Avengers Infinity War Review - *Contains Spoiler*
Please be warned this review will contain spoilers so if you have not seen the movie I urge you to look away now and I cannot be held accountable for ruining your movie watching experience should you wish to continue
First things first let me get this out of the way now, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW & WOW. This movie is everything I could have asked for in a superhero movie and more, for someone who has been very critical of the MCU (Truth be told I am a DC fanboy) this movie has really set the standard which DCEU will struggle to compete with should they look to compete going forward.
This movie has been 10 years in the making and it has been well worth the wait, every movie and over 30 post-credit scenes have laid the foundation for this movie and it's crazy how well they've intertwined the entire universe. I'm not sure if it was dumb luck or meticulous planning from the writers to be able to interconnect so many characters, stories and arcs all into one movie and for it all to have coherence the viewers can follow.
I went into this movie with a bone to pick, I really didn't enjoy Civil War or Black Panther and I felt the Marvel template was getting stale and was not being judged on merit and content but just on the Marvel brand and overwhelming love and demand for this type of content. The latest instalments also had an over-reliance on comedy and used cheap laughs to keep us entertained rather than further many of the narratives. I also didn't have high hopes for Thanos, one of the biggest criticisms of Marvel movies have been the bland and weak villains and hardly anything was ever on the line in any of the movies, apart from Avengers 1.
First things first this is not an Avengers movie, this is a Thanos movie and it's exactly how it should be. The movie features 30 or so characters, each with their own complex backstories and motivations. And all of them are coming together in a bid to stop a giant purple alien dude from destroying the universe. It sounds ridiculous and feels impossible to imagine a way to balance all the characters and give all of them equal screen time so seeing the movie from a central viewpoint of Thanos journey was just what this movie needed to do and makes the final product such a monumental achievement. Masterfully directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Infinity War is bold, brainy filmmaking at its very best: the kind that will lift your spirits, blow your mind and shatter your soul - occasionally in the same scene.
It demonstrates on an epic scale what Marvel has known all along: that special effects and tightly choreographed action are there to serve the story. For all its blockbuster spectacle (and there's almost too much of that), the film works because it's anchored by the heart, humour and humanity of its characters.
The Plot
The film's basic plot is simple: Thanos (played via motion-capture by Josh Brolin), intergalactic purveyor of death and destruction, has long been on the hunt for the six Infinity Stones that will give him complete control over the elemental building blocks of the universe.
He dispatches his minions to Earth to retrieve the Time Stone, currently in the possession of Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and carve the Mind Stone out of the forehead of Vision (Paul Bettany). It's a literal existential threat so terrifying that all the heroes we've come to know and love - from the Avengers to the Guardians of the Galaxy - must put aside their differences and unite against a common foe.
From the first moment, the movie begins you can see the screenwriters and directors are interested in playing it safe. Most other superhero films are bled of high stakes - the hero in the title might suffer untold trauma, but it's a super-safe bet that he or she will make it to the end alive. There's no such guarantee here. Within the first ten minutes, we are confronted with the dark, twisted depths to which Thanos and the Black Order will sink to in order to achieve their goals. Death, is a definite possibility and sacrifices need to be made, with the likes of Loki and Heimdall.
That's not to say the movie is a morbid and depressing experience. What's so impressive about Infinity Wars is how it expertly juggles its constantly shifting tones and moods. When it's funny it's really funny, the banter between Strange, Iron-man and Spider-man is top notch but the scene that takes the cake would be Peter Quill and Thor's have at it in hilarious fashion. While Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is charmed by the wit and intelligence of Shuri .
The action is fast frantic and you will struggle to find a breather as the movie shifts back and forth between selective groups of the Avengers all looking to protect an Infinity stone or stop Thanos from finding the next one. You really just have to sit back in awe at what unfolds on the screen with some stunning hand to hand close combat to epic battleground scenes that we haven't seen on this scale since probably the Lord of the Rings.
To conclude
In a film with so many moving parts, some elements don't work quite as well. A couple of characters that you might have expected to be right at the forefront - including an original Avenger or two - fade into the background.
The film does seem to cut from dizzying fight scene to dizzying fight scene, and while most of them are fantastically choreographed, they can get a bit much. There are also some questionable decision making when it comes to trying to save the entire universe certain sacrifices seem like a no-brainer that we could all live with, but it all seems as if they all want this big final battle to occur.
Minor quibbles aside, though, Infinity War is yet another step in the right direction for Marvel and just as it began the film ends even more bravely and the final act will haunt and horrify you in equal measure. One thing is for sure, I can't wait to see what the second phase in the infinity war will bring us.
My rating
I give this movie a solid 9.5 out of 10 and I really can't wait to see it again or maybe 2 more times
*Trailer for Infinity War*Have your say
Have you seen Infinity war yet? What did you think of the movie? What was your favourite part of the movie? Where do you think it will go from here? I'd love to hear your opinions so drop me a comment
Let's connect
If you're a fellow movie buff then feel free to follow me @chekohler