**SPOILERS: Now that we're two weeks removed from its release, talking about Infinity War without spoilers is pointless. Reader beware. SPOILERS**
Avengers: Infinity War is a movie made by a group of filmmakers convinced they have the audience eating out of the palm of their hand. And guess what? They're absolutely right.
Everyone at Marvel knows they have a stunning degree of creative power in the design and execution of these movies. Marvel chief Kevin Feige, directors Joe and Anthony Russo, and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely all know that fans around the world are simply foaming at the mouth for whatever comes next. Infinity War isn't the kind of movie you make if you're afraid of angering or alienating your audience. You don't make this movie if you're not absolutely certain that they'll be back in a year, begging for more. After a decade of films, including some of the greatest superhero stories and characters to ever grace the silver screen, we are at the mercy of Marvel. They can deliver the biggest, boldest cliff-hanger in recent cinematic history, capping off a relentlessly dark installment that will go down as this generation's Empire Strikes Back, and every single person who bought a ticket will say "More, please" in a year's time. I would say that it's risky, but it's not even a risk- Marvel knows that we're all in too deep at this point.
At the same time, this is the kind of film that would be impossible without the benefit of 18 prior adventures with these characters. Sure, Infinity War stands on its own to a certain degree. Even if you're not totally caught up with every single Marvel Cinematic Universe movie that came before, there's very little you need to know that isn't explicitly explained in the film. What makes the difference is the level of emotional investment you have in this greater Marvel story and how deeply you care about these characters. To an objective viewer (if one even can be objective when talking about these films) with little attachment to this series, Infinity War is a technical achievement in blockbuster filmmaking and grand-scale storytelling. But if you've been on this decade-long journey with Tony Stark and Steve Rogers and Peter Quill and all of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the third chapter in the Avengers saga will likely be one of the most emotional movie-going experiences of your lifetime.
I know this was certainly true for me. I've seen plenty of intense movies that left me gasping for air over the years, but few have made my heart pound quite as hard as Infinity War. Even when I saw it a second time, the ending left me shaking. It's as emotionally draining as it is physically exhausting, and I have a feeling many young children will leave this film utterly traumatized. But beyond the tragic implications of Infinity War's narrative, it's worth noting just how much of an achievement this film really is. Let's take a step back and look at what the Russo Brothers were tasked with doing here. They had to bring together an astronomical number of characters (okay, so it's like 25, but that's still a lot), give each of them something to do in a massive blockbuster, juggle all of those complex storylines, and cap off a decade of movies in a satisfying way. Oh, and the whole thing had to feel cohesive and, y'know, actually make narrative and emotional sense.
Now, it's worth noting that the story isn't really done yet. Even if Marvel would like you to think that Infinity War is its own complete story, the saga of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet is far from over. But judged simply on its own merits, the scope, precision, and smoothness of Infinity War is downright staggering. Shifting between tones and characters to create a movie that is simultaneously amusing, epic, and thoroughly devastating, there's no question in my mind that Infinity War is one of the strongest Marvel films yet. After proving their chops with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, two of the more universally acclaimed installments in the MCU, the Russo Brothers have taken their directorial mastery to a new level in this riveting epic, which seamlessly weaves together a universe without breaking a sweat. It's hard to step back and judge Infinity War as a movie when it feels like such a groundbreaking cultural event, but this is really an expert piece of storytelling and filmmaking on every level. Infinity War left me breathless.
If you've been out of the loop when it comes to Marvel movies, this one does its best to catch you up. Infinity War picks up right where Thor: Ragnarok left off, which is bad news for Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), and their friends. After the destruction of Asgard, Thanos (Josh Brolin) has arrived on the civilization's last vessel to claim the Tesseract, also known as the Space Stone. The Mad Titan is on a quest to assemble all six Infinity Stones, celestial gems that would grant him the ability to control the elements of the universe. Along with his Black Order (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Carrie Coon, Terry Notary, and Michael James Shaw), Thanos has moved across the universe, destroying planets and searching for the stones. Thanos believes that random mass genocide is the key to the salvation of the universe, as its finite resources can only sustain so many living beings. If he acquires every stone and wields the Infinity Gauntlet, the last survivor of Titan will be able to exterminate half the universe with the snap of his fingers.
