Avengers: Endgame
(Marvel Studios)
By Lucas Allen
“Avengers: Endgame” wraps up the 11-year journey of the Marvel Cinematic Universe centering around the Infinity Stones. There are a lot of things in those movies that comic book fans understood more than the regular crowd. But the very devoted followers from both sides will feel rewarded from experiencing a culmination of different stories packed into one giant conclusion.
Once again, directors Anthony and Joe Russo deliver many satisfying moments that’s full of emotions.
Five years after the devastating ending to “Avengers: Infinity War,” the remaining Avengers are trying to move on as much as the rest of the remaining half of the universe is also trying to figure out how to undo what Thanos (Josh Brolin) did. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is happily married to Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and has a daughter, while Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) are still haunted by the loss.
Eventually, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) introduces the idea of using quantum physics to travel to different parts in time and prevent Thanos from getting the stones.
Together with Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) they undergo their greatest challenge yet. Although they’ve planned it all out as carefully as possible, they don’t realize the shocking twists and turns that could cause more damage to their world.
For those concerned about the movie’s three-hour runtime, the movie packs enough drama, comedy, action and thrills that there’s rarely a boring moment to be found. The story itself is never boring as it gives fans a chance to see the MCU in a whole new light through past films and setups for future titles. It definitely has that epic feel that grabs you from the first scene and doesn’t let go. It’s no doubt that this movie handles both characters and emotion much better than “Infinity War.”
The only thing about the story that can be confusing is its concept of time travel, especially those more used to the classic concepts in “Back to the Future” and “Looper.” Whether it’s quantum physics or timelines factoring in, it can be difficult to wrap your head into this especially if you weren’t into the comics. However, the third act is where fans everywhere will remember forever. In fact, the climatic battle surpasses the previous films’ climaxes in sheer amount of characters, action and drama. Everybody will be surprised by the way it plays out in unexpected ways.
For a movie of this magnitude, many of the main actors seem to be pulling all the stops to make their performances more memorable and possibly award-worthy. Downey and Evans in particular prove to have the most commitment to their jobs and they deserve some recognition. Though Brolin is underused this time around, he’s able to maintain his great acting as one of MCU’s most memorable villains. Brie Larson as Captain Marvel is also underused to the point of being an extended cameo in spite of the trailers, but she’s still consistent as her recent solo debut.
There’s not much else to say about “Avengers: Endgame” without spoiling the surprises, so you owe it to yourself to see this blockbuster masterpiece of epic proportions. It’s the end of an era for the MCU and the beginning of a new one at least sometime after this summer’s release of Spider-Man: Far from Home. Suddenly, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is getting more interesting each and every day.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and some language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.75 Stars (Out of Four)
