The entire Marvel Cinematic Universe has all come down to “Avengers: Infinity War,” which has just released worldwide this past Friday, April 27. Before getting into it further, I just wanted to point out that this review will be completely SPOILER-FREE.
A decade of films combined with their characters and plotlines have all culminated into this one 2 hour and 29 minute film. Eighteen films have already been created, bringing us the classic Marvel superheroes modernized on the big screen in a way that breaks barriers in cinema and leaves audiences awestruck.
“Infinity War” follows (almost) all of the Avengers, as they are tasked with defeating the formidable villain, Thanos, as he tries to steal all six infinity stones that are hidden throughout the universe.
With a star-studded ensemble cast, there are around thirty A-list celebrities who took part in making this movie a reality. To name just a few of them, you’ll see acting from Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Vin Diesel, Mark Ruffalo, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Idris Elba, Don Cheadle and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Having achieved a score of 84 percent fresh out of around 260 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, so far, “Infinity War” seems to be delivering everything that audiences wanted and more. The positive reviews all contain similar thoughts such as critic Owen Gleiberman from Variety saying that “If, for decades, the metaphor for propulsive blockbuster filmmaking was the ‘ride,’ then watching ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is like going to a theme park and taking three spins on every ride there.”
One aspect of the film that adds or detracts from it (depending on personal opinion) is the fact that it is an amalgamation of the eighteen films before it. If you’re a Marvel fan and have seen most or all of the previous films leading up to this one, you’re probably going to love watching this. However, if this is your first Marvel movie, I recommend watching the others before seeing this one, as it is not made to be a standalone movie.
The critics giving bad reviews are all basically saying the same things: that it packs in too many characters and too much spectacle with very little plot. In my opinion, the plot was about as complex as it could possibly be without confusing audiences, and the fact that we had a chance to see all of the iconic characters in one movie is an amazing feat in itself. It presents a cast that no other Avengers movie before it has ever had the capability of bringing together.
Over a thousand people worked on this movie, including almost all of the main directors and producers who directed each of the other films preceding it. The result is a visually stunning, suspenseful adventure that can only be achieved in a Marvel movie of this magnitude. Walt Disney Studios has taken Marvel and made it into everything it should be, as they have seemingly unlimited resources to ensure that these characters will live up to their potential.
“Infinity War” shows us what the top artists and writers are capable of in the film industry in 2018. It sets a high standard for every title that will be released after it. It serves as a masterclass in character development as almost all of the characters have developed unique personalities that audiences just can’t get enough of. This is especially evident now, as it brings these quirky characters together in a way that’ll make any Marvel fan smile.
If you’re a Marvel fan, I recommend dropping everything to see this movie if you haven’t yet. It’ll make you laugh, and it’ll probably make you cry. When the end credits start rolling, you’ll be sitting in your seat in complete disbelief at everything that just went down. For me at least, this film made 2 hours and 29 minutes feel like 20 minutes, and definitely left me wanting more. Showcasing a plot that is 10 years in the making, it’s still hard to believe that this movie is now released for us to enjoy.
There are only a few films I see when I can say, without question, that I’m buying the Blu-ray when it’s released. This was definitely one of them. Fellow WCU student Courtney Quinn summed up “Infinity War” perfectly, saying that, “It’s not really a movie, it’s an experience.”
Looking ahead to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Ant-Man and The Wasp” is slated to be released this summer on July 6, “Captain Marvel” in March 2019 and the currently untitled “Avengers 4” is expected to hit screens in May 2019.
Ryan Kutzler is a fourth-year communications major with minors in music and journalism. ✉ RK821378@wcupa.edu