After his assault on the Asgardian ship, Thanos already has two of the stones. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has the Time Stone, the Reality Stone is in the hands of the unreliable Collector (Benicio del Toro), the Mind Stone is lodged in the head of Vision (Paul Bettany), and the location of the Soul Stone is known only to Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Thanos' beloved adopted daughter. Despite this looming threat, the events of Civil War are still keeping the Avengers apart. As our story really begins, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) gets a surprise visit from Dr. Strange and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), who vanished from Earth after the events of Age of Ultron, only to return with a little help from Thor's trusty friend Heimdall (Idris Elba). When an alien ship lands in New York, Stark and friends (including Tom Holland's eager Spider-Man) end up hurtling into space, seemingly destined for a face-off with Thanos. Meanwhile, Thor finds himself traveling with the Guardians of the Galaxy as they prepare for a showdown with the Mad Titan. While Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Gamora opt to face Thanos directly, Thor, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and Groot (Vin Diesel) make a trip to a secret location, hoping to create the one weapon that could take their greatest opponent down.
And if you didn't think we had enough characters in this movie already, who could forget about Captain America (Chris Evans) and his rogue crew. On the run after they were declared illegal by the U.S. government, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) resurface in Scotland, where Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision are currently hiding. Once Cap realizes that Thanos is coming for the stone, he makes an emergency call to who else but T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) himself. After opening Wakanda to the rest of the world at the end of Black Panther, the King opens his arms and offers the assistance of the formerly reclusive African nation, even though he knows a war is coming. With the help of the brilliant Shuri (Letitia Wright), the Avengers just might have a chance to save Vision and destroy the stone. Thanos' army may be coming, but Wakanda won't go down without a fight. Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje, M'Baku (Winston Duke), and even Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) are ready to fight for the fate of the world. As battle rages across the galaxy, Thanos moves closer and closer to his final goal: balancing the universe
When you spell it all out like that, it sounds hopelessly convoluted. The sheer number of characters, storylines, and locations in Infinity War is absolutely monstrous. This movie should not work. The fact that it took me three paragraphs just to summarize where characters generally are in the story really says it all. But even if it seems ridiculous on the surface, this is the advantage of having a cast of players who audiences have gotten to know quite well over the years. You can have Steve Rogers pop in for just 6 minutes, and it's totally fine, because the guy has already appeared in six other Marvel movies. As a result, Infinity War never feels uneven or lopsided. It never betrays its characters, nor does it ever feel like any of these characters are getting the short end of the stick. It juggles a multitude of franchises and megastars without even breaking a sweat, perfectly orchestrating an adventure that spans pretty much the entire galaxy. Sure, there were a few times where I thought to myself, "Hey, where's X?" but those instances are few and far between.
Ultimately, Infinity War's endless cross-cutting between these disparate storylines serves only to bolster the tension to a frankly monumental degree. Some may find the film's relentless pacing to be exhausting. I found it exhilarating. While there's certainly plenty of mayhem and action throughout the entire film, there's a sense of escalation to the proceedings that quickened my pulse and left me truly shaken. Other Marvel films have their intense moments (The Winter Soldier is especially known for the viciousness of its hand-to-hand combat), but the Russo Brothers take it to another level here. The grimness and brutality of the proceedings is contrasted by the directing duo's brilliant control of action, with sequences that are remarkably fluid and precise in execution. After the spectacular fun of the airport scene in Civil War, the Russo Brothers continue to demonstrate their control of action geography, jumping around to different locales without missing a beat.
But it's not all doom and gloom. I was worried about the level of humor going into Infinity War, as Marvel can often get a little caught up in its own jokes. Did we really need this much humor in a movie where the fate of the universe is at stake? It turns out that, yes, we really did. Considering just how merciless and unforgiving Infinity War can be in its bleakest moments, the humor is a necessary part of the equation. I always laugh at Marvel's quips and jabs, but I'm rarely quoting them weeks after the fact. Nonetheless, I've found myself rattling off "WHY is Gamora" and "I am Steve Rogers" and "Get lost, Squidward" in recent days, so obviously Markus and McFeely did something right.
