Directed by Joe & Anthony Russo
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Chris Hemsworth and like 80% of the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Infinity War had a lot riding on it. The third film in the Avengers series and the eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it had to bring ten years of storytelling to a big, bold conclusion. Of course this is only the first-half of that conclusion (Untitled Avengers 4, originally titled Infinity War: Part 2 comes out next year) but as of right now Infinity War god-damn delivered and more.
After seeing the film three(!) times in theaters, and over a month since its release, now's a good a time as any to put my words to text. However for the sake of respecting all types of filmgoers, this review will still be spoiler-lite.
The Mad Titan Thanos (Brolin), believing humanity is destined for destruction, sets out to gain control of the six Infinity Stones. Together their combined power can allow him wipe out half the universe. Divided and spread across the galaxy as a result of the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War, The Avengers must join forces with new allies like Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and The Guardians of The Galaxy to stop Thanos and save the universe.
Infinity War simultaneously meets and defies expectations. A Marvel fan's wildest fantasies and worst nightmares all come true, in an amazing emotional roller coaster. Roller coaster is probably is the best word to describe it because Infinity War, despite being two and-a-half hours long, is so briskly paced. There is seriously nothing that feels like filler material, despite the film juggling so much. It really feels like a comic-book, the way the story is laid out from beginning to end. Every character gets their moment some way or another.
It also looks amazing and like a comic-book come to life with its various settings and differenting color palette. The scale of the universe this franchise has built is clear in this singular film. This is also as dark as the MCU ever gets, and they're not sorry about it. Not to get too spoilerly, but ten minutes in I was like a scared little kid, "Stop the ride I wanna get off!" The drama and the emotion is real, but at the same time there's still moments of brevity with the usual Marvel humor.
What ties it all together though is Thanos. This is his film, and the Russos structure it as if he is a main character if not the main character. Thanos needed to be the biggest and baddest villain in the MCU, and he truly is. You get why he's doing this, you see the toll this mission takes on him, and you understand right from the get-go his power and what makes him such a threat. Josh Brolin disappears into the role. He brings the pain and the terror of Thanos to life, making him a truly memorable and iconic villain.
Of course there's a lot more talent other than Brolin in front of the camera but it would be ludicrous to go down the list and compliment them all. How about just a few highlights? Robert Downey Jr, in his ninth time in the role of Tony Stark, still shows no sign of wearing out, turning in the same quality work he's done since the original Iron Man. Zoe Saldana is given so much to work with as Gamora, and gives a heart-breakingly beautiful performance. Chris Hemsworth gives some of his best work as Thor here. Tom Holland again proves he is the best Spider-Man on film, providing plenty of heart and humor. Elizabeth Olsen & Paul Bettany make the perfect pair of Scarlet Witch and Vision. Benedict Cumberbatch continues to own the role of Doctor Strange, with plenty of wisdom and sass. Danai Gurira, who stole plenty of scenes in Black Panther, gets to uphold that reputation a few times here.
I could go on but these were some of heaviest hitters in an incredibly stacked, incredibly talented cast.
Two more things I'd like to make note of. The first being that I'm so glad Alan Silversti returned to score this film. It is some of the best work of his career in my opinion. The score is epic and heart-wrenching. It sets the perfect tone for a film like this. The second thing to note is this film is not for the uninitiated. If you're a casual Marvel fan this is probably not the best one for you to see. It might sound a bit biased, but you need to have seen a majority of the eighteen proceeding films to truly understand the weight of Infinity War.
Avengers: Infinity War is the definition of a cinematic achievement. Ten years of films and thoughtful planning brought us to this. It's gut-wrenching, ambitious, mind-blowing and more. Tightly scripted, visually stunning, and featuring so many wonderful performances, it leaves quite the mark on the audience and the genre. There will never be anything like it. It's truly special…and only 340 days until Avengers 4…
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