Avengers: Endgame

The epic Marvel Saga that started over ten years ago has been building up to the inevitable clash with the powerful tyrant Thanos (Josh Brolin). Last year’s “Avengers: Infinity War” set the stage for the highly-anticipated conclusion; “Avengers: End Game” and at long last it has arrived.

Picking up shortly after the events of the last film, the Avengers must deal with the aftermath of what Thanos has done. The team is naturally divided between wanting revenge, wanting to set things right, and just wanting to take what they have and go on.

As time passes and they struggle to accept the reality of their situation; an unexpected individual returns and with them comes the seeds of a new plan to make things right. Naturally Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is skeptical but eventually warms to the possibilities of the idea thanks to a new scientific breakthrough that makes it possible.

Inspired, Tony sets out to put an elaborate plan in motion that will allow the team to try to fix things and to stop Thanos once and for all.

What follows is an extended and at times nostalgic heist where various members of the team work to assemble the pieces needed for the plan as they believe they only have one chance to make things right.

The film is essentially three acts in one. The first deals with the recap and expansion of their situation and the planning. The second act is basically a heist where action and comedy are blended with some touching moments.

This all leads to the final act which is the FX laden set piece where the ensemble cast gathers to fight the forces of evil in a battle to save the Universe.

The film is epic in scale and length as it clocks in at over three hours but the movie is filled with so much content that the time goes by quickly and you have a hard time believing three hours have elapsed.

It is also a difficult film to review as you cannot recap elements of the film in any great detail without giving away elements that are sure to delight the fans. Suffice it to say that my only real issue with the film and it was minor; was that it took a while to get to the action but at least there was plenty to keep you entertained along the way.

As this phase of the Marvel Film Universe winds down and plans are put in place for the next five years; “Avengers: End Game” is a satisfying conclusion to the epic saga that was started many years ago and weaves elements of many of the past Marvel films into an entertaining tale which features all of the best elements that have made the series of films such big hits.

4.5 stars out of 5

 

Second review by

Joseph K. Saulnier

Avengers: Endgame (“Endgame”) marks the culmination of something that’s never been done before. A story arch spanning 22 movies, with room for individual character stories, all working up to the one event. The Endgame.

Blah blah blah. Look. We both know you’re here for the spoilers, right? Well, Thanos destroys the entire universe and we are ready the Marvel Reboot like they did to the comics in 2012 (don’t quote me on this, I’ve done no research on the actual year), where we are getting a whole new cast portraying these heroic characters we’ve come to know and love.

No? Don’t believe that one? Well, you shouldn’t. Because you really just want to know: is it good? The answer to this question is a little complicated. First, let me say that really quick short answer is: hell yeah, it’s good. Why haven’t you watched it already? The long of it is, do you really want it to end? I mean, yes, but it means closing the book on a story we’ve been following for more than 10 years. I know that the story is going to continue to the next big bad to come about as we enter Phase 4 (which doesn’t begin until after Spider-Man: Far From Home), but I’m sure we are all aware that some of our favorite heroes are no longer under contract, and thus will be leaving the universe. Now let’s be clear, it doesn’t mean necessarily that we are losing them. Just because they are not under contract, doesn’t mean new ones, such as single movie cameos, can’t be signed. And I for one am not done seeing Tony Stark and Steve Rogers on screen, who are the two biggest names/characters ending their contracts with Infinity War.

I will just say this. The movie will have you hooked from start to finish. Anyone who is worried about a stupid bathroom break hasn’t seen the movie yet. You will be too engrossed to even know what a bladder is. The film literally gave me goosebumps on 7 different occasions, and had my wife crying like 4 different times. And the film is fun. The story is fun, it will have you laughing, crying, possibly shrieking. Job well done, Mr. Fiege and company. I know there is so much talent that went into these films, both on and off screen, and my hat is off to all of you.

The rumors are true, by the way. As I am sure you have heard by the time you read this that the no end credits scene is real. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stay, though. First, it will show an immense amount of respect to the aforementioned talent in the film, but it doesn’t mean that there isn’t some interesting end credits audio. I have no idea where to begin to hypothesize what that sound means, but maybe you do? Let us know in the comments, or on any of our Social Media sites.

5 out of 5