Avengers: Infinity War has been ten years in the making and expectations for it are at an all-time high. Which may be to its ultimate detriment as Marvel’s newest installment in the MCU is one of the biggest and most ambitious films to date. This collaboration of superheroes is a dream come true with engaging action, on point dialogue, and a villain worthy of such a massive team up to stop him.
But while I will say this is one of MCU’s best works, it’s story structure falls a bit and there are moments that are lost that could have pushed it into legendary status. The interaction between the heroes as each of the storylines from Captain America: Civil War, Thor Ragnarok, and Guardians of the Galaxy collide is quite possibly one of the best parts of the film. The directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, weave together brilliant introductions as the threat of Thanos close in all around.
The plot takes unexpected turns as it opens where Ragnarok ended and we find Thor and Loki in the grip of Thanos. As Thanos searches for the Infinity stones, a deeper motivation is revealed which makes his journey all the more impressive. Josh Brolin plays the magnetic megalomaniac with a certain sobriety that only an Oscar-nominated heavy hitter can do. The film dives into his backstory along with the relationship between Thanos and Gamora, his estranged adopted daughter.
The ensemble cast plays to their strengths as each hero has their moment in the sun as they fight against this menacing terror. There are epic clashes that keep the audience going intermixed with wit and humor that the MCU has come to be known for. And there is something to be said seeing all of these icons come together in a unique way that is dynamic and awe-inspiring.
The only real downfall to this over-the-top installment is the pacing of the first and third acts of the film. The film is slow to start despite its action-packed scenes and this sluggish pace takes away precious moments leading into the second and third act. While they brush upon Thanos’ history, more time could have been devoted to his motivation, and some of the earthly scenes could have been better spent in space. With such a vast array of locations and characters, often times they would cut from one to another too soon, leaving the audience wanting more.
But the good outweighs the bad and the only major criticism is that this could have been more epic with just some small finesse. But in the world of the MCU, this film is a standout and was certainly worth the 10-year wait.
About Avengers: Infinity War
Synopsis:Â Â The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy unite to fight against a powerful foe – Thanos who is on a mission to retrieve all 6 Infinity Stones to gain ultimate power. The fate of the universe is in turmoil as everything these heroes have done has led up to this.
Directors:Â Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
Writers:Â Â Stephen McFeely, Christopher Markus
Stars:Â Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Linda Cardellini, Angela Bassett, Tom Hiddleston, Pom Klementieff, Paul Rudd, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Benicio Del Toro, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benedict Wong, Sean Gunn
Rated:Â Â PG-13
Runtime:Â Â 2h 40m
Laurel Way is a writer for film, television, websites, and blogs. She is based in Phoenix, Arizona in the U.S., and has two fat cats and a loving husband. Laurel is a geek to her core and loves all things within horror, sci-fi/fantasy, and more. When she is not writing films, she is watching them, and her go-to movie snack is popcorn and Milkduds.
