The Avengers are broken up and have all gone their separate ways. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) are on opposite ends of the earth and their separation has left the world vulnerable to an attack at the hands of the mighty Thanos (Josh Brolin), who plans to cure the universe of its problems by first collecting the six infinity stones and then eliminating half of life. As the mad titan and his followers, the Black Order, make their way around the galaxy in order to ensure world order, Avengers, both old and new, must put their differences aside and do what they do best, save the world. Avengers: Infinity War sees Earth’s mightiest heroes facing their toughest test to date; can their resolve save them and the universe or will they, at the hands of Thanos, suffer defeat?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has presented the world with some of the most compelling antagonists in cinematic history. Hela (Cate Blanchett), Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), and Ultron (James Spader) not only worked well as the big bads in their respective films, but as compelling characters in general. What they brought to their films and the greater MCU compared to those films' protagonists changed the shape of Marvel’s cinematic reality forever. Joe Russo and Anthony Russo (the Russo Brothers) brought to life (in more than a cameo) for the first time one of the most interesting antagonists ever seen on the big screen. Thanos (Josh Brolin) does not play the supplemental role that most of the world expects from the bad guy, but, in many ways, takes control of Avengers: Infinity War and makes it his film. With simply more screen time than any of the protagonists, Avengers: Infinity War, as much as it is about the titular Avengers, is even more a film about Thanos. In addition to Thanos being so incredibly dangerous there is a piece of his plan that resonates with viewers, allowing them to understand his struggles and how he plans to solve the issues of hunger, death, etc. He continues to make sense throughout the course of Avengers: Infinity War, conflicting viewers but forcing them, in some twisted ways, to appreciate all that Thanos has to say.
There is an issue that has lingered throughout the course of the MCU almost since its inception, and that issue is Captain America. He’s regularly failed, at least in my opinion, to live up to the hype as threatening or even enjoyable in some moments throughout his and the Avengers films. There has always been something whiny about Steve Rogers/Captain America, forcing him to pale in comparison to the more entertaining superheroes such as Iron Man, Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), and T’Challa/Black Panther (Cahdwick Boseman). The Russo Brothers make what feels like a massive change to his character and allow him to become the spectacular character I had for years been hoping would appear. He begins to speak his mind more openly and his abilities against the mad titan, while somewhat inconsequential, prove how strong–both inside and out–the star-spangled man truly is.
In a film that features so many important characters–more than forty named characters–the possibility of overcrowding lingers in the background at all times. In addition to the threat of overcrowding, the risk of so many dynamic characters conflicting with one another is something that can damage and ultimately destroy a film. The Russo Brothers, along with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, manipulate the script and every single scene in a way that allows the strong-willed (and even pig-headed) characters to meld nicely and create a dynamic that resonates with audiences and creates moments of intensity, supreme emotion, and beautiful comedy. Characters like Peter Quill/Starlord (Chris Pratt) and Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as well as Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), duos that don’t appear on the surface to have much in common, work beautifully together, draw in viewers, and keeping them fully engrossed from beginning to end. Every moment of dialogue and every exchange (regardless of how minor) ties these incredible characters together and allows Avengers: Infinity War to play out smoothly and with epic vigor.
There have been moments of darkness sprinkled throughout the MCU in films such as Thor: The Dark World and Doctor Strange, but Avengers: Infinity War brings to life a darkness far more powerful than fans had seen up to this point. Loss appears on a level that has not yet occurred in the MCU, raising the stakes and forcing anyone watching to question just how safe the film’s protagonists are. As Avengers: Infinity War comes to a close a massive twist in the narrative pokes out its ugly head and throws the audience for a complete loop. I can remember watching the film for what feels like the third time in theaters and, as the film concluded, a young man turned to me, with a look of confusion and sincere emotion on his face, and said “sir...what just happened?” His feelings at that very moment mirrored what everyone else had thought at the film’s closing. The film’s denouement is nothing like what viewers had expected, but it plays out perfectly.
What has made the MCU so incredibly enjoyable for the past fourteen years now is the fact that comedy has played a significant role in each and every character, allowing viewers to identify with those protagonists and better appreciate everything that is being done. Characters like M’Baku (Winston Duke), Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), and Drax (Dave Bautista), even in their supplementary roles, have filled the space on screen with laughs that transcend viewers and provide some levity in the darkest of moments. What feels like never-ending action and a constant onslaught of death and destruction paired with a stellar balance of humor brings supreme stability to all of Avengers: Infinity War. With so much going on, much like the collection of major characters, the film runs the risk of being too overpopulated in terms of content, but the Russo Brothers, McFeely, and Markus orchestrate the reality of Avengers: Infinity War and create something better than nearly every film that came before it.
There’s nothing quite like seeing Avengers: Infinity War for the first time; however, the rewatchability factor of this epic film remains so strong, even after watching dozens of times. With all of the aforementioned characters, and other formidable contributors, including Nebula (Karen Gillan), James Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle), Eitri (Peter Dinklage), and Ebony Maw (Tom Vaughn-Lawlor), among others, there is always something new to find in the acting and the distinct and profound scenarios that, together, create one of the greatest spectacles ever seen by man. Nearly every question that viewers may initially have can be answered after viewing the film again, proving how detail oriented this cast and crew were throughout the development of the film. Things that initially appear unreasonable become more and more understandable as Avengers: Infinity War plays out, and, in reality where a giant purple eternal plans to rid the universe of distress, things just make sense. No matter how you slice and dice Avengers: Infinity War there is something for literally everyone to connect with, and it’s hard to believe that this massive spectacle will ever fall from grace, leaving it near the top of the list of greatest films of all time. The Russos, McFeely, Markus, and literally everyone else involved outdid themselves and developed a film for the ages. Every time you view Avengers: Infinity War you’ll laugh, cry, and enjoy every single moment of the MCU’s superhero masterpiece.
Directed by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo.
Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Steve Englehart, Steve Gan, Bill Mantlo, Keith Giffen, Jim Starlin, Larry Lieber & Don Heck.
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Tom HIddleston, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Idris Elba, Danai Gurira, Peter Dinklage, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt, Sean Gunn, William Hurt, Letitia Wright, Terry Notary, Tom Vaughn-Lawlor, Carrie Coon, Michael James Shaw, Stan Lee, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Kerry Condon, Ross Marquand, Jacob Batalon, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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