Avengers: Endgame Review

It took me three viewings of Endgame to finally process how I actually feel about this gargantuan movie.

To put it simply, the sheer scope of Endgame makes it difficult to properly review. It not only possesses its own expansive story and intricate arcs for each character, but it also has the previous 22 movies riding on its shoulders to conclude in a satisfactory manner. A similar sentiment could be expressed during last year’s Infinity War, though last time Thanos was the primary character. These two films, especially Endgame, have the frustratingly impossible task of providing something both familiar and ambitious simultaneously. No other film franchise has come close to delivering as massive a cinematic universe like this, and it is impressive to see how far they’ve come. Whether you love it or hate it, the MCU is a trailblazing juggernaut of cinematic achievement. Endgame is no exception to this rule, and like its predecessor, effectively redefines the franchise once again.

The obvious question is, does it pay off? Ultimately, yes. Endgame is absolutely incredible and deserving of its success and high acclaim. That said, it isn’t a perfect conclusion to the Infinity Saga, nor can I say it is my favorite MCU film. My primary issues have more to do with certain plot points I’m not sure I’m sold on yet. Regardless, what Marvel and its cast and crew have achieved in this cinematic event is nothing short of astounding. Endgame does a fantastic job of balancing nostalgia and fan service while delivering its own messages that resonate deeply with its audiences. The original cast is really given their chance to shine for potentially the last time (depending on how the future plays out).

Concerning Thanos, I understand that this film is supposed to be focused on the Avengers, and understandably so. But we really hadn’t seen Thanos much until Infinity War, and he was one of the best things about it. It took the MCU a long time to make him into a compelling and threatening villain. His minor cameos in Guardians of the Galaxy, Age of Ultron and Avengers did very little to build any real excitement for the character for me. Those cameos often featured a more cartoony portrayal of the Mad Titan. The VFX work for Thanos in Infinity War and Endgame is so good, it’s disappointing we’ve only just now seen a proper depiction of the character.

Endgame also feels way more personal this time around. Each character tries to find their own way to deal with the aftermath of Thanos’ victory. Their emotions and interactions feel rawer and unhinged. We’ve rarely seen a more broken portrayal of our heroes before. This is tragically evident within the first moments. After Tony and Nebula are reunited with the remaining Avengers, it becomes abundantly clear how broken and defeated they are. Stark especially feels the weight of their failure, but also feels betrayed by Captain America and holds him responsible for breaking up the team. But Stark’s points are understandable. Their team’s fragmented state definitely contributed to their defeat and Steve’s actions directly led to their collapse, for better or worse. Regardless of what side you fall on in Civil War, both perspectives are understandable and ended in a tragic manner that made the Avengers vulnerable when their biggest threat finally showed himself. Stark and Rogers’ argument in this scene is simply heartbreaking.

The somber tone of the first act is established following one of the most shocking moments when Carol Danvers decides to go after Thanos, and what follows. The Avengers along with newly recruited Carol Danvers track down Thanos on his “Garden” planet, quickly subduing him and discovering that Thanos has destroyed the stones entirely. In a fit of rage, Thor decapitates the Mad Titan mid-sentence in a moment more tragic than victorious. Despite achieving his vengeance, Thor realizes Thanos still won, as they now have no way to reverse the snap. Of course, even sparing Thanos wouldn’t have changed anything. If the Decimation of seemingly countless beloved heroes wasn’t enough to bear, the lasting effects are even worse for everyone.

This kicks off a time jump of five years, where we find our heroes trying to move on from their failure to stop Thanos. It’s a dreary existence for everyone, apparently, and the first hour tragically depicts this. The crippled Avengers try and make the most of their new reality, albeit with resistance. And some do move on, like Tony Stark, who we discover has since married Pepper Potts and is now raising a young daughter. Stark clearly blames himself most of all for their failure, realizing that no amount of technological advances were enough to stop the Mad Titan in an all-out brawl. Hawkeye, having lost his entire family, chooses to throw himself into the world of vigilantism. Captain America is seen leading a support group, something akin to what his close friend, Sam Wilson used to do before his tragic death.

The criticism against Endgame is often levied against the first hour, and while I could understand how the slower pace can be a turn off for fans, it makes sense for this to occur from a narrative standpoint. Endgame simply doesn’t play out like its predecessor, nor any MCU film before it. Seeing the actual consequences of our heroes losing is something pretty jarring for us as an audience, and that slow burn of our characters’ failures is hard to swallow. It’s one of the reasons why it’s not as accessible of a film as some previous entries in the MCU. It feels dreary because it is – losing is not something we want to see our heroes typically do, and rarely does it happen with real consequences.

Narratively speaking, the methodical first hour is pure Marvel gold, but it’s a detraction from what we’re accustomed to. Infinity War rarely slowed down in comparison, while Endgame asks its audiences to be patient with its plot, focusing on its characters for the first hour instead of grand action pieces. Personally, I would have preferred more action in the first hour, but I think what the Russos and the writers chose to pursue instead is a more tasteful approach. For the finality of Endgame to work, audiences needed to be reminded of the greatness of these characters, and why they will stand the test of time in cinematic history. The callbacks and fan service are great, but these slower intimate moments are much deeper than most MCU films have offered until now. It’s also important to note that Infinity War ended on a cliffhanger, and we didn’t really get a chance to see the fallout of those events until Endgame, so a slow buildup makes sense in this regard.

As is the case with Infinity War, the VFX work here is top-notch. The motion-capture work done with Mark Ruffalo as Professor Hulk is stellar, and it’s a nice evolution for the character. I would have preferred them to give the Hulk more of a role other than just his scientific abilities, but it’s fine. It’s more substantive than the maddening plot depicted in Infinity War, which saw the Hulk essentially refuse to show up again after getting beaten badly in the opening scene. At least Banner has one of the coolest moments in Endgame, fulfilling the role as the one to reverse Thanos’ actions. Hulk’s snap leaves him crippled, though, like Thanos in the opening sequence.

The second and third act is where the VFX work really shines. I don’t know how they maintain quality in a film featuring this amount of CG shots, but it’s downright astounding. The final battle with Thanos and his army vs, well, everyone – is nothing short of incredible. There are some moments that are perhaps a bit heavy with the CG effects, but it is all done with great quality. The Russos have really grown as filmmakers, both from a visual standpoint and in their ability to blend actual drama with these fantastic set-pieces. The cinematography is likewise just as beautiful as any MCU film before, if not raising the bar significantly. There are some truly gorgeous shots in Endgame, and I have no doubt we’ll be talking about them for a long time.

Speaking of the final battle, it was surprising to see Thanos as powerful as he was without the Infinity Stones. There’s some debate about this, but it’s important to keep in mind the Thanos of Endgame in the final battle is one set on the complete destruction of the universe. Once he sees the future in his own timeline, his motivations change quickly. There is no holy mission of creating balance anymore – he is an all-out war with the Avengers to destroy them all. I would have liked to see Thanos play a larger role in Endgame, as he more than made a powerful impression as the ultimate baddie last time around, but at least when he is onscreen, he shines. It would be nice to see Brolin reprise the role in a flashback or prequel of some kind at least. Finding a suitable replacement villain for the next era of the MCU won’t be easy. Thanos is one of the best villains in cinematic history, and I’m not saying that lightly.

