The Avengers are back, and they are bigger than ever. That is a good thing in Infinity War, because their foe is bigger and badder than any they have faced before… combined!
Thanos (Josh Brolin) has come calling and if he gets what he desires and collects all those Infinity Stones, “with a snap of his fingers” … half the universe will be gone.
It is rare that a cinematic universe works as well as the MCU has managed to do over the last decade. Since Tony Stark first introduced us to Iron Man in 2008, it has all led up to Avengers: Infinity War, the first of two “final” Avengers movies. There have been 18 movies since that first Iron Man and witnessing this superhero collective come together in the most anticipated movie of the summer (and the year, for that matter) is a study in blockbuster brilliance.
The film is sensational and does not for one second feel crowded, bloated or anything resembling an overstuffed feature. There are many moving parts and are presented in a pitch-perfect manner to audiences, who will be emotionally and mentally vested. It flows effortlessly, which is a stunning achievement if you think about it.
Infinity War finds Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), James Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Drax (Dave Bautista), Vision (Paul Bettany), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Wong (Benedict Wong), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Shuri (Letitia Wright) and more (if you can believe that) with each getting their emotional highs and lows, repeated action sequences, character arcs worthy of the richness that was provided them in their individual films and yes, even some heartfelt humor.
It is an astonishing feat and one that was accomplished in under three hours. In fact, twenty minutes shy of three hours! Think about that, all those above mentioned larger-than-life characters each having an integral role to play in a film with flawless flow, from beginning to end.
The rest of the filmmaking take notice. Ensemble filmmakers take heed. Anyone making a movie with a large cast… to paraphrase Montell Jordan, This is How You Do It.
An enormous amount of credit deserves to be laid on the shoulders of directors Joe and Anthony Russo and the epic screenplay delivered by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Given the brilliance attained by those four creative wizards with Captain America: Civil War, the seeds of this remarkable effort were set.
That film is considered one of the best superhero movies of all time. When it was announced that the Russo brothers, Markus and McFeely were taking over for Joss Whedon and his team for the third Avengers film, it was truly something to marvel at (pun intended). These guys all get the nuances of what makes a great comic book movie, but also possess the elusive talent of delivering characters that leap off the pages of Marvel comics in a manner that befits the medium of movies.
When it comes to discussing the performances, in case you haven’t noticed we are revealing nothing when it comes to plot, it is a challenge… a fine line that needs to be walked for the benefit of audiences everywhere.
Let’s just say that there are scenes that are situationally sublime from all corners of this all-star cast.
Watching Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy mingle is ripe with LOL-inducing moments, particularly when Pratt’s Star Lord manhood is challenged by the mere presence of a God that is The Asgardian hero. That happens often, at least until they must tangle with the titan from Titan, Thanos. Black Panther stars continue to shine and even received a cheer from the crowd when Wakanda was initially visited.
For once, Downey delivers a performance that is subdued, while still razor sharp. Things have changed since Iron Man and the actor mesmerizingly manages to reflect how the man is part of a (much) larger team now. When it comes to the potential for the end of the world, dare we say that Downey’s characterization turns to humbled hero and marches away from his boisterous bravado-laden big man turn of the past.
Olsen and Johansson are twin towers of tenacity and there’s a moment… wait, let’s back up. No spoilers, Joel! Holland once again illustrates why he could not have been a better choice to embody that aspect of Spider-Man that is a teenager playing in the big leagues with those gallant men and women who comprise The Avengers.
Then, there’s Brolin and his take on Thanos. Where to start? It is brilliant and no question the best comic book movie villain since Heath Ledger’s Oscar winning turn in The Dark Knight. Brolin is given a seismic arc that has only been hinted at in previous MCU movies. It is emotionally powerful and layered with true determination that is hauntingly frightening because we know if he achieves his well-stated goals, the costs could not be higher.
The draw for audiences, well, is pretty obvious. Witnessing our favorite superheroes come together to battle the most lethal villain this landscape has ever produced is such a joy that cannot even be put into words that adequately capture the behemoth that is this world. We mentioned Thor and the Guardians, but equally as joyous is having numerous players from varying worlds interact on the screen — i.e. the supernaturally gifted Doctor Strange and the brute force fiefdom of the Hulk. See, words cannot do these varying combinations justice. Calling them “super” is simply the tip of the adjective iceberg to describe what audiences will witness with this third Avengers film.
The web that is woven in Avengers: Infinity War is rich and layered with emotive power that is normally reserved for films that aspire to garner Oscar nods. No, Marvel’s latest is unlikely to get that kind of love. The point is that the time, effort and passion was taken to work in elements of storytelling that is simultaneously larger-than-life and intimate. Yes, believe it or not, Infinity War feels close and much of that is also due to the painstakingly strong effort by all those creative champions who painted their pictures over the last 10 years knowing that it was all leading to something. No throw away moments, just a tightly wound progression with a payoff that is nothing short of priceless.
Grade: A