The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a project that has been with us throughout our lives. It's hard to believe that we have had eleven years of movies. We have enjoyed eleven years of daring heroics, of timeless characters, and action-packed stories with a surprising amount of heart and comedy. I remember sitting in the theater with my Dad as we watched Iron Man together for the first time. Though I wasn't aware of it at the time, this would be one of the major films that turned me into his "Movie Buddy" when a new superhero movie hit the big screen. Together, we and the rest of the world crowded to the theater at the prospect of watching the newest movie. From "Iron Man" to "Infinity War," we have been there for the rise and the fall, the laughter and tears, of all these characters and their stories. Personally, it has been quite the trip and I am so glad that I have been able to see these films in theaters with people that I care about. The fun and memories I have collected throughout the years are just as special to me as the actual films themselves.

It is hard to believe that all this work, all this world-building, has come to its conclusion with "Endgame." After all, this is a story eleven years in the making. Who's to say where it would go? It went to places of laughter, places of action, places of tears, and places of awed silence. These films have been building blocks, the foundation, for an even greater story that we find in "Avengers: Endgame" and the world has been flocking to theaters to see how an eleven-year-old story decided to close its chapter. How would "Endgame" compare to the rest of the cinematic universe?

I am pleased to say that, as a completed product, I am really pleased with the movie. Without giving any spoilers for the film, it delivered exactly what I was expecting in the final film. The characters we loved were there and working together to defeat a common enemy just as promised. It was wonderful to see all of these personalities, all of these characters who feel like family to us at this point, work together and move around onscreen. For those that have stuck with the franchise from the start, it feels a lot like a family reunion. Well, if a family reunion was full of butt-kicking, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat action. So, personally, it was great to see all these characters on the screen together as a full team.

The visuals in this film were also wonderful to witness. The choreography of the action and the fighting scenes were absolutely fun to watch. It was great to see how the visuals different and altered from character to character. As a finished product, we are treated to a visual mosaic of colors, action, and excitement. I absolutely adored watching this movie breathe onscreen and probably will be watching it again just for its work with choreography and visual effects.

The comedy, as to be expected, was a nice addition to the film. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments that worked to lighten the mood and to endear ourselves to the characters. Plus, it just helped soften the moments that tugged completely at our heartstrings. Oh yes, there were plenty of emotional moments in this film and I don't want to spoil them for anyone. Just know that you should definitely bring tissues to this film.

Now, was this a perfect film? No, personally I do not think so. Granted, I love this film. I love its characters, its visuals, and its heart. However, sometimes I feel like this film wants to play a balancing act. I feel like it wants to capture that same humorous tragedy that "Infinity War" was able to pull off, but at times, the jokes fell flat. Some of them, especially those surrounding Thor's character, felt a little too overdone and sometimes, outside the development the characters underwent in their previous films. Thus, when a joke fell flat, you really felt it in comparison to the serious tone and the ability for other jokes to work so well. Besides this, my only other real gripe with the movie is its focus on the entirety of the Avengers section. I feel like the balance between the build-up and the climax could be tweaked a little. Seeing all the characters come in at the end of the film is great, but I just wish it lasted a bit longer to see all the work and effort paid off. I know this is a nitpick, but if the past eleven years has been spent working on building up to this moment, I really want to enjoy it for what its worth.

However, that is the entire point of this franchise. The movie itself is important because, in the end, it doesn't matter how it should have ended or what should have happened. We all may share some common ideas, but in the end, it is hard to say if we would be truly satisfied with any type of ending. We all love these films and these characters so much, we would really be hard pressed to find an ending that truly satisfied us. We love the MCU and we want to see it last forever. Thus, the movie is even more than just a normal film. It is an example of patience. Just like the characters in the movie have to accept their outcomes, we have to understand that all good things come to a finish. We may not agree or like it all, but it will end just the same.

Overall, a lot of hard work has been put into this project. No matter how we feel about the ending and what opinions we may have at the overall product, at least we can say that we were able to come along for the wild ride.