What makes Endgame so great is how it manages to provide a fantastic sense of fan service without being overdone, while at the same time giving the Avengers their best moments yet. I can’t say I loved every character’s arc, but overall, this is movie is essentially a love letter to the Avengers and their fans. And yet, it’s all done in a refreshing and ambitious manner, avoiding the common mistakes other franchises have done in this regard. The time heist, one of the centerpieces of the plot, is amazing. As each character explores the past, we’re treated to some hilarious and heartwarming moments. The Battle of New York was a fun callback, especially with moments like the Captain America vs. Captain America duel, Hulk taking the stairs and frustrated the whole time, Loki getting another chance to shine briefly in his classic mischevious manner. Even though it’s clearly stated in Endgame that time travel doesn’t work like it does in Back to the Future, I found myself just giddy with each scene as the Avengers revisit the past. It’s just fun, and even if it’s kind of confusing, I don’t really care. Anytime a movie or show introduces a time-travel element, it always produces some continuity issues or plot issues, so I don’t need Endgame to explain itself perfectly for it to work. It just needs to work without destroying the past.

Compared to many MCU films of the past, I think Endgame provides one of the most balanced approaches to humor and drama. One of the weaknesses of the MCU has been perhaps an overabundance of humor, even being inserted into moments that really don’t warrant it. I had this issue with Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Age of Ultron, and at times, Infinity War. Humor is certainly an appealing aspect of these films, but if there’s never a moment of real emotional weight, it can feel shallow. Endgame has some of the funniest moments in the MCU, while also depicting some of the most tragic. Few films have managed this balance, and I applaud Marvel for getting it right.

Now onto some of my more mixed feelings about Endgame.

I was curious to see how Captain Marvel was going to be handled, considering the controversy surrounding Brie Larson’s public comments during the marketing. I’ve been conflicted about Carol Danvers as a character. I enjoyed Captain Marvel as a film, but I found her portrayal to be problematic. She’s had her moments of greatness, but since her development was handled so poorly in Captain Marvel, I’m still waiting to really be sold on her character. I don’t understand why Brie Larson’s portrayal comes across as so wooden at times, as though they wrote her to be a character with little to no emotion. This makes no sense to me. I’m honestly beginning to think Brie Larson just wasn’t the right choice for the role. For a franchise that has given us some amazing female characters, Carol Danvers lacks the heart and charisma of her peers like Scarlett Johannson’s Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, or Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda/Scarlett Witch. Carol Danvers’ emotional range seems very limited for some reason in comparison. Her limited role in the film is probably for the best, as it allows the original team and the other more established characters to take center stage, some for the last time.

The responsibility of bringing so many films full circle while staging room for the future is an impossible task, and yet I believe the Russos have largely delivered exactly that. But with a film as ambitious as this, it makes sense that some things may not work for everyone. Thor’s arc is no exception. After he kills Thanos, the next time we see him he’s become a gross, overweight couch potato playing Fortnite and nursing a beer gut of shocking proportions. At first, I thought it was being played only for laughs. But the moment we see Thor’s reaction to hearing Thanos’ name, I realized this was not a laughing matter anymore. Thor has been drinking away his sorrows, and understandably so. He’s lost his entire family, many friends, and it was his inability to quell his need for vengeance that directly led to Thanos achieving his goal, which also gave the Mad Titan time to ensure they could not undo his actions. I can’t say I love a beer gut on Thor, but his arc is perhaps one of the most compelling in Endgame, especially when it comes full circle when he’s given the chance to have a truly heartwarming discussion with his mother in the past. This scene alone provides the brevity needed to prevent Thor’s arc from becoming simply a comedic side-plot. Thor’s arc in the MCU may just be one of the best. I know others may not feel that way, however. It is certainly a subject of much debate.

I can’t say I loved Steve Rogers becoming old and living out his days in the past with Peggy. Captain America has been my favorite MCU character for a long time now, but even I felt like it would be more fitting for him to die in battle than what Endgame portrays. I understand why Chris Evans wants to move on with the character, but for Rogers to choose to live out his days with Peggy didn’t sit well with me. Even early in the film, Steve tells his support group about Peggy and his life before he was frozen, but also how he understood the need to move on. It feels a bit contradictory. And seeing Evans portrayed as an old man is a bit jarring, as is the case anytime an actor is made to look significantly older. His choice to pass on the mantle of Captain America to Sam Wilson is also a bit problematic for me, as Wilson doesn’t possess any superhuman strength, for one thing. I had thought Bucky would be the obvious choice, but with Bucky’s dark past when he was under the control of Hydra, it’s also problematic for him to assume the role. As tragic as it would be for Rogers to never get the chance to live the life he wanted with Peggy, tragic death in battle against Thanos would have been more memorable to me and more emotionally impactful. If Rogers has to leave the MCU, he should have gone out with a bang, in my opinion.

I still cannot believe at times that Tony Stark is really gone. He’s definitely the focus of Endgame, and when we catch up with him five years after Thanos’ death, there is a sense of acceptance for his character. Stark believes he’s been given a second chance, and though he couldn’t stop Thanos, at least he gets to have the family he’s always wanted. It’s a beautiful arc for him, which makes his eventual decision to help the team and acquire the Infinity Stones all the more bittersweet. His breakthrough in achieving the means of time travel with laser precision is yet another example of how central his character has been to the MCU. Stark truly is the heart of the MCU, and it’s fitting for his leadership to be a large part in helping the team achieve their goal. I loved the scene when Tony drives up and has a nice moment of reconciliation with Steve, a scene we’ve been waiting for now since Civil War. Tony’s finest hour is definitely Endgame, and in the climactic moment where he finally defeats Thanos is just pure cinematic gold.

There’s a lot more to be said about Endgame, certainly. It’s a massive film, and the production values are incredible, including the particularly riveting score by Alan Silvestri. The Russo brothers have delivered on their promises and their ambition since The Winter Soldier has clearly kept the MCU from becoming stale. Endgame will no doubt go down in history has one of the best conclusions to any franchise. And with its finality, I feel a sense of closure for my own investment as a fan. Regardless of where Marvel takes things next, I doubt they will ever top what’s been achieved here. The loss of Captain America and Tony Stark, two of my favorite characters, is also too big a pill to swallow for me to simply move on to the next phase. And while Endgame isn’t a perfect film, it is nearly everything it promised to be and more. Huge props to Marvel and the whole cast and crew for pulling off this incredible cinematic event. No other film franchise has managed to weave together so many different films of different tones, themes, plot, and characters with such quality.

