28 Apr Nerdy for Thirty #2: Avengers: Infinity War

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

dir. The Russos, starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo, et. al

BLUF: While Endgame might be the true climax of the MCU Infinity Saga, Infinity War is the best movie, from, at the very least, a narrative, technical, pacing, and dramatic perspective.

When Iron Man debuted in theaters in 2008, nobody imagined what the MCU would become in ten short years. Now, in retrospect, the correct answer is “the biggest cinematic juggernaut in history”; or “the most financially successful franchise in history”; or “the most consistently excellent serialized film series in history”.

Marvel’s MCU was constructed very carefully, with 21 films leading up to Infinity War. Many were origin stories for B- and C-list superheroes; some were ensemble pieces; some sequels that deepened out understanding and appreciation of characters that, prior to 2008, many (myself included) did not know at all. Every single movie, whether intentionally or mildly retconned, led to Avengers: Infinity War. And what a remarkable spectacle it is!

The entire runtime of Infinity War is 100% payoff for 21 films worth of emotional and character investment. In fact, the only criticism I have of IW is that it is the least stand-alone film in the MCU thus far. Not that this is a requirement, but when critically evaluating films, there is a reasonable argument that they should stand on their own merits, and not rely on other films. Without the previous films, IW is probably a barely accessible mess, as it takes no time to explain anything related to characters, their history, their allegiances or conflicts; no time is spent covering material that Marvel spent 10 years laying out in excruciating and meticulous detail. That said, IW was designed this way, and to try and explain everything would…probably require a runtime equal to about 22 movies.

In a movie I consider basically perfect, there are a lot of standout features:

• Chris Hemsworth’s Thor has a powerfully emotional character arc that not only kicks off the movie, but seemingly finds redemption by the end, only to take him lower than ever before, setting up a deeply moving arc in Endgame. With 28+ superheroes (and MANY more familiar characters), Thor is one of the standouts.
• Zoe Saldana’s Gamora is another character with a compelling emotional story arc, ending in unexpected tragedy. For an unrelenting action film, Gamora and Thor provide emotional anchors whose suffering defines the cost the heroes must pay.
• Tony Stark/Iron Man is so effortlessly performed by RDJ, it belies the incredible progression of the character and RDJ’s interpretation over the years. The MCU exists because of RDJ and Iron Man, and every penny was well spent for each and every one of his appearances.
• Thanos is, in my opinion, the best villain the MCU has produced, and he is a scene-stealing beast, as played by Josh Brolin and realized by Marvel’s incredible special effects department. In terms of performance capture, he stands with Gollum in compelling portrayal on-screen. But Brolin’s character performance brings emotion, danger, subtlety, and tragedy to one of the few comic book movie villains that actually wins. Thanos dominates every scene, whether he appears in it or not.
• The pacing and editing of IW are top-tier film, not just MCU. There is no fat in the runtime, and the script and editing bounce between sets of characters with perfection. Not every MCU movie does this, and, in fact, the MCU has notably stumbled in Phase 4 in these regards. Not here.

There is so much more. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely paid their dues with two excellent Captain America films and giving them the reigns for IW and Endgame was Kevin Feige’s second smartest decision after hiring RDJ as Tony Stark. Infinity War’s strengths are rooted in the strong foundation of the entirety of the prior MCU films, but it’s excellent in payoff for that investment is in every frame. For reasons I’ll save in the Endgame review, it is my opinion that IW is better than Endgame, simply because there is nothing I would change. Anyone that has watched the MCU up to IW probably shares my opinion, simply because the only people that skipped IW dropped off the MCU train long before they hit 21 films.

Pros:

• Pacing, narrative, acting, and special effects are all top-notch
• Hemsworth’s Thor, Saldana’s Gamora, and Brolin’s Thanos all give emotionally resonant performances
• There is a ton of classic MCU humor throughout: well-integrated, fun, relevant to the story, and often payoff from setups in prior movies
• There are real stakes, real losses, and, by no measure, any guarantee that any of the heroes lost will ever return
• Truly heartbreaking and shocking cliffhanger ending

Cons:

• This movie is probably borderline incomprehensible to anyone that has not seen at least a majority of the 21 prior MCU films
• Not enough Hulk (is there ever?!), though it is narratively understandable and necessary
• Seeing Chadwick Boseman’s last large performance as Black Panther makes my heart mourn his loss all over
• Bruce Banner’s ridiculous photoshopped head on/in the Hulk armor is the only VFX that is…clearly deficient

Rating: 5/5
Avengers: Infinity War is all payoff for Marvel’s incredible narrative and character investment throughout the prior MCU, and unlikely to be matched anytime soon

Review by Jim Washburn