That being said, don't make the mistake of thinking this is a comedy. It most definitely isn't, and you'll be left with a feeling of shock and pain more than anything. It's impossible to talk about Infinity War without mentioning the ending, which is as jaw-dropping as anything I've seen in modern blockbuster cinema in the last decade. Now, before we go any further, I know that all of this will probably be reversed. That's what Avengers 4 is here for. But that doesn't dilute the impact of this film's finale, which is haunting and scary and ingenious all at the same time. After the snap meant to wipe out half the universe, Avengers start disappearing one by one. Bucky Barnes looks at Cap and says "Steve..." before disintegrating. Black Panther attempts to help Okoye before crumbling to dust himself. Every Guardian except for Rocket vanishes into thin air. Doctor Strange tells Tony "It was the only way..." before disappearing. Oh, and then Spider-Man pleads for his life in Stark's arms. It's an incredibly grim, hopeless, and upsetting ending. And that's why it's so great.
Like I said, it's challenging to judge Infinity War as just a movie, because this franchise has transcended those parameters. For comic book fans and for those of us who grew up watching the adventures of Earth's Mightiest Heroes (I was 9 years old when Iron Man came out), this is the cinematic event of a lifetime. And to be fair, it's really only halfway done. But I loved just about every single minute of Infinity War, which is as sweeping and chilling and grandiose as you would hope from an epic like this. Tying it all together is Alan Silverstri's music, which channels Williams' Star Wars scores and the magic of the Avengers to perfect effect. Infinity War is an assault on the senses, and it's the kind of movie that will undeniably take a toll on you, both mentally and physically. But as an awe-inspiring and cathartic piece of popcorn entertainment, this just might be Marvel's most impressive achievement to date.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9.2/10)
Images: Marvel/IMDb
Avengers: Infinity War is a movie made by a group of filmmakers convinced they have the audience eating out of the palm of their hand. And guess what? They're absolutely right.
Everyone at Marvel knows they have a stunning degree of creative power in the design and execution of these movies. Marvel chief Kevin Feige, directors Joe and Anthony Russo, and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely all know that fans around the world are simply foaming at the mouth for whatever comes next. Infinity War isn't the kind of movie you make if you're afraid of angering or alienating your audience. You don't make this movie if you're not absolutely certain that they'll be back in a year, begging for more. After a decade of films, including some of the greatest superhero stories and characters to ever grace the silver screen, we are at the mercy of Marvel. They can deliver the biggest, boldest cliff-hanger in recent cinematic history, capping off a relentlessly dark installment that will go down as this generation's Empire Strikes Back, and every single person who bought a ticket will say "More, please" in a year's time. I would say that it's risky, but it's not even a risk- Marvel knows that we're all in too deep at this point.
At the same time, this is the kind of film that would be impossible without the benefit of 18 prior adventures with these characters. Sure, Infinity War stands on its own to a certain degree. Even if you're not totally caught up with every single Marvel Cinematic Universe movie that came before, there's very little you need to know that isn't explicitly explained in the film. What makes the difference is the level of emotional investment you have in this greater Marvel story and how deeply you care about these characters. To an objective viewer (if one even can be objective when talking about these films) with little attachment to this series, Infinity War is a technical achievement in blockbuster filmmaking and grand-scale storytelling. But if you've been on this decade-long journey with Tony Stark and Steve Rogers and Peter Quill and all of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the third chapter in the Avengers saga will likely be one of the most emotional movie-going experiences of your lifetime.
I know this was certainly true for me. I've seen plenty of intense movies that left me gasping for air over the years, but few have made my heart pound quite as hard as Infinity War. Even when I saw it a second time, the ending left me shaking. It's as emotionally draining as it is physically exhausting, and I have a feeling many young children will leave this film utterly traumatized. But beyond the tragic implications of Infinity War's narrative, it's worth noting just how much of an achievement this film really is. Let's take a step back and look at what the Russo Brothers were tasked with doing here. They had to bring together an astronomical number of characters (okay, so it's like 25, but that's still a lot), give each of them something to do in a massive blockbuster, juggle all of those complex storylines, and cap off a decade of movies in a satisfying way. Oh, and the whole thing had to feel cohesive and, y'know, actually make narrative and emotional sense.