Final Score: 9.3/10

Captain Marvel Review

Captain Marvel has finally arrived in theaters across the globe, and true to form, Marvel has delivered yet another solid entry into its ever-expanding cinematic universe that began with Iron Man in 2008. This is not the most groundbreaking MCU film we’ve seen, but it has a lot to offer, albeit hampered by a few significant issues. Carol Danvers is truly one of the most powerful heroes we’ve seen onscreen yet, and if the box office is any indication, we’ve only scratched the surface of what she will bring to the table.

I’m going to try and avoid discussing at length the controversy surrounding this film because quite simply, it has little reflection on the film’s merit. In the months leading to its release, I more carefully analyzed some of the statements being released during its marketing while likewise gauging the reaction of a number of critics and commentators. At the end of the day, I recognize that Marvel is promoting a “feminist” film, but I don’t really care. My only issue is that term was coined I think, unnecessarily. God has long since ordained in His word that men and women are equal in value and merit and significance, even if they possess different strengths and weaknesses. I don’t think modern feminism is asking for anything that Scripture hasn’t already ordained. But, this is a different subject for another time.

Brie Larson takes the spotlight this time around as Captain Marvel, or more accurately, Carol Danvers. This is where we enter the most difficult aspect of the film to tackle. Essentially, like many others, I found myself a bit perplexed by Brie Larson’s portrayal. On the one hand, Larson handles her role with great confidence and at times, great comedic timing. On the other hand, at times her character feels a bit wooden and overly stern. While her story arc certainly explains some of this, by the end of the film, I felt she hadn’t changed very much. She didn’t seem to mature emotionally as much as I expected. She kind of ends the film the way she began, with only subtle noticeable changes. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but it ultimately left me feeling both satisfied at times and disappointed at times with her portrayal. Chalk it up to some poor direction or writing, I suppose. But make no mistake, Larson is a great actress, and she’s often very entertaining onscreen. I certainly want to see more of her and hope her character gets to shine more.

This isn’t the first time an MCU character has a rough start with their portrayal, but I’m hoping the next films will explore her character more and we will get to see Danvers express more dynamic emotional stories. We get to see some of this, just not enough. I never felt like her character was challenged enough. Comparing her story to the arcs of people like Tony Stark and Thor, both of which had to experience some humbling moments to grow into their characters, Danvers feels a little underdeveloped, even by the films’ end.

Regardless, there’s a lot here to enjoy. Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic as Nick Fury, and let me just say, the de-aging technology is uncanny. I know they used CG to do that, and I have no idea how but it worked beautifully. Fury is of course, younger in this film back in his earlier SHIELD days, which gives us a neat glimpse into the more comedic side of his character. His arc serves the plot well in terms of how it connects to the other MCU films, especially in regards to the formation of The Avengers. Jude Law is likewise charismatic and entertaining, as always, albeit a bit underdeveloped. His supporting role to Danvers is a bit more predictable than I’d hoped, but he plays it well. I didn’t find him all that compelling, but he’s a welcome part of the already stellar cast. Annette Benning is fine if but a bit forgettable in her role. Lashana Lynch is a great addition to the cast as Maria Rambeau, Danver’s best friend from her Air Force Days. I would have liked their friendship to be explored more, but what we get is still satisfactory.

The most standout role in the film undoubtedly goes to Ben Mendelsohn, who plays the Skrull General Talos. Even under all those prosthetics, Mendelsohn is just brilliant in his role. I can’t elaborate too much without spoiling, but let me just say he’s one of the best villains in the MCU to date, and his role makes Captain Marvel much more complete. It was refreshing to see such depth with a villain, which is something the MCU has only nailed a few times. Perhaps the recent MCU entries are finally getting it together in this regard (although last years’ Ant-Man and The Wasp left something to be desired).

One of the other standouts of Captain Marvel is its non-linear story, adding significantly more layers than your average MCU film. It’s a great story and adds some great lore to the rest of the MCU. Some of the tie-ins to the rest of the MCU are amazing, and almost all of them feel quite appropriate. It’ll be exciting to see where her character goes next if she appears in Endgame (remember, no spoilers on my end).

My only other gripe with this film aside from some underdeveloped writing and Larson’s odd inconsistent portrayal is mostly the technical side of the film. Captain Marvel suffers tragically from some of the same issues as last year’s Black Panther, namely, poor lighting, cinematography and some of the most unimpressive CG in the MCU to date. This sounds harsh, but keep in mind, these are issues that don’t hamper every moment of the film. At times, Captain Marvel looks and sounds amazing. At other times, I can’t even begin to tell what’s happening onscreen because of how shoddy the camera work is or how dark the lighting is. The CG only begins to really suffer during the last act, which is incredibly disappointing considering how great the third act is otherwise. It’s particularly annoying when these technical issues occur because the film typically looks and sounds great. But when it doesn’t – it’s very noticeable. After Infinity War’s groundbreaking visuals and generally solid lighting (far too much use of the shaky camera in the third act, however), I’ve come to expect more from MCU films.

Ultimately, Captain Marvel is a great addition to the MCU, offering one of the best stories in the MCU supported by a great cast. My issues with Larson’s portrayal at times aside, I think her character has great potential. Her need to be challenged and forced to grow is something all heroes face in the best stories because it helps us empathize with these characters. If the protagonist remains exactly the same start to finish, this can often (not always) a missed opportunity. The MCU is great because of its great characters, especially our excellent roster of heroes and supporting characters. The plots are generally acceptable but rarely stellar.

Captain Marvel is a bit of the reversal, with the protagonist sometimes being the weakest part of the film and the plot and supporting characters taking center stage. As I said before, it’s difficult to analyze a character like this. At times she’s great, and sometimes she’s pretty weak and underdeveloped. I’m hoping future films will really explore her more than we’ve seen so far. The MCU depends on it. Captain Marvel should have been more, but what we have is enough to satisfy me.

Final Score: 7/10

The MCU: The Gift That Keeps Giving

When I was a kid, I never could have imagined seeing something like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And if I’m being honest, I didn’t read many comic books. My only real knowledge of comics was from the Archie series, which is a wholly different kind of comic book series, of course. Turns out, you don’t have to be a big comic book fan to enjoy a comic book movie. Movies can stand on their own merit, even if they deviate from the original material. Comic-book fans may take issue with this, but I’m a movie fan before anything else, so quality and originality matter to me most. On that note, if the films strictly followed the comics – it would be an incredibly predictable franchise, wouldn’t it? That’s no fun.

With the debut of Iron Man and Incredible Hulk in 2008, my interest was piqued for what lay ahead. To be honest, the greatness of The Dark Knight largely overshadowed the introduction of the MCU in 2008, but after I was able to watch the first MCU movies again, I appreciated their efforts all the more, especially Iron Man. It wasn’t until The Avengers, though, that I realized the MCU had true potential for greatness. I think most of us would agree with this because frankly, the MCU would have been a vain effort if The Avengers didn’t work. But it did. In fact, it worked beautifully. It’s still one of my favorite films of all time, and easily rewatchable. It was a pioneer in the superhero genre, for all intents and purposes. Not only that, but it proved that the MCU had legs to stand on for the future.

