Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

In 2008 the Marvel Cinematic Universe launches with Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man.” Little did we audience members know, that was the first stepping stone into a much bigger universe. Now, in 2018, the Russo brothers deliver somewhat of a culmination in “Avengers: Infinity War.”

Based on the “The Infinity Gauntlet” comic by Jim Starlin, “Avengers: Infinity War” features the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin), and his quest to obtain all six infinity stones, which will give him infinite power.  In order to stop Thanos, the Avengers must team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy, before he completes his goal of wiping out half of the universe.

Josh Brolin reprises his role as Thanos for the third time in Infinity War, but this is the first time that he is given the spotlight.  Thanos is a vastly different villain than his predecessors.    Thanos is not inherently evil, in fact he’s the opposite.  He believes that he is doing the right thing for everyone, making him extremely dangerous.  With the depth of the character and the terrifying performance of Brolin, Thanos measures up to be possibly the best villain in the MCU.

The rest of the cast also does an exceptional job, delivering the great performances we as an audience have come to expect.  Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Hemsworth, and Zoe Saldana stood out to me as highlights of the film, but perhaps that is because they were given more screen time, which brings me to the biggest drawback of the film.

Just as Thanos’ power is infinite, so too are the amount of characters in this film.  As every bit impressive a colossal ensemble is, it can’t help but feel that the characters were spread too thin.  Fan favorites are barely given much more than a couple of lines and a few cool action scenes.  It’s expected that a film of this size can’t utilize every character, but it would have been all the better if it could have.

Other highlights of the film were the musical score, the action, and the emotional weight.  Alan Silvestri returns from the original Avengers film as composer, and beautifully dusts the film with music that is both breathtaking and haunting.

What may or may not be a detractor for some is the amount of action.  For me, the action worked wonderfully, but there is quite a bit to swallow.  In a sense, “Infinity War” is the MCU’s “Return of the King” in scope and length.  It features masses of CGI creatures going head to head with the film’s heroes throughout most of the movie, which runs nearly three hours.

Last but not least comes one of my favorite aspects of the film, the depth and emotional weight.  Unlike other Marvel films, there is legitimate loss in this one.  Characters are hurt, lost, and even die.  It resonates in a chilling way, but it only makes the film stand out as even more of a triumph.

The Russo brothers did a fantastic job balancing a film this size.  Sure, the film will have its detractors, but all in all, it’s hard to imagine it not delivering what fans and moviegoers want.  With the only drawback being that it’s overstuffed, “Avengers: Infinity War” crushes expectations and delivers one of the best superhero villains in the process.