Danielle Solzman
Marvel Studios’ previous films have all been leading up to Avengers: Endgame and the film is very much worth the three-hour run time.
If you read nothing past the bold sentence: I laughed, cried, and cheered. This is a film that plays to the fans and it’s going to make a butt load of money. I can’t wait to see it again.
I’m trying to avoid spoilers here so please read at your own risk.
My single favorite iconic moment from the entire franchise was seeing this happen in 2012’s The Avengers:
If you’re anything like me, you will be emotional during the film. I give much credit to the filmmakers. They allow for us to breathe at the right moments. There’s not a weak moment in this film. Hell, there’s not even a good time to use the restroom. Even if there were, would you risk missing out on something that’s possibly important? I wouldn’t take that risk. Whatever it takes!
Avengers: Endgame essentially starts about a month after half the universe was snapped out of existence. Things don’t go as planned so the remaining Avengers must move forward in some way. Will it be easy? No. But was it ever easy? The Avengers work best when they work as a team. While the large majority keep trying to find and answer, there are those who choose to walk away. Some five years later, they get help in a way that nobody could have ever expected.
With everyone truly back together now, it’s just a matter of getting the entire team on board. Again, this won’t work without all of them on board. This is easier said than done. But when the Avengers assemble, beautiful things can happen. This isn’t to say they will but when they work together, it’s like watching magic.
What we did know going into Avengers: Infinity War is that neither Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) nor Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) were available. Who is to say what the result would have been if they were around. That’s not important right now. What is important is that they’re around this time. Barton is here wearing his Ronin look. Meanwhile, Lang believes that the Quantum Realm might be the answer. Time travel? Impossible! But maybe Scott has an idea that could be the way to defeat Thanos. At this point, I’m all ears for any possibility!
It’s hard to talk about the fun moments without spoiling the film. Let’s just say that we get a different perspective of things but the results change with knowing what we know now. One of those moments calls back a different film but I couldn’t stop laughing. Then there’s another film getting a callback. But to see one of the most iconic cinematic moments again? Pure joy. There are so many Easter Eggs in this film that it will play even better on rewatch down the road. There’s so many more that I can’t even talk about without fear of getting snapped.
The fight scenes that do take place are epic. Among these battles, one in particular stands out from among the rest. Again, you’ll understand why when you see the film. I wish I could talk about these scenes in-depth. I’ll just say that seeing the epic battle in the third act makes the last decade worth it. To see everyone on screen in the fight of their life and working together was one of those moments where I was crying from tears of joy. It’s this moment that truly makes this film so special.
While I very much did enjoy this film, I do have some gripes to make. Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) does have her moments but nowhere do we see the mid-credits scene from Captain Marvel. Carol’s return to Earth plays out much differently in the film. I’m wondering if the scene was cut for timing. Anyway, she eventually goes back to roaming around the galaxy but returns just when we need her help the most. Overall, I feel that Marvel’s secret weapon is underused. Obviously, she’s there for the key moments.
Avengers: Endgame may be the end of the line but there is so much that lies ahead. My cap is off to Marvel and everyone for making this happen. It’s going to take some time for this film to sink in. Ultimately, I came out of the film feeling very satisfied with what I saw on screen. But maybe next time, please include the Fantastic Four and X-Men? It just doesn’t feel the same without them.
DIRECTORS: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
SCREENWRITERS: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely
CAST: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Brie Larson, Don Cheadle, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Jon Favreau, Bradley Cooper, with Gwyneth Paltrow, with Josh Brolin