The Avengers demonstrated that a shared cinematic universe could allow for so much potential, and keep fans coming back consistently. Since it began, despite a few significant letdowns (Thor: Dark World, Age of Ultron), the MCU continued to release an increasingly stellar roster of films and characters to enjoy. While perhaps lacking at times in the variety of storytelling and plot structure, most films in the franchise have been consistently good. In fact, I’d argue that with each release, Marvel only continues to improve in its craft.

Though each entry has its share of weaknesses, the characters have kept me coming back. I’m thoroughly invested in characters like Thor, who has lost so much in his recent films and yet, grown tremendously at the same time. His third outing in Ragnarok was a great effort to reboot his character, giving us a fresh reason to be invested in him. And with the events of Infinity War, I’m even more determined to see how his story plays out. With his climactic moment facing off against Thanos, Thor will have to deal with the catastrophic fallout of his tragic choice to seek vengeance instead of ensuring victory.

Captain America, played wonderfully by Chris Evans, has been a long-time fan favorite and cornerstone of the MCU.  Though his initial outing in The First Avenger wasn’t as memorable as the two sequels, Steve Rogers has had the most consistently good trilogy in the MCU to date.  His refusal to compromise his values, even in the face of betrayal from friends demonstrates the depth of integrity Rogers possesses. He’s faced foes who outmatched him physically but often managed to defeat them nonetheless, overcoming what would otherwise be certain defeat.

In many ways, Steve Rogers is the epitome of a true servant leader, often risking his own life for others. In his first outing, he courageously gives his life to save thousands and then risks everything to save his best friend, not just once, but two times in the Winter Soldier and Civil War.  I will admit, his romantic subplots never achieve the depth he deserves, but there’s still room in the MCU for this to be remedied. As silly as this sounds, I find myself admiring this fictitious character for his values and his strength and physique. I want to be more like him, and for a grown man, that’s a weird thing to say (to some people, at least).  And while Iron Man is often viewed as the heart of the MCU, I think the case could be made that Captain America is equally deserving of this title.

Captain America is likewise a great example of how to build up a character that audiences can truly invest in, in large part to the writing and consistently good performance by Chris Evans. Rogers has been in at least six MCU films as either a leading or supporting character, with a few notable cameos in other films, not to mention the upcoming Avengers: Endgame, where he will most certainly be a lead character this time around. His character has a true legacy, and he will not be easily replaced in his role once the character is either retired or tragically killed off. In fact, I’m rather hoping no one will take up the mantle of Captain America because Evan’s portrayal has been so good, it seems almost unjust to simply have someone else take up the mantle.

And before you condemn me for taking this stance, remember I’m a movie fan first and foremost. I am not so concerned with all the possibilities the comics provide, because comic book storylines do not necessarily translate well to the screen, nor do some of their characters. From a cinematic universe standpoint, it would be difficult to replace his role with anyone who could do it justice. I’m not convinced Bucky or Sam Wilson could actually do the job, and I’m not sure I want them to. Or worst-case scenario, replacing Chris Evans with another actor simply for the purpose of keeping his character around. That would be a travesty. To this day I still harp on the recasting of Edward Norton’s Bruce Banner with Mark Ruffalo. To his credit, he does a fine job, but I’m more about continuity. This is why you’ll never find me invested in a show like Dr. Who.

The MCU is generally a bit more character-focused than it is plot-focused, although this trend is beginning to change as the latest phase of films occur. Avenger: Infinity War changed everything, and not just because of the huge death toll at its end. The scope of weaving together this many storylines and characters is a massive undertaking, and the fact that Marvel has managed to release so many quality films is no less than astounding. There have been a few weak points, of course. Some of these films have felt like more filler than anything else, but they’re all generally good. Many of them are consistently great, though. The plot is more and more becoming a central focus, which helps with building long-lasting worlds for films to explore. Everything from the Quantum Realm in the Ant-Man films to the mysterious and beautiful lands of Wakanda, to the many worlds witnessed in Infinity War – all of this serves to combine great settings and plot with excellent characters that we can continue to invest in.

One of the consistent strengths of the MCU is its admirable efforts to avoid things becoming stale. With the consistent introductions of new characters, and with the culmination of great execution in the Thanos confrontation finally coming to pass, the MCU is always one step ahead of the curve. And of course, they should be. You can’t achieve this kind of success in a film franchise without a good sense of self-awareness. Marvel knows its weaknesses, and they seem to be keen on actually addressing them. The Thor franchise was largely considered to be the weakest in the MCU, for example, until Ragnarok released late last year. Thor was very much reinvented and propelled the character from what some considered as mediocrity to becoming one of the MCU’s most compelling characters. This trend continued in this year’s Infinity War, where we witness Thor endure some of his worst losses yet.

In the same vein, Iron Man/Tony Stark has continued to mature substantially through his roles in Age of Ultron, Civil War and short but sweet appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming. In his initial outings, Tony Stark was difficult to empathize with, his overly confident and arrogant demeanor often overshadowing his good qualities. Despite being portrayed essentially as an antagonist in Civil War, Stark’s perspective was understandable. His greatest fears realized in both the Avengers and Age of Ultron, Stark has tried everything he can to protect the Earth from threats beyond, and witnessing the devastation left behind from his good intentions, he took the humble position of subjecting himself to higher authorities – a considerable contrast from his anti-authoritarian attitude in previous films. In Infinity War, Stark is finally faced with a foe beyond his ability to match. Despite reaching what would seem to be the pinnacle of his technology, it is still not nearly enough to stop Thanos. Nearly losing his own life in the battle, Stark tragically witnesses the death of his allies, and his most trusted apprentice, Spider-Man at the hands of Thanos. Parker’s death is even more tragic when you consider Tony’s words in Homecoming, where he explicitly stated he would blame himself if Parker was ever put in mortal danger. Now in the upcoming Endgame, one can only imagine how awful Stark must feel in the aftermath of the Decimation, and how one could possibly pick up the pieces from here.

The lackluster villain issue seems to have been mostly solved for now, with the inclusion of characters like Hela, and the most especially, Erik Killmonger and Thanos, the mad Titan himself. There have been a few other notable exceptions, but most never come across as genuinely threatening. Loki has changed too many sides and lost easily in all-out brawls against the likes of Thor and Hulk for him to be considered a true villain, but he’s definitely been the MCU favorite until 2018 released Black Panther and Infinity War. Ultron should have been a terrifying villain, but for whatever stupid reason, they made him a joke-machine, who never really poses a true threat in a brawl, nor do his endless drones that are dispatched all too easily by the Avengers. Even Hawkeye managed to kill them with his bow and arrow because, reasons I assume.

