It’s amazing to think that it’s been over a decade since Iron Man kickstarted the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While superhero movies existed well before 2008, no one would’ve expected an interconnected universe of superhero movies could be done. But long-time producer Kevin Feige took a chance on a cinematic universe and it proved to be immensely successful. People forget that when The Avengers came out in 2012, audiences had never seen anything like it before. As is tradition, each of the MCU movies have had a post-credits scene teasing future installments. Since The Avengers, the arrival of the Mad Titan Thanos has been hinted at and foreshadowed going on six years. All that build-up led to what seemed like a massive undertaking, Avengers: Infinity War, but that was only part one. After a year of speculation and rumors, part two has finally been released, titled Avengers: Endgame.
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Following the events of Avengers: Infinity War, half of the universe’s population has been snapped out of existence. The remaining heroes are trying to deal with many of their fellow Avengers and loved ones gone in different ways. Many of them have disbanded to try and find hope, while others are working to cope with the massive loss. Meanwhile, Thanos (Josh Brolin) has retired to a garden in a far off region of space having accomplished his mission. With hope seeming lost, the remaining Avengers hatch a plan to track down Thanos and retrieve the Infinity Gauntlet. However, things don’t quite work out the way they want it to, and it may require some additional planning. Eventually, some of the heroes that were thought lost come back together to help the Avengers find a solution. With so much hanging in the balance, the Avengers must undo the damage Thanos caused.
I know that I’ve been very vague with summarizing the plot, but that’s only because I’m trying to avoid spoilers. I’ll do my best to remain spoiler free throughout this review, but I can’t make any promises. That being said, I can honestly say that, with no hyperbole, this movie is phenomenal and a vastly entertaining ride. The first hour really shows how defeated the characters are, and just how hopeless the situation is. It’s interesting to see how these events have affected these characters, some working towards a solution, and others turning bad. Every single character goes through their own massive arcs, and even some less-developed characters are given more development. For instance, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye is given more of a character arc here than he has before. There’s also quite a few twists and turns that audiences will not see coming, so prepare for the feels.
Of course, while audiences go into superhero movies for the great characters, they also want massive and epic superhero action. Without giving too much away, the final hour delivers on the superhero action and then some on a massive scale. While many people criticize when a movie adds fan service, this one has fan service that feels earned and heartfelt. The fan service here feels like the filmmakers really wanted to give the fans a shoutout and deliver the goods. There are so many cheer-worthy moments in this last act, your hands will be sore from all the applause. Of course, as amazing as this is, the movie isn’t entirely perfect, as there are some flaws, namely the pacing. While the three-hour runtime goes by fairly quickly, there are a few dragging moments that could’ve been shortened. Despite those flaws, Avengers: Endgame is a satisfying conclusion to a huge series.