Now, it's worth noting that the story isn't really done yet. Even if Marvel would like you to think that Infinity War is its own complete story, the saga of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet is far from over. But judged simply on its own merits, the scope, precision, and smoothness of Infinity War is downright staggering. Shifting between tones and characters to create a movie that is simultaneously amusing, epic, and thoroughly devastating, there's no question in my mind that Infinity War is one of the strongest Marvel films yet. After proving their chops with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, two of the more universally acclaimed installments in the MCU, the Russo Brothers have taken their directorial mastery to a new level in this riveting epic, which seamlessly weaves together a universe without breaking a sweat. It's hard to step back and judge Infinity War as a movie when it feels like such a groundbreaking cultural event, but this is really an expert piece of storytelling and filmmaking on every level. Infinity War left me breathless.
If you've been out of the loop when it comes to Marvel movies, this one does its best to catch you up. Infinity War picks up right where Thor: Ragnarok left off, which is bad news for Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), and their friends. After the destruction of Asgard, Thanos (Josh Brolin) has arrived on the civilization's last vessel to claim the Tesseract, also known as the Space Stone. The Mad Titan is on a quest to assemble all six Infinity Stones, celestial gems that would grant him the ability to control the elements of the universe. Along with his Black Order (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Carrie Coon, Terry Notary, and Michael James Shaw), Thanos has moved across the universe, destroying planets and searching for the stones. Thanos believes that random mass genocide is the key to the salvation of the universe, as its finite resources can only sustain so many living beings. If he acquires every stone and wields the Infinity Gauntlet, the last survivor of Titan will be able to exterminate half the universe with the snap of his fingers.
After his assault on the Asgardian ship, Thanos already has two of the stones. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has the Time Stone, the Reality Stone is in the hands of the unreliable Collector (Benicio del Toro), the Mind Stone is lodged in the head of Vision (Paul Bettany), and the location of the Soul Stone is known only to Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Thanos' beloved adopted daughter. Despite this looming threat, the events of Civil War are still keeping the Avengers apart. As our story really begins, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) gets a surprise visit from Dr. Strange and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), who vanished from Earth after the events of Age of Ultron, only to return with a little help from Thor's trusty friend Heimdall (Idris Elba). When an alien ship lands in New York, Stark and friends (including Tom Holland's eager Spider-Man) end up hurtling into space, seemingly destined for a face-off with Thanos. Meanwhile, Thor finds himself traveling with the Guardians of the Galaxy as they prepare for a showdown with the Mad Titan. While Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Gamora opt to face Thanos directly, Thor, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and Groot (Vin Diesel) make a trip to a secret location, hoping to create the one weapon that could take their greatest opponent down.
And if you didn't think we had enough characters in this movie already, who could forget about Captain America (Chris Evans) and his rogue crew. On the run after they were declared illegal by the U.S. government, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) resurface in Scotland, where Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision are currently hiding. Once Cap realizes that Thanos is coming for the stone, he makes an emergency call to who else but T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) himself. After opening Wakanda to the rest of the world at the end of Black Panther, the King opens his arms and offers the assistance of the formerly reclusive African nation, even though he knows a war is coming. With the help of the brilliant Shuri (Letitia Wright), the Avengers just might have a chance to save Vision and destroy the stone. Thanos' army may be coming, but Wakanda won't go down without a fight. Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje, M'Baku (Winston Duke), and even Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) are ready to fight for the fate of the world. As battle rages across the galaxy, Thanos moves closer and closer to his final goal: balancing the universe
Ultimately, Infinity War's endless cross-cutting between these disparate storylines serves only to bolster the tension to a frankly monumental degree. Some may find the film's relentless pacing to be exhausting. I found it exhilarating. While there's certainly plenty of mayhem and action throughout the entire film, there's a sense of escalation to the proceedings that quickened my pulse and left me truly shaken. Other Marvel films have their intense moments (The Winter Soldier is especially known for the viciousness of its hand-to-hand combat), but the Russo Brothers take it to another level here. The grimness and brutality of the proceedings is contrasted by the directing duo's brilliant control of action, with sequences that are remarkably fluid and precise in execution. After the spectacular fun of the airport scene in Civil War, the Russo Brothers continue to demonstrate their control of action geography, jumping around to different locales without missing a beat.