Thanos changed everything for the MCU, and not a moment too soon. If the Russo brothers had not gone in the direction they did, I’m certain Infinity War would have been far less impressive. Until its release, I honestly did not think Thanos even looked all that intimidating. The character model and VFX work done before Infinity War always looked lackluster to me. In contrast, the Thanos we see in Infinity War looks incredible and raises the bar significantly for CG villains. And by brilliantly casting Josh Brolin as the Mad Titan in both voice and motion capture roles, the Russos made Thanos far more believable as a villain. Not only that but essentially casting Thanos as the protagonist was a bold move that paid off beautifully. While Thanos’ methods are obviously unrelatable, his motives are certainly more easily accepted. His uncompromising view and relentless pursuit of his goals make for a compelling story, even when you actually consider how absurd his plan actually is.

2019 should deliver a solid trio of MCU films, the latter of which will launch the MCU into a completely new direction. Captain Marvel will see the introduction of our first female-led MCU film, and not a moment too soon. Hopefully, they will do the character justice and not make the entire film a political statement like some suspect. I’m genuinely excited to see what Carol Danvers will bring to the roster, and how her story ties into Endgame. It has been stated that she’s the most powerful hero seen in the MCU to date, which is an exciting prospect, to say the least.

Of course, like most fans, we expect Avengers: Endgame to be the pinnacle of the MCU, wrapping up ten years’ worth of films, while paving the way for the next phases. After witnessing the catastrophic events of the Decimation, our heroes will be more pressed than ever to take down the Mad Titan and somehow bring back their lost friends and family. I’m hoping Endgame will still deliver lasting consequences and won’t completely undo what we saw in Infinity War.

Marvel has done a tremendous job of creating hype for its films, and though we are a staggering twenty films in this new universe, I’m as invested as ever. By now, I’m emotionally invested pretty much all of these characters and desperately want to see them onscreen together again. The interaction of these characters onscreen together is just too juicy to pass up, and it often pays off with hilarious results. Endgame should deliver even more of this, now that characters like Ant-Man, Hawkeye and Carol Danvers are being thrown into the mix. By all accounts, the MCU keeps rewarding its loyal fanbase with more and more reasons to keep loving the franchise, with no stop in sight. In this way, the MCU has become a glorious achievement in cinema history, essentially becoming a gift for fans that keeps giving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Movies I’m Dying To See in 2019

2018 has seen a number of solid releases, but it’s not been without a few missteps along the way. Avengers: Infinity War made box office history while managing to deliver one of the most compelling and exciting blockbusters in history, but other top-tier franchises like Star Wars failed to deliver. With only a few months left in 2018, I’m already looking ahead to the gargantuan lineup awaiting us in 2019. With that in mind, here are my top 5 movies to look forward to in 2019:

5. Glass

M. Night Shyamalan returned to his glorious roots in 2016’s Split, while revealing in a final scene that the film took place in a shared universe with another film he also made – Unbreakable. Glass will see the return of three main characters from these two movies, namely, Samuel L. Jackson’s Mr. Glass, Bruce Willis’ David Dunn, and James McAvoy as, well, er, you’ve seen Split, right? Putting the three of these characters together for what appears to be a major showdown brewing appears to be the premise for Glass (though I wonder how Mr. Glass could be a true threat in his condition). The trailer looks solid, and I can’t wait to see a genuine sequel to an M. Night Shyamalan film.

Release Date: Jan 2019

4. Captain Marvel

Hard as it is to believe, Captain Marvel will be the MCU’s first female-led superhero film in the franchise. Obviously, Ant-Man and the Wasp did co-feature a female character, but I think most audiences felt like Evangeline Lilly’s character was more limited than we were promised. And besides, hers was a shared lead. Brie Larson will portray the powerful cosmic superhero, along with Jude Law, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, and many other familiar faces from the MCU. Marvel Producer Kevin Feige has stated that Captain Marvel is the MCU’s “most powerful hero.” Her powers from the comics are supposed to be pretty awesome, and with Thanos having effectively crippled the universe with the “Snappening,” you can bet our heroes are going to need all the help they can get. I’m hoping Marvel will truly deliver in this film. Some of their best films have been in the past two years, and it would be a shame to deliver a sub-par introduction to our beloved new hero.

Release Date: March 2019

3. Godzilla: King of The Monsters

2014’s Godzilla and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island introduced a new shared cinematic universe (as though we didn’t have enough of those already). Still, both films delivered on quality (if but a bit underwhelming at times). Godzilla would have been better if the lead character was more interesting, and Godzilla’s screentime wasn’t so limited. It was almost mean of how often the director would cut away when he appeared like he just enjoyed teasing us. While Kong and Godzilla won’t share a screen just yet, King of the Monsters is rumored to set up their inevitable duel. Meanwhile, Godzilla will have his hands full in this truly epic sequel that will feature some of his fiercest foes. Vera Farmiga, Mille Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler and Ken Watanabe take lead in this highly anticipated sequel. The trailer alone is one of the best I’ve ever seen, and the visual effects look to deliver far beyond anything we’ve seen on such a scale before. Needless to say, this movie looks truly awesome. Long live the king, indeed.

Release Date: May 2019

2. Star Wars: Episode IX

I cannot believe this film is not number one on my list, seeing as I’m actually a bigger Star Wars fan than of most any other franchise. The only reason it’s number two is simply that I’m not sure I trust J.J. Abrams as much as I’d like to. He is a very talented writer and director, and The Force Awakens is as solid a Star Wars film as you can get. That said, as I’ve mentioned before, he is NOTORIOUS for failing to properly conclude his story concepts. He’s great at delivering intrigue and sucking you into his world, but most of the time – he doesn’t complete his own story. The Force Awakens simply introduced too many questions and played it far too safe, keeping it from the greatness it could have been. With The Last Jedi taking distinctly different direction from its previous entry, it’s very hard to say where we’ll end up this time around. Episode IX has to somehow develop its characters further, conclude a three-trilogy story about the Skywalkers, and answer many of the questions that have been posed across several films now. The cast is huge, the budget is huge, and the stakes are, well – mostly high. By the end of The Last Jedi, we’re told the war between the First Order and the Resistance has just started, but there’s not much Resistance left to fight. I don’t know. I’m super excited for this movie, but I want it to really wow me this time. I want some dang lightsaber duels that make sense, some truly epic battles, and please, please, please Mr. Abrams – do not retcon Rey’s parentage or destroy the delicious chemistry between her and Kylo Ren. These were some of The Last Jedi’s best elements – so don’t fix what isn’t broken.

