★★★★★
The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand.
Classification: 12A
Unprecedented, unbelievable and unlikely to ever be replicated, Avengers: Endgame is an epic tale celebrating and reflecting on all that has come before it, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe concludes a storyline eleven years in the making. Following from last years Avengers: Infinity War, The Russo Brothers return to the director's chairs for a film that balances strong character performances, fan service and jaw-dropping action in a three-hour magnum opus that doesn’t waste a moment.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans Captain America are at the forefront of the narrative as they come to terms with their failures from the previous films and unite their team of superheroes for one last adventure to save the universe from the megalomaniac alien warlord Thanos (Josh Brolin). Downey Jr. and Evans shine but Endgame allows the whole ensemble to thrive with dramatic performances from Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson being particular highlights, as well as Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth providing the laughs as Hulk and Thor. Paul Rudd, Karen Gillan and Bradley Cooper also impress with their additions to the Avengers lineup especially Gillan whose character arc goes to surprising places in the story.
The plot of Endgame could easily buckle under the weight of what it wants to accomplish but the screenwriters and directors wisely use the runtime to keep the film fresh and allow character to triumph over spectacle. The third hour of the film is spectacle galore, with sequences of superhero action that will leave you breathless and shaking from excitement. That spectacle would be meaningless without the time committed to the films first hour which allows these actors to display their characters beyond their costumes and reenforce the storytelling that the MCU has been building for years. Every hour changes the genre and tone of the film but these changes are natural and in complete service of the film and the wider story Endgame is telling.
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are in for a glorious treat as Endgame honours its 22 film long history not just through cameos but through references and payoffs to moments that go as far back to the first Iron Man in 2008. It never feels over-indulgent or pompous, these callbacks and moments feel earned and work within the film itself and its wider meaning just allows for that stronger connection for the audience. We all have our favourite characters and memories from Marvel films and Endgame leaves no stone unturned for nostalgia and then allows for every character to receive their greatest moment yet.
Endgame isn’t a perfect movie, over time I’m sure the cracks will become more visible however this a perfect movie experience. The sense of scale and the journey this film takes you through will leave you applauding through tears as the stories of these characters come to a close. A testament to the films and performances that preceded it especially to Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans who have been the leaders of this franchise both on and off-screen. The Marvel Cinematic Universe will go on with new characters and new stories but this definitely marks a sense of finality for our original team of heroes, I do hope we will seem them again but if we don’t this is one hell of a sendoff.
Part of the journey is the end and what a journey it was.
Directors: #AnthonyRusso and #JoeRusso
Cast: #RobertDowneyJr, #ChrisEvans, #MarkRuffalo, #ChrisHemsworth, #ScarlettJohansson, #JeremyRenner, #DonCheadle, #PaulRudd, #BrieLarson, #KarenGillan, #DanaiGurira, #BradleyCooper, #JoshBrolin
Release Date: April 25th 2019
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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