“Avengers: Infinity War” is finally in theaters and after years of speculation, dreams, ideas, excitement and enormous amounts of anticipation, the world has been given a movie that breaks down the innumerable barriers placed in its way and has become an emotional experience that is everything fans could have hoped for, and more.
Anthony and Joe Russo, directors of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War,” once again take the reigns of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and masterfully juggle a dizzying array of over 40 characters in “Avengers Infinity War.”
The film follows Earth’s mightiest heroes, the Avengers, along with the Guardians of the Galaxy, as they are forced to team up to prevent the mad titan, Thanos, from acquiring all six of the infinity stones. The stakes are higher than ever because, should Thanos succeed, he would be able to eviscerate half of the universe with a snap of his fingers.
Every character in the MCU must band together to stop the mad titan, whose strength even without the stones makes the Hulk look like a toddler. They risk everything to save their universe’s very existence.
Never before has a villain so powerful and filled with conviction stepped on screen in the MCU. Thanos easily transcends fan-favorite Loki to take the award for best villain.
Thanos and his terrifying Black Order are filled with an almost religious zeal as they go about the task they believe must be done in order to save the universe. In their own minds they are prophets and saviors, and the Avengers and Guardians are ignorant children standing in their way.
The Russo brothers direct this film in such a way that all of the characters we have come to love have their moment to shine and interact with one another in ways that fulfill every fanboy dream possible.
The chemistry between the heroes of colliding worlds grounds the film in the same spirit that made the previous entries in the MCU so popular, while also forcing those characters to deal with matters and consequences far more grave than any ever seen before.
The occasional moment of levity is a much needed respite in this film, because from the opening scene and especially in the final act, events transpire that make this film far more gritty and tragic than any other in the MCU.
Marvel seems to have taken the few criticisms levied against it seriously, because in this film they provide the best villain the MCU has ever seen and permit the demise of certain beloved characters.
Fans will need a couple boxes of tissues after viewing this film.
If there is a flaw in this film, it is not a result of a jumbled script or the actual making of the film. This film features a lot of things and is no simple experience. Viewers must be prepared to pay attention to every sequence and will be subjected to rapid shifts in tone.
Sometimes while watching this film, one can become exhausted because there is simply so much happening. This is no surprise to anyone who knows anything about the MCU. In Marvel’s greatest battle yet, there are bound to be many moving parts and much to know.
It is my opinion that “Avengers: Infinity War” represents the best of filmmaking that transcends the typical criteria of cinematic review and will ultimately be remembered, not in the way critics say it will, but how passionate fans speak of it now.
If this is true, “Avengers: Infinity War,” though imperfect, will be remembered as one of the greatest artistic endeavours ever undertaken and will be relevant and beloved as long as people embrace the depths and beauty of their own imaginations.
