Movie Review: Avengers Endgame

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Amazing conclusion to a decade of storytelling

Cons: A couple nitpicks, but nothing worth dwelling on

The Bottom Line:

Epic conclusion

Wraps up decade plus of films

Will satisfy fans

Epic.  Absolutely Epic.

Much has been made of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and for good reason.  Marvel Studios has attempted to do something no one else has done – create a single story with multiple threads across films released over more than a decade and from multiple franchises.  Just thinking about it all is daunting, right?  Now factor in the many people involved behind the scenes, and the process gets even more staggering.  But fans have been along for the ride from the beginning, and the number of fans has grown over the years as the box office returns have shown.  It has all lead up to this movie, the appropriately titled Avengers: Endgame.

Let’s discuss spoilers.  There won’t be any.  I promise, I will be talking about the movie in general enough terms that you will still go into this movie ready for surprises and twists.

The film picks up about three weeks after the end of Infinity War.  Those who have been left behind by Thanos are regrouping and ready to confront him again in hopes of reversing what he did.  But will it really be that simple?

Yes, that’s all the plot teaser I’m giving you.  Heck, I’m not even going to list characters and actors.  Let’s fact it, if you’ve been following the movies at all, you’ll know who is in the films and who is playing the characters by this point.

And if you aren’t familiar with the films, DON’T JUMP IN HERE.  Seriously, you will be lost and confused.  This film does a decent job of refreshing your memory, but if you haven’t seen anything, there isn’t enough to help.  Take the time to go back and watch the earlier movies.  It will take a lot of time, but it will be worth it.

Frankly, I must admit that my memory is a little rusty.  Yes, I’ve seen all the movies, but each of them only once, and they are stretching back a decade or so at this point, so a few of the characters that popped up for cameos were a little hazy for me.

And yes, if you have been following these movies all along, then you will be richly rewarded.  There are so many quick nods and cameos that you can’t help but smile along the way.

This movie will pull out all the emotions as you watch.  There are some very touching moments that will make you tear up.  And there are some wonderfully funny moments that will genuinely make you laugh.  Many of the audience members I was with cheered along the way as well.  It’s hard not too with how much we have grown to love these characters.  Yes, even the characters I originally didn’t care for I’ve come to love at this point.

As expected, this movie ties in the movies that have come out in the last year, so not only do we get the resolution to the cliffhangers of Infinity War, but also Ant-Man and the Wasp.  Meanwhile, Captain Marvel is pulled in as well.  Trust me, everything comes into play.

I was worried that three hours would feel too long.  Yes, a time or two, I felt the movie was just beginning to drag, but that feeling never lasted for more than a few minutes.  With the number of characters and what they need to do, I can’t imagine this film being any shorter and properly telling this story.  Yes, the time invested in seeing this film is completely worth it.

The usual comments about acting and effects apply.  The acting was great throughout, and I thought the effects were amazing.  One or two moments during the climatic battle looked a bit off, but I’m being nitpicky here.

As long as I’m being nitpicky, there was one aspect of the story and its resolution I didn’t necessarily care for, but to go further would involve spoilers.  It’s minor, and it’s certainly not something to dwell on.

They definitely brought a couple of character’s stories to a close here.  I found those endings extremely bittersweet yet also perfect.  When you’ve seen the film, you’ll know what I mean.

There are further avenues they can explore, and I know they are working on plans for the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward.  But for now, I will revel in the satisfaction from watching Avengers: Endgame.