"We owe this, to everyone who is not in this room, to try."
WARNING: Spoilers Ahead
It has taken 11 years and 22 films, but at long last we find ourselves staring into the face of one of the biggest films in cinematic history: The long-awaited finale to the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Avengers: Endgame.
Following the events of Avengers: Infinity War and the Thanos snap that wiped out half of the human race, Endgame follows 50% of the Avengers trying to figure out how to undo that peracute damage and bring back the lives lost, all before an epic showdown with one of the most hauntingly present villains to ever be seen on the big screen.
As someone who didn’t feel at all satisfied with how Infinity War played out, I was understandably apprehensive to see how this second half would transpire. After feeling underwhelmed by the majority of Phase Three Marvel films, Endgame felt like a big slap in the face that begged the question, “How DARE you doubt this franchise and this studio!? Allow us to remind you exactly what we are capable of!”
This unique cinematic experience was in a total different class compared to its predecessor, both in terms of pacing and balancing the use of the actors involved. It felt like they really knew how to wield such an all-star cast accordingly, something that they didn’t manage successfully before. It was all so giddy and exciting and fresh; everything that a Marvel film should be.
This film had such massively high stakes, yet still managed to consistently feel so intimate throughout, and that can be accredited to the heart-wrenching performances given. The presentation from every contributing player was so emotionally driven and felt like the best we were seeing of their Marvel careers, and the messages being conveyed were reminders of the immense loss that everyone had suffered so deeply and on such a massive scope.
Every single moment that showed the characters grappling with the loss and failure they were still reeling from, and the significance of the grief and guilt everyone felt were so cathartic that it actually made it very easy to forgive such a lack of action sequences in the first two thirds of the film.
All of the characters were so haunted and you could really sympathise with all of them. The Russo Brothers had clearly thought hard about what it’s like to fail family and about how these big strong heroes would deal with loss, and because of this they were really able to use characterisation and these character arcs to help propel the film forwards which worked swiftly and effectively.
At one major point in the film, we find the remaining Avengers time travelling through their previous battles in order to literally change history. The decision to use nostalgia as a plot point with the time jumps were brilliant because it gave the audience, and specifically the fans, a way of revisiting so many pivotal scenes that many of us love from the franchise, and it was really complementary and a fitting decision to use the back catalogue going forwards. My only real problem with this film overall was that the jumping through time allowed for a lot of plot holes to be created. Whilst there’s a good chance that they will go on to be addressed in the Phase Four films, they currently remain as issues with the storyline that can’t be ignored.
Above all else, Avengers: Endgame served as an emotionally draining fan service. Whether you caught one of the films years ago and quite enjoyed it, or have loyally grown with the film cycle over the span of 11 years, this was jam packed with references that made it a wonderful love letter to anyone who has ever spent a second with one of these characters. It went out of its way to pay tribute to every single marvel film that came before it, and gave fitting send-offs to pivotal characters that everyone has come to known and love. It really did justice to the MCU, feeling simultaneously like a classical marvel movie, but also refreshing and different.
Above all else: it’s satisfying.
When people talk about superhero movies in the years to come, this box-office phenomenon (that almost effortlessly raked in $1.29 billion on opening weekend) will be at the front and centre of everyone's minds.