Release Date: December 2019

1. Avengers 4

Avengers: Infinity War was more than a movie. It was an event. It’s one of the most gargantuan films I’ve ever seen, and what’s more amazing – it’s really good. I don’t know how they did it, but Marvel pulled it off. Infinity War delivers on almost every front, and my only complaint was that I really just wanted more. Josh Brolin as Thanos is just an amazing thing to watch. Not only is he one of the best-looking CG characters ever seen onscreen, he’s single-handedly the best villain in the MCU to date (sorry, Killmonger, you were good, but Thanos is a whole other level). Robert Downey Jr. delivers one of his best performances as Tony Stark/Iron Man to date, as does Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Heck, there’s not a single performance I disliked in this movie. Captain America’s lack of presence is still hard to swallow (especially with that epic beard), but I already know he’s going to have a leading role in this upcoming sequel. With that unbelievably gut-wrenching conclusion, audiences like myself are still reeling from the seemingly countless losses. Even if some are temporary, it’s still hard to see so many beloved characters die. The villain won, plain and simple, and it’s a hard pill to swallow. But his victory will make the Avenger’s sweet vengeance all the more satisfying to watch. Now that we know this kind of film can be done with such quality, fans like myself are clamoring for the epic conclusion next summer. Make no mistake, this is the defining film to watch in 2019, even above Star Wars: Episode IX. I’m hoping I’ll be wrong and that they’re equally epic and deliver beyond my expectations, but I’m approaching Episode IX with some caution.

Release Date: May 2019

Honorable mentions: 

Wonder Woman 1984 

IT 2

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Lego Movie 2

Terminator Untitled Sequel

Men In Black Spinoff

Dark Phoenix

 

 

3 Issues With Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War is a crowning achievement in filmmaking for a myriad of reasons. The sheer scale of the film and its ensemble is something to be admired, but what’s really incredible is simply how well it works. While not every character gets to shine as we’d like, the teams work well together onscreen, creating some of the most memorable scenes in the MCU to date.

Infinity War more than met my expectations and delivered not only one of the greatest villains in cinematic history, but also featured one of the best cliffhangers in a film I’ve ever seen. It sets up Avengers 4 superbly, leaving us left alone to guess and theorize until we’re blue in the face. Meanwhile, in just a few days I’ll finally grab a copy of it when it hits Blu-Ray release Tuesday and hopefully, that will be enough to tide me over. Needless to say, 2019 cannot come soon enough.

I take very few issues with Infinity War, but there are just a few minor complaints I’m willing to share. I want to re-emphasize just how much I love this movie. It’s simply amazing. But no movie is perfect, of course. That said, here’s a few of my nitpicks:

Thor’s Replacement Eye

Thor: Ragnarok is still one of my favorite MCU films to date. It reinvents an increasingly irrelevant Thor and introduces a number of great new characters, all while setting up well for Infinity War. One of my favorite elements of Ragnarok was Thor’s new look, especially the rockin’ eye patch that favors his father, Odin. The battle scar was a great reminder of a Thor that has seen countless battles and lost so much, even part of himself.

In Infinity War, when Rocket Racoon provides Thor with a new replacement eye, Thor tosses the old patch aside and soon seems back to normal. Rocket did make a comment that Thor needed to be 100% ready if he was going to fight Thanos again, so perhaps the eye was a necessary change.

Was it really necessary, though? Am I the only one who loved the eye patch? It just made Thor look that much more hardcore and battle-hardened. It was such an iconic moment in Ragnarok and felt a little cheap for them to remove it so quickly in its direct follow-up. His replacement eye didn’t make any sense to me, either. I know he’s supposed to be god-like, but is it that easy to swap out eyes? Whatever the case – I didn’t love this scene.

Hulk’s major defeat

The Directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, respectively were quoted as saying that Thanos’ power needed to be established early on in the film. It also needed to be conveyed just how powerful he was without the power of the Infinity Stones. So when Hulk leaps into the fight at Loki’s queue, audiences like myself expected a much more balanced fight. What we got was something reminiscent of how badly Bane defeated Batman in The Dark Knight Rises, which was also a very troubling scene in the same regard.

Hulk has been defeated before onscreen, of course, so this isn’t something new necessarily. But in most of those fights, Hulk at least faired longer than this beatdown, courtesy of Thanos. At the very least, I expected Hulk to get a few more jabs in before being taken down. Instead, Thanos completely overwhelms him and within seconds has him effectively knocked out. It just felt a bit unbalanced, even with the context from the writers and directors in mind.

The good news is, I think we can safely say the Hulk will have some form of vengeance in Avengers 4 next year. He is certainly powerful, but he’s relatively new to existence and Thanos’ superiority makes sense when you compare him. Still, for me, this scene is shocking to witness every time, with no exception. Hulk being knocked out that fast is simply mind-boggling.

Captain America’s reduced role.

While it’s understandable that it’s simply not possible to give every major character enough screen time like we’d probably prefer, Captain America’s role is severely limited this time around. His new look is so awesome, but we barely see the depth that normally accompanies his character. He interacts very little with Bucky, his best friend who’s finally become free of the brainwashing from Hydra. It has been said that he’s interacted with Bucky since Civil War, but it would have been nice to see some more evolution of their great friendship.

Captain America may not be as versatile a warrior as Iron Man or as powerful as Thor, but he certainly never steps down from a fight (in fact I’d say he could give Thor a run for his money). He’s given little chance to really show what he’s capable of against Thanos, except for an admirable last stand as Thanos picks off his team one by one. Even this moment is short-lived, though.

The saving grace in this situation, I think, is once again – Avengers 4. We can safely assume Captain will have a much larger role this time around. In fact, I suspect his character may see his end come next year. It’s his last contracted MCU film (that we know about), and Chris Evans has stated more than once how he’s ready to move on from the role. My guess is he will really get to shine in the next entry, along with our beloved original Avengers team (and possibly Ant-Man and Captain Marvel).

Ultimately, I suppose most of these complaints will be gone once Avengers 4 hits next year since it is essentially Part-II of this finale. While I don’t expect every single loose end to be tied up by the time the credits roll, I’m sure we will find it a worthy final chapter to this incredible saga of films, while giving way to a new generation of heroes and films to enjoy.

Avengers: Infinity War Review

Alas, Infinity War has finally arrived.

This is no ordinary blockbuster. This is a film of incredibly epic proportions, but it is also the culmination of ten years of storytelling coming full circle. Eighteen movies later, we finally get to see our heroes battle the mad Titan Thanos, the big bad who has been orchestrating most, if not all attacks on Earth in the MCU. The stakes for Infinity War are much higher than any previous MCU film, and believe me – you will know exactly what I mean when you see it. Within the first sequence, we quickly realize Thanos is not your average villain, and Infinity War is not your average MCU film.

The ultimate question is, does Infinity War pay off? Does it do the previous eighteen films with all the characters and plots proper justice? I’m happy to say that for the most part, this movie delivers and actually exceeded my expectations. Without a doubt, this is of the most ambitious films ever made. It’s a triumph of filmmaking, even with its imperfections.

Directors Anthony and Joe Russo take the helm of this massive project, best known for the second and third Captain America films. I imagine the development of Infinity War was no less challenging even with two directors sharing responsibilities. It’s a massive film with a ridiculously large ensemble and jaw-dropping set pieces. I love their previous work in Winter Soldier and Civil War, but I admit I was not sure they could make a film of this scope and maintain quality. Bringing together so many characters, not to mention the key villain, whose role is essentially a lead in this film, is a mountainous task.

