Here it is folks. The culmination of 10 years, 18 films and a childhood worth of memories. Avengers: Infinity War has to be one of the most hyped up movies in history, which of course made it all the more likely that it wouldn't live up to people's elevated expectations. Thankfully though, not only does it meet those expectations and even surpass them, it shatters any feeling of safety or comfort, resulting in a film that is both shocking and brilliant in equal measure.
The mad titan Thanos (Josh Brolin) strives to unite the six Infinity Stones and use them to wipe out half of the universe. Earth's mightiest heroes, with the help of some very familiar faces, must attempt to stop him.
Let's start with the big bad, Thanos. Ever since he leered his big old chin at the end of Avengers Assemble, we had been promised that he was the ultimate foe for our heroes to contend with. This claim was yet to come to fruition - until now. From the very first scene, we get a clear demonstration of just how powerful Thanos is, even without the aid of the Infinity Stones. Yet, as with all great villains, there is a clear reason behind his desire for destruction. The Russos said in a recent interview that this film was more of a Thanos story than it was an Avengers one, and there is certainly an air of truth to this. We spend a lot of time with him, growing to hate him more and more by the second, but we also get a real understanding of his motivations. You might even be lulled into agreeing with him for a fleeting moment of madness. His presence on screen is immense, and a testament to Brolin's performance. Marvel are often criticised for weak depictions of villains, but Thanos is tremendous.
Another frequent complaint of the MCU is the apparent 'lack of stakes'. Infinity War goes a long way to correct that. The fight scenes are, as you would expect, awesome. However, they are taken to new heights by the genuine fear you feel for the heroes. Even characters you felt were certain to survive feel at risk. No one is invincible. That sense of dread that anyone could be killed at any moment keeps you hooked throughout what will feel like the shortest 160 minutes of your life.
Of course, coupled with the intensity and the drama is genuine hilarity, most of which comes from the stellar exchanges between this insane cast. The Russo brothers have done a really excellent job of finding organic and interesting ways of bouncing some very different personalities off of each other and it is all executed perfectly. The balance of screen time between the actors is handled very well - everyone gets their moment, whether it's a joke, a great action beat or even just a cool entrance (there are a few of them). The Guardians bear the load of most of the humour, Drax being the particular highlight. Tony Stark is back at his quick-witted best, and his interplay with Doctor Strange and Spiderman is especially amusing. Thor is the standout for me, getting a solid mix of great jokes, emotional burdens and epic action sequences.
Whilst feeling like the end of this current chapter of the MCU, this film also extends the world and opens new narrative doors in a big way. We get a whole host of new magic courtesy of Doctor Strange, who has clearly been honing his skills. The Infinity Stones themselves are used in some extremely innovative ways. There is also a huge range of wacky and fresh cosmic destinations on show. In fact, this movie jumps around different locations and narrative threads a lot, but never to it's detriment. No scene feels like a waste of time, and wherever or whomever we cut to there is always something of interest going on.
If you somehow haven't gotten into the MCU yet then this is not a good starting off point. For the rest of us though, Infinity War is an event. It has everything you'd want from a Marvel movie - quippy one-liners and exhilarating action set pieces. But this film is nothing that you predicted it to be. It takes the narrative and this whole cinematic universe in unexpected directions and leaves you chomping at the bit for answers to the countless questions that arise. Marvel have changed the game. I laughed. I cried. I had goosebumps from the title card to the post credit sting. Nobody is ready for the events of this movie, but the end result 'does put a smile on my face.'
5/5 Stars
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