Film Review: 'Avengers: Endgame' is not a perfect film, but has a good finale
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IN 2019, Marvel Studios delivered the grand finale to a decade of interconnected storytelling with Serving as a direct sequel to 2018’s and the epic conclusion to Marvel’s Infinity Saga, quickly became one of the most successful films of all-time and an instant classic carved into the Mount Rushmore of superhero cinema. Now, in preparation for this December’s hotly anticipated Marvel are rereleasing an extended edition of the 2019 hit with some additional scenes designed to set up Doomsday with This re-release will, no doubt, bring diehard fans back to the cinema in their droves but will also give the three people on earth who didn’t see Endgame in cinemas one last chance to watch the blockbuster on the big screen.
Needless to say, the story has not changed since 2019. After the intergalactic warlord Thanos wiped out half the world’s population in the remaining struggle to move forward. Ultimately, they must come together to restore order and harmony to the universe and bring their loved ones back in a dramatic showdown with Thanos. In a story that pushes Earth’s mightiest heroes to their limits, the stakes have never been higher as the Avengers are willing to sacrifice all in a final attempt to undo Thanos’ dastardly work.
While Infinity War delivered in non-stop action from its opening scene to the very end, Endgame shows impressive restraint in deciding to withhold any action scenes until the climactic third act. Instead, this film wisely chooses to focus on its characters, prioritising emotional drama over hollow spectacle. Rest assured, the film delivers plenty of spectacle in its third and the wait is certainly worth it.
The themselves have never felt more human than they have in . Rather than feeling like costumed superheroes, the characters instead feel like genuine, imperfect people struggling to deal with their collective defeat and learning to live with survivors’ guilt. That is a testament to the carefully woven storytelling of Marvel Cinematic Universe. With ten years and 21 previous films preceding Endgame, audiences had grown so attached to these characters and so familiar with their individual stories that the stakes here felt truly personal. Fans of the franchise will, no doubt, remember the excruciating 12-month wait between Infinity War and Endgame, wondering where the story could possibly go after such a shocking cliffhanger ending.
While I don’t want to delve too deep into spoiler territory here â the film has been out for seven years at this point – it is safe to say that Endgame delivered an incredible and emotionally satisfying conclusion. That does not necessarily mean a happy ending is guaranteed, but a satisfying ending nonetheless.
As previously stated, takes the time to focus on its characters before bombarding the audience with action spectacle. That decision is what sets apart as an exception in the genre. In any other fantasy-action franchise, the filmmakers would predictably â and probably successfully – aim for the final instalment to be an all-out, high-octane action extravaganza. however, is a far more sombre affair and gives Marvel fans a chance to reflect on the stories that have led to this final chapter. That is largely due to a clever time travel plot that allows our heroes to revisit key moments from their timelines and essentially perform one final victory lap of the Marvel Cinematic Universe before taking a bow.
While I do absolutely appreciate the decision to withhold on the action for much of the film, I did also feel that the film struggled from pacing issues at times and could have done with a slightly sharper edit that kept the plot moving at a more exciting pace. However, with a runtime of three hours, brief moments of narrative inertia can be expected. Apart from pacing issues, there are a couple of frustrating creative decisions made by the filmmakers that were questionable to say the least. The characters of Thor and Hulk felt somewhat mishandled and a running joke involving the former quickly ran out of steam and became tiring. That being said, these are only minor flaws in an otherwise excellent film.
It is clear at this stage that what makes work so well is its iconic cast of characters and thus credit must be given to the ensemble of actors who brought these characters to life. Robert Downey Jr delivers his most emotionally layered and nuanced performance as Tony Stark/Iron Man, while Chris Evans brings his A-game to the role of Steve Rogers/Captain America. Credit must also be given, of course, to the architects of this colossal enterprise, directing duo Joe and Anthony Russo. With a deep understanding of these characters and just what makes a superhero film work, the brothers produce their best work here as they rise to the impossible task of tying up ten years of interconnected stories that come together in an exciting and dramatic finale. As the third act takes flight and the final battle begins, the Russo brothers’ mastery of their craft is clear as pure movie magic unfolds onscreen. Having returned to direct this year’s it is safe to assume the Russos have yet again crafted event cinema.
is not a perfect film, but it is a truly excellent finale to Marvel’s Infinity Saga and one of the best superhero films ever made. With now playing in cinemas, fans can assemble once more to relive the epic highs and lows of this modern classic before witnessing this Christmas. Be sure to stay until the very end to see a sneak preview of the next adventure.