One of my particular concerns leading up to Infinity War was how the Russo brothers film action scenes. They have a bad tendency to utilize a shaky camera method that makes it so difficult to follow the action. I still love their previous work and generally don’t mind the shaky camera, but for a film of this scale – they needed to up their game. I’m happy to say they’ve largely avoided this past habit for Infinity War, and the movie is better for it. Matter of fact, the whole film is gorgeous. MCU films have sometimes lacked visual distinction from one another, but Infinity War again manages to rise above those weaknesses. The set pieces are simply beautiful, and there’s plenty of them. There is a lot of CG, as expected, but most of it looks quite amazing. Thanos himself looks incredible, which is saying a lot for a computer-generated character. Unfortunately, some of the Black Order (Thanos’ henchmen) aren’t all that impressive both from a visual and plot standpoint, but they serve their purpose. Ebony Maw is a particularly delightful addition to the Black Order, and probably the only memorable one of the four.

I was thrilled to see the Russo brothers take some bold steps this time around, especially with how they handled Thanos. They crafted arguably the best villain in recent years and without a doubt the best villain in the MCU to date. Somehow, they even managed to make us empathize with him (to a degree), despite his insanity and genocidal plans to wipe out half the universe. Josh Brolin was a perfect casting for Thanos, despite his newness to playing as a motion-captured CG character. His voice booms with great conviction and wisdom, knowing full well the ramifications of his actions. His facial expressions and movements are so realistic, it’s almost eery to watch. This is a perfect example of how CG can be so powerful if used properly. Props to the Russo brothers for picking Brolin, because he’s about as perfect in the role as one could be.

With such an enormous cast, it’s difficult to know where to begin. But really, without spoiling too much, this movie primarily focuses on Thanos, Iron Man, and Thor, with everyone else kind of serving in support roles. Even Captain America, the great beloved heart of the MCU is left with little to do in this film except punch bad guys. The Guardians of the Galaxy make a strong appearance, but they are still sidelined a bit. Everyone does get their moment to shine, though. There are a few noticeable absences, too – but I’m assuming we will see them soon, either in the next standalone MCU films or in Avengers 4 next year.

Chris Hemsworth brings one of his best performances to date as the mighty Thor. His story has been plagued by tragedy after tragedy, yet he soldiers on for Asgard and Earth. Since Ragnarok last year, Thor has changed considerably as a character. We’ve seen him endure tremendous loss time and time again, and the weight of that is beginning to show this time around. He is without a doubt one of the best parts of Infinity War, often stealing the show from the supporting characters. I loved his interactions with Groot and Rocket in their side-plot, in particular.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man is as amazing as ever, providing great leadership and firepower when needed. This is another character who’s grown tremendously since his first appearances. We’ve seen Tony Stark turn from a narcissistic jerk into a sacrificial leader over the many years. Stark really gets to shine in his scenes, both in his comedic abilities and his talent for representing the harder, more mature themes found in the MCU. You really feel the weight on his shoulders, and his desperation to protect the Earth has been prevalent ever since the first Avengers. He’s tried so long and so hard to protect humanity, but a new threat always emerges. Thanos gives him a true run for his money this time around, as you’ll see.

This is where it becomes tricky to evaluate a film of this scale, seeing as so much of it rides on the foundations of the previous films. It’s a standalone film, and at the same time, it isn’t. Since so much of the story calls back to previous films, it’s difficult to say how enjoyable Infinity War is unless you’ve been keeping up with most of the MCU movies. Any moviegoer should find it a solid blockbuster, regardless. In order to fully appreciate these characters and the plot, I highly recommend still taking time to watch at least half of the MCU movies, if not all. The buildup and payoff in Infinity War are largely dependent on your personal investment in these characters. Like I said, everyone should still enjoy it, but MCU invested audiences will be reaping the most delicious rewards in this story.

As silly as it may sound, one of my favorite elements of the film is simply when characters cross paths. There’s so many of them, it’s staggering, but so many of them have never met before. When characters like Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy meet up, it’s an absolute delight. My inner kid really came out when witnessing both the hilarious banter between characters and their epic team-ups in battle. Seeing Chris Pratt as Star-Lord/Peter Quill arguing with Tony Stark while Peter Parker/Spider-Man watches in amusement is just pure fun. There are so many good moments like this in Infinity War, and they’re all memorable. The humor rarely feels forced or out of place, and somehow the darker, serious moments are still powerful. The narrative never feels lost, and everything comes full circle even better than I expected. Regardless of how future Marvel films play out – they should be proud of what they’ve accomplished here because it’s never been done like this before.

While Infinity War is a masterpiece in many ways, it does suffer from a number of issues. I’m generally forgiving of these because they’re of lesser importance, and I’m quite certain when Avengers 4 releases next year, we will get the true resolution we’ve been wanting for some time with this huge narrative that spans ten years of movies. As much as the Russo brothers would say otherwise – Infinity War does feel like part one of a two-part story. And I understand why it had to be done this way. There are still two more standalone films before we get to Avengers 4, and I’m assuming both films with play a part in the continued buildup. This is a massive story, and even in a three-hour film, I doubt it could have been done while maintaining the same quality we expect.

Another issue I take is how some of the characters seem a little imbalanced in their abilities, while some seem way overpowered than before. For example, Vision was proven to be nearly unstoppable in Civil War and Age of Ultron, but here he comes across as quite vulnerable upon his first attack. That commanding force on the battlefield Vision possesses seems to have been lost somehow. Scarlett Witch also suffers from this same problem, despite her incredible power. The Black Order suffer from inconsistency, as well. At times they appeared as quite a threat, but other times came across as simply weak. I expected more from characters who serve under such a powerful villain. In one particular scene, two of these Black Order members manage to nearly overpower two of the most powerful heroes in the MCU to date but are dispatched in a rescue attempt by the likes of Black Widow, Falcon, and Captain America. Captain America is really the only powerful character out of those three, which makes his efforts more believable. But all due respect to Black Widow and Falcon – they don’t offer much firepower compared to the rest of the team, seeing as they’re both simply humans who know how to fight. Falcon has those fancy wings – but what else? I thought it was a bit peculiar. When villains are dispatched so easily by seemingly weaker-characters, it does undermine the film’s portrayal of how large a threat they possess.

I loved the recurring theme of sacrifice throughout the film, as both villain and hero must face difficult choices to accomplish their goals. You truly feel the weight and stakes at hand, from both perspectives. MCU films are often criticized for lacking any significant consequences, but Infinity War completely avoids this pitfall by making the villain essentially the central character, and by killing off a number of beloved characters. Whether they’re gone for good remains to be seen, but trust me – by the end of the film, you will feel the pain of these losses like never before.

From a production standpoint, Infinity War has gorgeous set pieces, amazing. riveting music, and some of the best acting in the MCU to date. This is a powerhouse of a movie, and again I applaud the team for pulling this off with such skill and passion. If Avengers 4 delivers on the answers we’re expecting, I will appreciate this movie all the more. That being said, we will simply have to wait and see how things play out in the next few films for a proper opinion of Infinity War.

