There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe thrilling us again and again with each new release. Over the last decade, Marvel Studios has meticulously built their universe to the point where each new release wasn't just an event to behold on the silver screen, but also a necessity to see. Marvel's gamble seemed to have paid off large dividends with the release of their first team-up film, 2012's "The Avengers," breaking numerous box office records at the time and came with the promise that bigger and better was coming.
Even with the disappointment of 2015's "Avengers: Age of Ultron", audiences have waited in anticipation for Marvel's promise to bring every single Marvel Cinematic Universe character and film together in "Avengers: Infinity War". Even though the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the envy of Hollywood to the point multiple studios have tried copying the formula but to less than stellar results (*see the DC comics extended universe and Universal's Dark Universe*), could the mighty MCU crumble under their own ambition of assembling most, if not all, of its heroes into one feature-length film?
"Avengers: Infinity War" takes place immediately after the events of "Thor: Ragnarok", where Thanos (Josh Brolin) is on a quest to collect the six infinity stones in order to restore balance to time and space. With the threat of doom to mankind and the universe at stake, it's up to the heroes of earth and the galaxy to team up and stop Thanos before he accomplishes his task and the cosmos are affected.
Marvel has once again aptly sown all of its unique, intricate pieces together into the class of superhero movies. Much credit must be given to the superstar directing team of the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joseph, who have yet to make a bad MCU film. It's a wonder how the directors of "You, Me, and Dupree" have made arguably two of the best MCU films, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Captain America: Civil War", and yet have somehow outdone themselves once again by tackling the most ambitious and perhaps even the most expensive films ever made.
The stakes couldn't be higher in "Infinity War", and the film definitely illuminates the catastrophic consequences. One of the benefits of building a universe for a decade is the audience is attached to all of the intertwining characters and storylines, so there's a true sense of loss and despair when the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Black Panther and company come face to face with impending doom. In regards to the film's central villain, Josh Brolin's Thanos may come with some trademark villainous background, but he's easily one of if not the most complex and interesting villains the MCU has ever seen, and the exploration of his relationship with his adoptive daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana) packs an emotional punch. But the film is not bereft of laughs at all, as Marvel's trademark timely humor is also ever present and as bellyaching as ever, a welcome necessity considering the dire outcomes facing the heroes we have come to grow with and love.
As mentioned early, the Russo brothers are somehow able to make sure every seemingly single character we've come across in the MCU over the last decade gets their time to shine. This lends itself well to the action sequences, which are breathtaking, to say the least. The constant shifting from set piece to set piece could come across as jarring for most, but it feels like a natural progression in "Infinity War". There's no doubt the film is exhausting at two and a half hours trying to include everyone, but it feels almost necessary for the film to be this way, and the film's ending cliffhanger leaves audiences asking questions and yearning for answers.
"Avengers: Infinity War" is the Marvel to end all marvels. Its blending of every single major Marvel Cinematic Universe film and character into one cohesive story that serves as only a part one to what should be a tremendous bookend to an incredible era nearly tops 2012's "The Avengers" and 2008's "The Dark Knight" as the best comic book films ever made. Nobody does it better than Marvel Studios, as they have once again changed the game in terms of not only the genre of film they make but Hollywood blockbusters in general. Sure, by the end of it you may feel distraught, begging for answers, and perhaps even needing a nap, but "Avengers: Infinity War" isn't just a marvel to see unfold on the silver screen, but a tremendous achievement that sets a new standard in blockbuster filmmaking.
Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars. Pay full price.
"Avengers: Infinity War" stars 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, Lettia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Tom Hiddleson, Idris Elba, Karen Gillan, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Peter Dinklage, Carrie Coon, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, and Josh Brolin. It is in theaters now.
