Avengers: Infinity War is Marvel Studios 19th film in their grand buildup to this exact moment, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, these films represent what may be the beginning of the end for the Avengers MCU that we know today. So, does the beginning of the end live up to the hype?
Avengers: Infinity War continues the story of the split and divided members of the Avengers as well as The Guardians of the Galaxy as they face the threat of Thanos (Josh Brolin) when he finally reveals himself and is set on collecting all 6 infinity stones, no matter the cost.
This incredibly star-studded film is dense with fantastic actors inhabited the varied characters this franchise has built. Finding a standout was difficult not just for me but for the film as a whole; time was short and it was more important that everyone continues to play their characters as best they can as opposed to forcibly developing them in some new direction. The newcomer, Thanos played by Josh Brolin gives a shockingly nuanced and powerful performance capable of getting the audience to sympathise with his deeply unsettling views and ideologies. He carries the emotional weight that this character holds and stands as a tremendously powerful presence on screen, you fully understand what he is doing and why he is doing it.
This film places a prime focus on the villain and his goals, this was one of the best choices made from writers Christopher Markus and Stephen Mcfreely as almost every other character has previously been established – think about that, the only reason Marvel can actually do a film of this scope is by already having every character pre-established. This is a film about Thanos; his story, his reasons, and his singular goal. Audiences are provided with an antagonist who is layered in his beliefs and goal, this is a villain that walks away from the two-dimensional personality that you would find expect in standard comic book films and instead you are shown a focused individual that will stop at nothing to achieve what he believes is right.
The film doesn’t really allow for any heavy or thought-provoking themes to flow through due to how busy and compact the film is. However, through the use of Thanos and his twisted goals we get more than we emotionally bargained for. Instead of the grandiose slow and typical arcs that characters take we are instead given meaningful character moments that are designed to supplement the story and emotional state of the characters that we are already familiar with. The Russo Brothers blend together the different types of characters and their personalities creating genuinely fun moments. The humor is integrated nicely with the majority of moments flowing through its narrative naturally rather than appearing forced. The wildly perfected pacing allows a near seamless transition between characters as they face the looming threats upon them, though not all story lines I felt were equal in quality. From the heinous and vicious Black Order (the children of Thanos), to the overwhelming twists and strikingly unpredictable plot turns, all are handled with fantastic care from the Russo Brothers.
The visuals within this film were utterly breathtaking, moments that make you lean back into your seat in awe at the creativity put to work here. From Doctor Strange, to the infinity stones, to the other story directions the film takes, audiences are given a truly rich variety of visual splendor to indulge in. Everything was…. perfectly balanced. With tones that were seemingly perfect for each respective character you could feel that the input from the many directors involved in Infinity War was extremely noticeable when their character came on-screen; this allowed the Russo Brothers to orchestrate this film and balance both the visual tone and the story’s tone correctly. The dark score for this film managed to further push forward the theme of high stakes, correctly reflecting the tone of the film, the score of this film was less defined in many ways as there are multiple stories happening at the same time, you do however get a variety of sounds that reflect each team or character.
The moment the film starts, it hooks you and doesn’t let go. Avengers: Infinity War is powerful in execution and its ambition has paid off, with moments that will leave you begging for more, the excitement for the next film is something that you are certain to be feeling by the film’s grand and truly powerful conclusion. Avengers: Infinity War stands as one of Marvel’s mightiest and most powerful films; providing real and truly terrifying stakes, an emotionally twisted and complex villain, and a visual buffet that never falters. The Russo Brothers have constructed a monumentally grand epic worthy of its 10 year journey.
8.7/10
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