To me, the MCU is the gift that keeps giving. The movies just get better and better, and I’ve been especially impressed with their lineup since Civil War. I’m invested in these characters tremendously, even more so than probably any other franchise to date, and props to Marvel for making me care for this long. Infinity War manages to both exceed expectations and subvert our assumptions about the plot and its characters. How on earth they captured so much of the greatest things about the MCU in one movie is beyond me. Nothing feels cheap or lazy (although I do take issue with a character’s death early on in the film), and Thanos is handled so well, it’s one of the few times in cinema I have been just as invested in the villain’s arc as I am the heroes’.

Does Infinity War pay off? Does it fulfill our years of expectations and hopes, eighteen movies later? I think so. I don’t know how they actually pulled this off – but they did it. This is an ambitious film. This is an epic film. This is a gorgeous film. It delivers beautifully on so many levels. I just wanted more, no matter what. I hate that I have to wait another year for the story to full wrap up. How will we ever get through this year?

At least Ant-Man and the Wasp come out in July, right? That’s the beauty of the MCU – it just keeps on going and you love every bit of it. Someday, they’ll need to wrap it all up, but in the meantime – I’m enjoying this fantastic journey. Go see Infinity War – what are you waiting for?

Final Score: 8.9/10

Long Time Coming: Avengers Infinity War

With less than two weeks to the release of Avengers: Infinity War, the hype train is as alive and well as ever before. Fans across the planet have been waiting for this film for a long time. Though everyone knows Infinity War is not the final Marvel Cinematic Universe film planned, the general expectation is that it will bring ten years and eighteen movies worth of stories full circle. It’s a momentous occasion, to say the least. There are so many reasons to be excited about this epic film. That in mind, let’s reflect on why Infinity War matters so much for fans and the MCU (in no particular order).

1. Thanos

Since the first Avengers film in 2012, fans were teased with the after credits appearance by Thanos, the supervillain behind almost every significant threat in all the MCU. He’s the mastermind and the ultimate threat to the universe, which means the stakes have never been higher. MCU films have often suffered from a lack of compelling villains, with a few exceptions.

Thanos has been promised to be the best yet, and with confirmation that his role is dominant in the film, it’s a good bet we will be more than impressed by his sheer power and imposing presence. The possibility of him wielding the Infinity Gauntlet raises the stakes even higher for our heroes. Here’s hoping Marvel handles this villain properly, otherwise we may be in for a disappointing conclusion. There are even higher expectations now with the release of Black Panther, which saw the introduction of the villain Killmonger, wonderfully portrayed by Michael B. Jordan. Fans expect Thanos to be epic, and rightfully so.

2. The Epic Scales

From what we’ve seen in the trailers, Infinity War is sure to deliver some outstanding set pieces, the likes of which no MCU film has ever come close to delivering. In fact, no superhero film has ever portrayed such colossal battles with so many characters before. Thanos and his armies will go toe to toe with not only the Avengers, but the armies of Wakanda, the new heroes to the MCU like Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man, but also the essential Guardians of the Galaxy. The roster for this film is absolutely insane. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it’s one of the most ambitious films of all time. The budget alone for Infinity War is rumored to be upwards of 400 million, which is on par with Avatar’s budget, the highest grossing film of all time (not accounting for inflation).

Everything about Infinity War screams epic, and rightfully so. Before us stands the largest ensemble ever portrayed in a superhero film battling the most powerful villain the MCU has ever delivered. Every set piece is going to be huge, every battle will be massive, and the stakes are so high it’s hard to even grasp this. At one point in the trailers, I’m pretty sure I saw Thanos throwing a moon at our heroes. No, not a little car or even a building – a whole moon. Yup – that is terrifyingly epic.

3. Farewells To Heroes (And possibly villains).

While no one can be absolutely sure who will actually die in Infinity War, the speculation is running rampant everywhere. So many characters have been through the MCU now, some more essential than others. Several of the actor’s contracts are up with Marvel soon, so it’s likely we’d see some kind of conclusion for their character, whether it be a departure by death or a retirement in the story.

My money is personally on Iron Man – I think he’s gone for close to good this time. Robert Downey Jr. seems intent on leaving the MCU soon, and this would be a perfect exit. He’s kind of the father of the MCU and has appeared in more films than any other character by now. But RDJ’s fee is insane even for Marvel to keep him coming back every time. The emotional weight of his death would be incalculable. Fans like myself have loved Iron Man these past ten years, and even the thought of seeing his death makes me cringe. Oddly, though at the same time I kind of want to see his character die. I want deaths that carry some weight. His or Captain America’s would be the hardest to watch. Or maybe Thor. Ragnarok made Thor compelling and fun again so it would be a shame to see him cut down so quickly after that.

With a roster this large and as many films released in the MCU to date, I think it’s a safe bet we will see more than one character meet their end. Case in point – Loki is probably going to see his end, too. I doubt Thanos will be happy to see him after Loki’s miserable failure in the first Avengers, even if he delivers the Space Stone to Thanos as the trailers imply. Here’s hoping it’s a proper send-off, maybe him sacrificing himself for real this time. As much as I love Loki, he is definitely living on borrowed time.

4. Epic Team-Ups

The Russo brothers may just pull off this ensemble yet. They’ve come close to it already in Civil War. Their ability to portray so many characters onscreen while maintaining room for tonal changes, humor and actual emotional depth is uncanny. They’ve proven themselves more than capable of handling a story of this size. It’ll be especially impressive this time around to see how they balance the high stakes with the obvious humor that will accompany Infinity War’s many characters meeting for the first time. How on earth someone makes a film like this with such drastic tonal changes without it becoming messy is beyond me, but I’m sure it’s possible.

The Avengers teaming up with newcomers like Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and Ant-Man, combined with the Guardians is sure to deliver some incredible cinematic moments. The humor is likely to be off the wall hilarious, too. I just hope it’s not too dependent on less-than-funny quips like in Age of Ultron. For whatever reason, I felt like it was in excess, and Ultron himself was reduced to a joke-spewing robot with little else to offer. I’ve noticed MCU films rely on humor a lot more than earlier installments, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Ten years and 18 films later, not to mention the many television shows (excluding the Defenders, who do not seem to be a relevant part of this upcoming film), we are coming full circle into Infinity War. The real question is, how much will be resolved in this upcoming film? Avengers 4 opens in 2019, a mere year after Avengers 3, and we know they were shot back-to-back. The Russo brothers have stated the films stand on their own, but it’s obvious they tie into one another significantly. Perhaps we actually won’t see a full conclusion to Thanos and many of our Avengers yet. I’m hoping we see at least a few conclusions for several heroes and villains, though. I think most would agree it would be in poor taste to leave everything unresolved after building things up for so long.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been one of the most ambitious undertakings in Hollywood’s history, but it appears to have paid off significantly. They consistently churn out good films, albeit some weaker than others. But overall, I’m continually impressed by the MCU and what they deliver. Here’s hoping they can pull off their magic one more time.