--Thanos, Avengers: Endgame
"I am inevitable."
--Thanos, Avengers: Endgame
This review does not betray any of the plot twists, themes, or character arcs of Endgame.
Thanks to Avengers: Endgame and season eight of Game of Thrones, this April is set to be one of the most exciting and devastating months in entertainment history. Endgame has already enjoyed a level of hype that will almost certainly never be seen again in the life of cinema, except perhaps in a very small handful of cases. With a runtime of three hours, it manages to deliver some incredibly meaningful payoffs while bringing Thanos back to the forefront of the MCU. In Infinity War, Thanos was the villain who received the hero's ending, towering above the other MCU villains in terms of complexity; in Endgame, he is more blatantly presented as the stark antagonist.
However, there are unfortunately some aspects of the film that outright contradict the core of the script and actually undermine the urgency in the rest of the narrative. The massive level of hype might shield the movie from deserved criticism, but even people who will decry certain asinine jokes or character directions will likely appreciate the sheer intensity of the third act. Movies like this can only be made as a culmination of years of effort, and Endgame does not allow the momentum to go to waste.
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| Photo credit: AntMan3001 on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-SA |
Production Values
With regards to the visual effects, Endgame surpasses all other MCU movies (except perhaps Infinity War) despite having more to show. The effects work is at its pinnacle in the third act--there are more characters here than ever, which allows for the final action scene to easily eclipse the scope of any other MCU fight. Yes, it is even more grand than the invasion of Wakanda in Infinity War!
The acting, like the visuals, is excellent, and it is complemented by the fact that viewers get to see new sides of established characters. Some characters show more emotion than they have in every previous MCU movie combined. However, Thanos, having already been developed in Infinity War, is no longer the center of attention. This film belongs to the Avengers, though Thanos is still acted and portrayed very well. He remains a worthy villain, but he is handled quite differently. Unfortunately, the acting is far better than a great deal of the dialogue that the actors and actresses have to deliver.
The major flaws of Endgame lay in the script, not the effects or performances. The successes of the film are enormous, but the problems with some of the plot developments are also enormous. While it had a few scenes of gratuitous, petty comedy that did not belong in the context of a dark story, Infinity War maintained a fairly serious tone. A fair amount of Endgame's comedy, on the other hand, directly conflicts with the magnitude of the stakes and the utter desperation that needed to be evident in the characters' motivations. This clash does not entirely fade away until the climax of the movie approaches.
Story
In order to minimize spoilers, I will not divulge even the minimal plot points that I usually would. Expect colossal spectacle and some obvious clues about where Phase 4 will take audiences. I plan on writing a spoiler review soon!
Intellectual Content
Again, in order to avoid sharing spoilers, I will not specify what the most intellectual components of the story are. However, some of the more esoteric or philosophically charged plot elements are either ultimately left unexplained or are given irrational explanations. Furthermore, many characters confuse scientific and logical impossibility, which results in some deeply asinine comments.
Conclusion
Endgame is not the most thematically and tonally consistent superhero film of all time, but it might damn well be the most ambitious. Even its most disappointed viewers cannot legitimately deny that the finale is perhaps the largest set piece that will ever be included in a Marvel movie. There is not much more than can be said without diving into spoiler territory, but that is for another time!
Content:
1. Violence: Without showing anything graphic, Endgame depicts decapitations and brawls.
2. Profanity: Variations of damn and shit are used throughout.
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