Spoiler Free Review: Avengers: Infinity War
It’s hard for me to reconcile with this experience, for ten years worth of build up, bit by bit chapter by chapter to pay off in such a way. The closest thing I can imagine comparing it to is when Return of the Jedi hit theatres. The years of groundwork culminating in such a pop culture spectacle. That is the Marvel world we live in, and I am a Star Wars fan first and foremost but it’s Marvel’s world and we’re just living in it.
With the release of Avengers: Infinity War Marvel Studios capstones a decade worth of build up, from the very first time we saw the swagger of Tony Stark to now. Like the most elaborate TV show in history playing out in seasons spanning multiple years, Infinity War represents the groundbreaking season finale that changes everything.
In the movie the Mad Titan Thanos mentions “Perfect balance”, much has been made in the lead up to this film that it would be impossible to achieve. To balance that many key characters and egos, to keep everyone true to their character, give them something meaningful to do, present a compelling villain and somehow manage to squeeze a plot in there somewhere. Despite all the odds the Russo Brothers have pulled it off and in fantastic fashion. I have had 24 hours to dwell on it, watch and read over analyzation from all over and I still can’t figure out where they missed, who was the weak link, which character was “disserviced” and who just didn’t have anything to do. I can’t come up with anything. As Thanos says in the film and trailer “perfect balance” every character plays their part, is true to character and is meaningful to the plot in one aspect or another. Characters shine when interacting with fresh heroes we have seen for multiple pictures but have never met, chief of which is the combination of Thor, Rocket, and Groot. Their scenes jump off the screen and I want to see a spinoff with the three of them just traversing the galaxy.
What seems like an amazing feat is only made possible because of the delicate groundwork that has been laid, the patience and commitment to years of character work introduced in standalone and smaller ensemble pictures. Spectacle alone makes the movie entertaining but Infinity War holds no hands and demands a fairly robust amount of understanding of the MCU as a whole. Again, your girlfriend will be able to follow along and wow at the screen but the movie rewards its faithful viewers who have stuck with them for every picture. Little time is wasted on filling the audience in and because of this characters are allowed to fully utilize their time on screen. There is no wasted movement in the acting, your favorite characters may not get the lion’s share of screen time but when they are there it is meaningful.
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are played beautifully but the main character of this story is the Mad Titan himself. For a character mainly only seen after the credits roll Thanos’s fingerprints are all over this film, he interacts with our heroes at every point and is one of the most fleshed out characters in the MCU especially when it comes to villains. In the past, the villain has been the MCU’s weak spot, while the heroes have been built many villains serve little more than obstacles for them to overcome. This seems to be changing, Helena in Thor: Ragnarok was a step in the right direction but with Black Panther’s Killmonger and now Thanos the MCU is on a roll. Thanos’s motives are clear and his convictions to what he sees to be his burdened destiny is borderline admirable. There are multiple moments in the film where we not only sympathize with Thanos but we may even dare see his point as somewhat valid. Without giving too much away his desires may seem similar to other mega-villains but one key aspect, his endgame, sets him apart from other “god-like” rulers in Comic Book movies (looking at you Steppenwolf). Plus the CGI and performance from Josh Brolin are fantastic.
Infinity War takes no prisoners, it skips much of the Marvel fanfare at the start of the film, has no opening credits and gets right into the action and does not let up, characters meet, characters die, things move fast and then it’s over. It is the fastest near 3-hour movie I can recall and you will be digesting what just happened for a while, likely planning your next viewing on your way out of the theatre. It represents a triumph in storytelling and given how every other studio is fledgling to kickstart their shared universes it is evident this is a unique spectacle we may never see again. Marvel is not done and the next phase begins soon but even they have to admit the bar has been set unbelievably high.
Infinity War is action-packed, funny, dark, tragic and satisfying, in the words of Thanos himself it is “perfectly balanced”.
