Audiences and critics alike were blown away, literally (and figuratively) by Avengers: Infinity War and now we all get to bask in the greatness of the Marvel movie as it has come home on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download.
When all was said and done at the box office, the film had smashed records as effortlessly as Hulk taking on whatever frustrates him at the moment. Avengers: Infinity War is now the fourth highest grossing film of all-time, shattered the opening weekend box office record with its $258.2 million haul and passed the $2 billion milestone in total earnings.
Taking over the Avengers directing duties from Joss Whedon is Captain America: Civil War maestros the Russo brothers. Anthony and Joe showed with that Cap film (that many consider the best of any Marvel movie—this writer has it right up there) that they could command an enormous and electric ensemble and produce an action packed/emotionally charged flick that appealed to a wide swath of movie audiences—not an easy job in the superhero genre.
As long teased through 18 films and a decade of stellar work, the evil Thanos (Josh Brolin) has finally touched down on Earth—and elsewhere across the galaxy—to wreak his trademark brand of death, destruction and chaos. His mission to fill that gauntlet with the numerous Infinity stones that will, if all collected, allow him to do what he wants with the literal snap of his fingers. In this case, his desire is to cleanse the universe of half of its inhabitants.
If there ever was a need for the superhero collective known as The Avengers, it is now. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) knew that the day would come when all of those gifted with the power to fight evil using extraordinary gifts would need to come together as Earth’s—and the universe as a whole’s—last hope.
How the Russo brothers manage to intertwine the Guardians of the Galaxy (Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff and the voice talents of Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper), Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Vision (Paul Bettany), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) is extraordinary.
Each soul gets their moment in the sun. Every single character not only gets the opportunity to develop within the confines of this most stressful of plot landscapes but is also shown in a light beautifully befitting of what we have seen prior. Think about that—the directors took characters that were nurtured and grown over many films that they had nothing to do with and the audience is treated to a spectacle in Avengers: Infinity War that not only enhances their authenticity while allowing the acting ensemble the opportunity to push the character’s envelope at the same time. The Russos are truly gifted, no ifs ands or buts.
Of course, as anyone knows who has followed this superhero saga, this is merely part one of the close to this incarnation of The Avengers. Thankfully, the Russos are back for part two. Given what occurs in the final act of this thunderous thrill-ride, the fourth Avengers movie instantly becomes one of the most anticipated cinematic conclusions in history.
Sure, much of the planet has seen Avengers: Infinity War, but for those three people who haven’t (I kid!), this Blu-Ray review will remain spoiler-free… thus why so little about the plot to this stunning moviemaking achievement.
As explored further in my theatrical Avengers: Infinity War review, the cast rises to the occasion and each turn in their best turn as their respective characters. Not to single anyone out, but Brolin kills it as our villain in ways that is unexpected. It is as layered of a performance as any superhero movie villain has delivered…ever. Also, the special effects are stunning. The score by Alan Silvestri adds layers of sonic succulence to this incredible film. Top to bottom, not only is Infinity War easily going to be one of the highest grossing movies of the year (Black Panther holds the honor of the highest), but quality-wise, it is one of the finest as well.
As Marvel is prone to do on their home video releases, the bonus features run the gamut and dazzlingly enlighten, enthrall and of course—entertain.
The most fascinating is the 30-minute MCU directors’ roundtable that features insight delivered dynamically by the Russos, Jon Favreau, Joss Whedon, James Gunn, Ryan Coogler, Peyton Reed and Taika Waititi. Regardless of the film series’ genre, for any movie maniac out there, this is a study in storytelling of the highest order. Believe it or not, it becomes one of the first bonus featurettes I’ve ever seen that can firmly be put into the must-see-again category. It is easy to get lost in all the little magical moments and therefore miss a thing or two from the glory of the creative collective’s comments. This featurette is a digital download exclusive, so when you buy this puppy, make sure you download it… immediately.
A pair of featurettes take us deeper into the making of a duo of bombastic battles between our heroes and Thanos and his minions. Beyond the Battle: Titan is a sensational look at the fight on the ground of Thanos’ desolated planet. How the stunts were achieved, intertwined with the visual effects, only further illustrates why the Russos were the right directors to hire… and this is just one spoke in that amazing wheel. The second “battle” featurette occurs earlier in the film and takes us back to a land we were just visiting merely months’ ago—Black Panther’s home, Wakanda. Beyond the Battle: Wakanda is especially fascinating due to the epic scope of that particular battle. If you’ve seen the film, you know exactly what we’re talking about. It is a war sequence that could not include more individuals on both sides, heroes and baddies. Witnessing how filmmakers managed to pull it all together is a lesson in talent meets perseverance.
As Downey said in the first press conference for Iron Man a decade ago, a Marvel movie is only as good as its villain. That has never been truer than with Avengers: Infinity War as they get their best in Thanos. The Mad Titan is a six-and-a-half-minute spotlight on Brolin’s character and explores how his shadow has loomed from day one on these Marvel movies and we also get a lesson in the true threat he represents and most importantly… why.
There are numerous deleted scenes, but there are two that are stand-outs. Speaking of the badass baddie, A Father’s Choice is a fascinating moment that finds Thanos confronting Gamora (Saldana) with a vision from her past. It’s a stunning scene, made even more powerful after witnessing the entire film prior to the bonus featurette.
Our favorite characters in the MCU remain that rag-tag group of intergalactic heroes. Therefore, it is no surprise, that The Guardians Get Their Groove Back is the most beloved of the deleted scenes. What occurs that is so magical? Well, Peter Quill (Pratt) and Drax (Bautista) have a disagreement over a mission to Knowhere that did not go so well.
There is a method to all this madness and Strange Alchemy is a perfectly pitched look at what happens when all these MCU characters meet for the first time and gives us answers as to why filmmakers chose to put who together with whom.
There is a gag reel, albeit a short one, that is decent. What is worth exploring in the most urgent of ways when you have the time is the Audio Commentary track that gives us an unparalleled look at the making of the movie as we witness its glory. Could we be any more impressed by the Russos? The answer is yes after listening to their commentary track!
Film Grade: A
Bonus Features: A