avengers to the other MCU characters who have yet to come together.
Back on earth, we catch up with our heroes who are just going through everyday life. The threat of Thanos and his hunt for the Infinity Stones is enough to rally earth’s mightiest heroes to protect the planet and prepare for a climactic showdown. In a film which has SO MANY CHARACTERS, there is never a moment where a presence or personality is out of place or not required.
The cast is rich with MCU favourites, and when you see Doctor Strange and Iron Man in one quadrant and Thor kicking it with the Guardians Of The Galaxy in another, I just straight away thought this is the first true COMIC BOOK film. Watching this movie not only flits between these difference characters with ease like in a comic, but the tone and look are all perfectly complimented for each character and the image we represent them with.
Looking at the newer cast members, we are introduced to the Black Order or “Children Of Thanos” in Infinity War. While we probably don’t get to learn a lot about them, they are all formidable fighters and more than a challenge for the heroes. If I could point out a particular favourite, it would possibly be Ebony Maw who specialises in telepathy and telekinesis. This character also makes himself sound like a preacher who is happy to honour his “god” Thanos and do all he can to fulfil his plans.
The pace of the film is consistent throughout its 2-and-a-half-hour runtime, we are constantly on GO and there is never a dull moment. At the same time, there is almost no opportunity to reflect on what happened 10 minutes previously as you feel like you are living through this film. When I reached the end, there was this weird feeling of joy and delight mixed with frustration and upset, but that’s what you needed when you got to this point. The ending rallies up a number of emotions and I can honestly say I have never experienced a film like this before. Because of the MCU and its rich history over the last decade, that is why I felt this mix of emotion. Can I just say, this was the perfect ending for the movie and perfectly sets up what is to come in the next 12 months.
While writing up this review, I really wanted to say which character I thought was the best performed or the highlight of the movie. I would probably have to say Thanos is the star and actor Josh Brolin makes the mad titan one of the more satisfying villains in comic book movie history. While Kilmonger in Black Panther made the audience sympathetic and Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming saw a family man doing all he can, Thanos is doing what he honestly believes is the best for all of existence.
In a film with such a bloated cast, there is very little to complain about in terms of characterisation and enjoyment. Everybody plays their part and no single cast member is wasted. Some characters do get more screen time than others, but maybe this will be balanced out in Avengers 4 next year. The special effects are all top-notch and every little detail is presented perfectly. The BIGGEST congratulations though must go to directors Anthony and Joe Russo who took the reigns from Joss Whedon and have created The Avengers film that we needed. There isn’t a lot of films that can take pre-established characters and throw them together into a situation with worldwide implications, but Avengers: Infinity War shows the stakes are at their highest as every corner of the MCU is pulled into this adventure which will forever alter the cinematic Universe that we have come to know.
The humour is still fantastic throughout, the laughs do still come in great supply and it never throws us off on the emotional scenes and no death is ever underplayed! The action is unparalleled and breath-taking. Plus, how many films will you see Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Doctor Strange, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy…you get the point! As long as you know some background knowledge on the film franchise, you can enjoy this film thoroughly. If you have been with the Marvel Cinematic Universe since day one, I will give you an air high five as we celebrate what is definitely the pay-off for ten years of dedication to this cultural phenomenon we have lived through.
Well done to The Russo Brothers, THIS was the comic book film to beat them all!
So we still have a year to wait for Avengers 4? I may need to watch Infinity War a few more times before that…and so will you!
Final rating: 10/10
Written by Jonjo Cosgrove
Look out for my future article where I discuss in detail more plot points and theories for the next film!