Written by: Kevin Berge
This poster is overflowing with characters, yet Tony Stark still has to take up more space than the Chris trio and T'Challa. (Image Courtesy of: forbes.com)
Quick Take: Avengers: Infinity War accomplishes an impossible task by using nearly the entire top shelf of Marvel's cast to tell the franchise's most ambitious story to date. While uneven dramatically and certainly tough to follow for the uninitiated, this film stands as one of the most impressive films ever made, and it's just part one.
Marvel Reviews: Captain America Civil War | Doctor Strange | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | Spider-Man Homecoming | Thor Ragnarok | Black Panther | Avengers Infinity War (Spoiler Discussion)
***This review will not contain spoilers for the film beyond basic set-up. If you have seen a trailer for the film, there will be nothing here to spoil. A spoiler-heavy reflection on the film will come later. Read ahead without worry.***
How do I even begin to tackle just about the biggest movie ever made? Iron Man came out in 2008, 10 years ago, starting the build to this film which feels like the first half of the last act of Marvel's journey. That's a lot to live up to with what may be the largest cast of main characters in history.
Even trying to list off all the actors and characters involved with this story would take up the whole article. This cast is so crazy that two of my favorites actors Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) and Carrie Coon (The Leftovers) are playing background supporting roles in the epic.
The funny thing is though this film is not really about any of the Avengers. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, The Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and more are all here, but this is the story of another character, one who has been sitting in the background since The Avengers in 2012.
Thanos (Josh Brolin) is bar none the greatest villain Marvel has ever put on screen, taking that crown away from Killmonger just after he had easily stolen it from Loki. The reason Thanos is so great is because he's the first villain to ever have a story focused on him with all his motivations front and center.
This is the story of Marvel's greatest heroes all trying to stop one man, the mighty Thanos, from collecting the six Infinity Stones and completing his mission to wipe out exactly half of the population in the universe. As much as it may have seemed otherwise earlier on, Thanos is not trying to control the universe. He's trying to balance it.
This balance comes with incredible sacrifice thus setting up the central conflict. Each of these superheroes must decide what they are fighting for and what they are willing to give up to achieve victory. The fate of the universe is in their hands, and they are fighting an indomitable being unlike they have ever faced.
With the help of his Children, Thanos forces Earth's Mightiest Heroes into teams to combat this mighty force. This allows the story to flow naturally from group to group as the battle builds in stages. This is an action movie that rarely lets up, so it is important to limit the number of stories.
***This review will not contain spoilers for the film beyond basic set-up. If you have seen a trailer for the film, there will be nothing here to spoil. A spoiler-heavy reflection on the film will come later. Read ahead without worry.***
How do I even begin to tackle just about the biggest movie ever made? Iron Man came out in 2008, 10 years ago, starting the build to this film which feels like the first half of the last act of Marvel's journey. That's a lot to live up to with what may be the largest cast of main characters in history.
Even trying to list off all the actors and characters involved with this story would take up the whole article. This cast is so crazy that two of my favorites actors Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) and Carrie Coon (The Leftovers) are playing background supporting roles in the epic.
The funny thing is though this film is not really about any of the Avengers. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, The Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and more are all here, but this is the story of another character, one who has been sitting in the background since The Avengers in 2012.
Thanos (Josh Brolin) is bar none the greatest villain Marvel has ever put on screen, taking that crown away from Killmonger just after he had easily stolen it from Loki. The reason Thanos is so great is because he's the first villain to ever have a story focused on him with all his motivations front and center.
This is the story of Marvel's greatest heroes all trying to stop one man, the mighty Thanos, from collecting the six Infinity Stones and completing his mission to wipe out exactly half of the population in the universe. As much as it may have seemed otherwise earlier on, Thanos is not trying to control the universe. He's trying to balance it.
This balance comes with incredible sacrifice thus setting up the central conflict. Each of these superheroes must decide what they are fighting for and what they are willing to give up to achieve victory. The fate of the universe is in their hands, and they are fighting an indomitable being unlike they have ever faced.
With the help of his Children, Thanos forces Earth's Mightiest Heroes into teams to combat this mighty force. This allows the story to flow naturally from group to group as the battle builds in stages. This is an action movie that rarely lets up, so it is important to limit the number of stories.
All these silly heroes just can't appreciate a good plan. (Image Courtesy of: screenrant.com)
As a fan who has watched every MCU film and most multiple times, I was locked in throughout the run time of this adventure. At just under 150 minutes, this movie still feels short, a credit to the Russo brothers at the directing helm and their frequent writing partners Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
However, as impressive as it is that this all works, it is still more than a bit jumbled. There are so many epic and emotional moments, but they come at different points in this story. It's hard to settle on any one scene's weight before the movie jumps over to another section.
This movie does not have much trouble juggling drama, humor, and heart in a way most reminiscent to the second Guardians. When Thanos is center stage, the comedy ceases, and this film does not pull punches. This is a lethal monster who establishes himself early and often in the effect he has on the universe.
Those looking to find a focus on any one hero will be sorely disappointed, but every major character does get a moment to shine especially the stalwart original team. The pairings are well chosen for dynamics with some groups working better than others but all having their moments.
The action in this movie is a lot of fun, but it can feel disposable. Any time the heroes are fighting a Thanos lackey, it does not match up to battling the man himself. It always feels like someone is the the middle of a life of death struggle in this film, but the tension only really takes hold when the fights are simplified.
The standouts of the Children of Thanos, Ebony Maw (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) and Proxima Midnight (Carrie Coon), both feel like characters that would have been really cool if they were given their own movie focus over the slew of Marvel's lesser villains. In this film, they are just developed enough to be disappointed with their total role.
At its core, this is a story about morality. Thanos is the catalyst that forces everyone to evaluates how they value life. How much is worth losing to save the universe? What is the value of a single life? Even Thanos himself must wrestle with these questions.
It all culminates in what may be the most incredible and shocking ending in Marvel's history. It truly capitalizes on the importance of this film as part one. It will easier to judge just how successful this movie was once everyone sees the full picture next year.
However, as impressive as it is that this all works, it is still more than a bit jumbled. There are so many epic and emotional moments, but they come at different points in this story. It's hard to settle on any one scene's weight before the movie jumps over to another section.
This movie does not have much trouble juggling drama, humor, and heart in a way most reminiscent to the second Guardians. When Thanos is center stage, the comedy ceases, and this film does not pull punches. This is a lethal monster who establishes himself early and often in the effect he has on the universe.
Those looking to find a focus on any one hero will be sorely disappointed, but every major character does get a moment to shine especially the stalwart original team. The pairings are well chosen for dynamics with some groups working better than others but all having their moments.
The action in this movie is a lot of fun, but it can feel disposable. Any time the heroes are fighting a Thanos lackey, it does not match up to battling the man himself. It always feels like someone is the the middle of a life of death struggle in this film, but the tension only really takes hold when the fights are simplified.
The standouts of the Children of Thanos, Ebony Maw (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) and Proxima Midnight (Carrie Coon), both feel like characters that would have been really cool if they were given their own movie focus over the slew of Marvel's lesser villains. In this film, they are just developed enough to be disappointed with their total role.
At its core, this is a story about morality. Thanos is the catalyst that forces everyone to evaluates how they value life. How much is worth losing to save the universe? What is the value of a single life? Even Thanos himself must wrestle with these questions.
It all culminates in what may be the most incredible and shocking ending in Marvel's history. It truly capitalizes on the importance of this film as part one. It will easier to judge just how successful this movie was once everyone sees the full picture next year.
