Spoiler-Free Review: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is an Astonishing Superhero Epic

GameStop, Inc.

Avengers: Infinity War Review

It all started with a tease. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) teased The Avengers when appeared at the end of Iron Man. At the end of The Avengers, Marvel teased Thanos, one of the most powerful villains to ever occupy the pages of Marvel Comics. Now, after 18 movies over a decade, it all culminates in Avengers: Infinity War, the 19th Marvel movie and the first half of an epic two-part saga directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. And it is truly a superhero epic, bigger and more crowded than any movie Marvel has attempted before. If you’re a devotee to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (like I am), Infinity War is an epic delight overflowing with memorable heroes in perilous situations. If you’re not a fan of Marvel and their movies, it’ll be an exhausting experience endured out of obligation.

Fear not, true believer, I will not be spoiling any of the many surprises in Avengers: Infinity War and will just try to encapsulate the film’s tone and scale. However, I do recommend that die-hard Marvel fans cover their ears and block their eyes because Infinity War delivers some stunning, memorable moments that will be the subject of speculation and debate until the conclusion with next year’s as-of-yet-untitled Avengers 4.

Infinity War wastes no time in introducing the Mad Titan Thanos (Josh Brolin), with the power hungry villain encountering the refugee Asgardians from the conclusion of Thor: Ragnarok. In a matter of minutes, the team behind Civil War, the Russo brothers and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, establish the deadly power of Thanos, making his presence in every subsequent scene fill with dread and ominous overtones. Thanos wants the Infinity Stones, powerful MacGuffins that have been scattered through the previous 18 movies. What each one of the Infinity Stones is capable of isn’t really important. What’s important is that Thanos wants them and is dispatching his villainous Children of Thanos across the galaxy to secure them for his golden glove of doom, the Infinity Gauntlet.

The audience knows what Thanos wants and an expansive roster of heroes scattered throughout the galaxy are ready to fight in order to stop the murderous Titan. The film weaves at a break-neck speed between these various story threads which have groups of heroes splintering and creating new groups of heroes, and the character dynamics established over all the previous movies all play into these lively, often comical interactions.

Starting in New York, you get a group of heroes that sees Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) alongside Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Dr. Strange. In the far reaches of the cosmos, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself with the Guardians of the Galaxy (Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, and Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel voicing the CGI creations of that team). Back on Earth, Captain America (Chris Evans) along with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) join up with the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), War Machine (Don Cheadle), the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) arrive in Wakanda, home of the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), where they plan to defend Vision (Paul Bettany) from Thanos’ impending assault, since the character is powered by an Infinity Stone.

In case you couldn’t tell from the ample list of characters mentioned above, this movie is a fucking superhero epic, a crossover event pulled from the pages of a sprawling series much like comics have done over the decades. Much to the credit of Joe and Anthony Russo, they don’t just assume that the movie is epic. They deliver epic moments and a grand scale to its action that it’s truly unlike anything you’ve ever seen before from Marvel. The movie is almost entirely comprised of large scale superhero battles that actually have a sense of weight to them because it’s clearly established that Thanos could easily wipe out any character with the flick of a wrist. There’s a level of tension and doubt rarely seen in blockbusters of this magnitude that makes every beat to the set pieces one of sometimes unbearable unease. Any time a hero shares the screen with Thanos, you lean forward in your seat because you just don’t know if they’ll survive this encounter.

The amount of secrecy that surrounded the film pays off in some big ways. Seriously, avoid any and all spoilers for this superhero extravaganza. Some moments will have you gasp in shock. Others will bring out the cheers of triumph. And others will leave you breathless as you try to ponder their longstanding ramifications. Just a short while after the screening ended, the sheer enormity of the film and everything that happened with so many characters is still racing though my brain as I try to comprehend it all. Infinity War actually might be the moment that the superhero movie bubble bursts, because it’s just so much in such a dense package that I don’t know how anyone can compete with this in the near future.

Avengers: Infinity War is the most Marvel movie that Marvel has ever Marveled. It’s overflowing with big superhero moments that are dazzling to behold but actually have real consequences for its characters. There is still something somewhat unsatisfying about Infinity War and that’s simply because it doesn’t have a conclusion; it’s an open-ended experiment in blockbuster filmmaking that will have us waiting a year for its true ending. It’s a whole lot of movie to digest and it does take a toll on its viewer with its enormous lengthy and non-stop intensity. But if you’re a Marvel fan, this is what you unwittingly signed up for ten years ago. It started with a tease but it’s ending with an unforgettable bang.

Avengers: Infinity War
  • Overall Score
4

Summary

A big, bombastic piece of superhero filmmaking, Avengers: Infinity War lives up to the hype with a powerful villain, dramatic stakes, numerous surprises, and some incredible eye-popping action.

Anytime Costumes

No Responses

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
‘Wednesday’ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

‘Wednesday‘ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, from Warner...

Toy Lei Talks About Playing Auntie Victoria in ‘The Brothers Sun’ – Interview Rewind

Asian-American actress Toy Lei stars as Auntie Victoria in the new...

Marcus Massey Talks ‘Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2’ – Interview

Marcus Massey Shares his Wisdom as Owl in ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and...

Event News Event Reviews
‘MJ the Musical’ Chronicles the Life of the ‘King of Pop’ Running at Segerstrom – Review

‘MJ the Musical‘ is the Ultimate Stage Adaptation, Chronicling the life...

Aiden Sinclair and Michael Rangel Talks ’57 Ghosts’ Aboard the Queen Mary Séance

Aiden Sinclair and Apparitionist, Michael Rangel Discuss their new Theatrical Séance...

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open ‘Slashers Axe Throwing’ – Interview

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open Orange County’s first ever horror themed...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Olympic Runner Colleen Quigley ‘On The Road to Paris’

Team USA Olympic Runner, Colleen Quigley is On The Road to...

Paralympian Swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger On The Road to Paris

Team USA Paralympian Swimmer, Ahalya Lettenberger is On The Road to...

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre – Interview

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre on Sunday,...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse: Escalation

When you said "Destroy" Kurt grabbed his mini-gun an AK-47 and...

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse, the continuing saga!

If cautious means being careful when I break a foot off...

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse pt 253;sectionG

Well I think they're tacky as hell!

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs & Sketches’ – Interview

Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs &...

Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her Career in the Arts

First Generation Assyrian-Chaldean, Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her...

Louden Swain Headlining Los Angeles Show at The Echo

Press Release – Louden Swain are headlining Los Angeles show at...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Gary Morgenstein Talks ‘A Dugout to Peace’ the Final Installment of his Trilogy

Gary Morgenstein Talks About ‘A Dugout to Peace‘ the final installment...

Chris Clews Is ‘Raised on the 80s’ and Shares Those Life Lessons

Chris Clews was ‘Raised on the 80s‘ and Shares Those Life...

Roye Okupe Brings Authentic African Representation to HBO Max and Cartoon Network

Nigerian-American, Roye Okupe brings authentic African representation to HBO Max and...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand Demo

The new ‘Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand‘ is ready to ship...

Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the ‘Good Flour’

Canadian Super Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the...

Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide
Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

The Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide is now available to help...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...