"Avengers: Infinity War" Movie Review

Anthony and Joe Russo’s “Avengers: Infinity War” will leave Marvel fans emotionally scarred, shaken and dangerously hungry for the next chapter.

The 19th installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe centers around –– surprise, surprise –– the Avengers. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Black Widow and all the Guardians of the Galaxy are just a few of the comic book legends thrown together in this huge movie. Together, they face their greatest threat yet, a purple monstrosity named Thanos, played with intimidating gusto by Josh Brolin.

“Infinity War” represents a culmination of the last decade’s Marvel movies. Fans have been eagerly anticipating this Earth-shattering movie since “Iron Man.” Hence, giving away any more specific plot details will likely leave me with my head on a stake. I’d prefer not to risk it, especially with summer break just around the corner.

Fortunately, what I can say is that “Infinity War” lives up to all the hype it has received, for the most part. Die-hard Marvel fans will likely overlook the noticeable pacing issues and prolonged run-time of nearly three hours. For moviegoers not already enamored with these uber powerful, quippy characters, however, the film might prove more confusing and less emotionally impactful than the filmmakers intended.

Even so, the film belies many cliches plaguing the superhero genre, particularly surrounding the concept of death. No character is safe in “Infinity War.”

One of the main reasons I view previous Marvel movies as popcorn entertainment, rather than as dramas, is the noticeable lack of any significant repercussions of what occurs onscreen. Characters are knocked around like ragdolls only to be unrealistically brought back to life and live happily ever after. This film, on the other hand, changes everything. Marvel movies will never be the same.

Thanos himself is an incredible villain, though he never surpasses the brilliance of Killmonger in Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther.” Thanos’ lumbering physique and unexpectedly soothing voice renders viewers unable to take their eyes off the computer-generated creation. His goals of planetary domination are rooted in truths many people would likely sympathize with in the real world, despite his vicious, genocidal methods. The less known about Thanos’ goals, the better.

Scenes of surprising darkness and tragedy permeate “Infinity War,” keeping viewers in nervous suspense of whether their favorite character will bite the dust.

That’s not to say the film doesn’t have the same snarky comedy associated with other Marvel films. Indeed, it’s often hilariously compelling to see characters meeting up for the first time, particularly Thor, played by the undeniably beautiful Chris Hemsworth, and the goofy, sarcastic Guardians of the Galaxy.

This results in an odd mixture of tones that don’t always work in the film’s favor. A scene might end in grim violence, only to be immediately followed by a scene of characters making dry, pop-culture-heavy jokes with one another.

The emotionally wrought scenes are what makes the film worthwhile. The action, on the other hand, entertains with explosive special effects and ridiculous destruction but proves immensely fatiguing by the time the end credits roll.

Given the monumental challenge undertaken by the Russo brothers, it’s impressive they were able to pull off such an ambitious film with so many different characters, each with their own personalities and backstories.

It’s therefore understandable the directors chose to group certain characters together, each group performing separate tasks in the hopes of crushing Thanos’ admittedly understandable hopes and dreams.

As a result, the film often bounces back and forth between different characters and scenarios at a breakneck pace, leaving viewers disoriented and frustrated the film doesn’t let them catch their breaths. “Infinity War” itself sometimes feels like watching all 21 Marvel movies back-to-back. There’s so much fast-paced entertainment, it almost ceases to be entertaining.

By the time the film reached its soul-crushing conclusion, Marvel fans around me were sniffling with sadness, tears running down their pale, awe-struck faces. As someone who appreciates Marvel movies but has succumbed to “superhero fatigue,” the conclusion of “Infinity War” has been etched into my psyche, likely unforgettable for quite some time.

“Infinity War” is a film full of contradictions –– of happy-go-lucky moments and moments of self-sacrifice, of joyful reunions and hard-hitting violence. These contradictions leave the film feeling uneven yet invigorating nonetheless.

As superhero movies continue to be released year after year, the newest Avengers installment provides an infinite array of possibilities for the future of the marquee superhero franchise.

Rating: 3.75/5 Tombstones