Infinity War is meant to be spectacle of the highest order, and it's successful as a super-sized serving of popcorn-munching fun, blending visionary CGI with old-school filmmaking skills. But I maintain my belief that audiences are no longer all that wowed by special effects, which is why the success of this film has to be attributed elsewhere. There's no question that everyone involved brought their A-game to create the most intense experience possible, but the creative team already had the advantage of these actors playing these characters, icons who audiences have come to know and love as the decade progressed. Infinity War was always sold as the end for many characters, and it's that sense of unpredictability that makes it such a gripping watch. We love these heroes, but we know it has to all go sideways for them at some point. I lunged forward in my seat when Thanos stabbed Stark, the hero who started it all just over 10 years ago. I was shocked to see Gamora plummet to her death, just a year after her and Quill finally started to click. And even at the start of the film, I was ecstatic to see Loki end on the right side of the MCU.
Screenwriters Markus and McFeely know that this is rich emotional territory for the biggest franchise of all time, and they give these actors plenty to work with. The result is some truly terrific performances, ones that have the potential to define these characters moving forward. Chris Hemsworth is dynamite as Thor, finally finding a groove after several years as the Norse god. He got the biggest applause at my screening, and deservedly so. Josh Brolin's Thanos is terrifying and heartbreaking, a combination I never expected to see from such a major villain, while Zoe Saldana and Chris Pratt share some profound moments. Benedict Cumberbatch shines in a supporting role, Peter Dinklage has a terrific cameo as Eitri the Dwarf, and I'm beginning to really like Tom Holland's version of Spider-Man. And it feels like the writers have set up Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans for an excellent swan song next time around, even if they're on the periphery of this story.
But it's not all doom and gloom. I was worried about the level of humor going into Infinity War, as Marvel can often get a little caught up in its own jokes. Did we really need this much humor in a movie where the fate of the universe is at stake? It turns out that, yes, we really did. Considering just how merciless and unforgiving Infinity War can be in its bleakest moments, the humor is a necessary part of the equation. I always laugh at Marvel's quips and jabs, but I'm rarely quoting them weeks after the fact. Nonetheless, I've found myself rattling off "WHY is Gamora" and "I am Steve Rogers" and "Get lost, Squidward" in recent days, so obviously Markus and McFeely did something right.
That being said, don't make the mistake of thinking this is a comedy. It most definitely isn't, and you'll be left with a feeling of shock and pain more than anything. It's impossible to talk about Infinity War without mentioning the ending, which is as jaw-dropping as anything I've seen in modern blockbuster cinema in the last decade. Now, before we go any further, I know that all of this will probably be reversed. That's what Avengers 4 is here for. But that doesn't dilute the impact of this film's finale, which is haunting and scary and ingenious all at the same time. After the snap meant to wipe out half the universe, Avengers start disappearing one by one. Bucky Barnes looks at Cap and says "Steve..." before disintegrating. Black Panther attempts to help Okoye before crumbling to dust himself. Every Guardian except for Rocket vanishes into thin air. Doctor Strange tells Tony "It was the only way..." before disappearing. Oh, and then Spider-Man pleads for his life in Stark's arms. It's an incredibly grim, hopeless, and upsetting ending. And that's why it's so great.
Like I said, it's challenging to judge Infinity War as just a movie, because this franchise has transcended those parameters. For comic book fans and for those of us who grew up watching the adventures of Earth's Mightiest Heroes (I was 9 years old when Iron Man came out), this is the cinematic event of a lifetime. And to be fair, it's really only halfway done. But I loved just about every single minute of Infinity War, which is as sweeping and chilling and grandiose as you would hope from an epic like this. Tying it all together is Alan Silverstri's music, which channels Williams' Star Wars scores and the magic of the Avengers to perfect effect. Infinity War is an assault on the senses, and it's the kind of movie that will undeniably take a toll on you, both mentally and physically. But as an awe-inspiring and cathartic piece of popcorn entertainment, this just might be Marvel's most impressive achievement to date.
THE FINAL GRADE: A (9.2/10)
Images: Marvel/IMDb
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