Avengers: Infinity War

After the events of ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, intergalactic warlord Thanos (Josh Brolin) continues his quest to possess all of the universe’s five infinity stones. If successful, he will be able to decimate entire populations across the galaxy by thought alone. Standing in his way, the squabbling remnants of the Avengers, who must put aside their differences before he controls the fate of the universe – but will they be in time?

The huge story arc that has been teased for so long, has finally arrived…

After ten years of superhero movies, Marvel have been slowly bringing audiences to ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. Hanging onto every post credits scene, the huge story arc that has been teased for so long, has finally arrived.

Boasting more superheroes than ever before, an understandable cloud of concern has hung over the ambition of this project. Would so many characters in one film cramp the final narrative? Would the final act succumb to the Marvel formula, which has started to tire? Fortunately, in the hands of directors Anthony and Joe Russo, I’m glad to say that none of this has come to pass.

Taking a cue from Joss Whedon’s ‘Avengers: Assemble’, the Russo brothers have found the same leitmotif that made the aforementioned movie an ensemble triumph. Whilst Whedon’s film sowed doubt and playfully prised at the seams of our heroes ego’s, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is all about their wary reconciliation in the face of an seemingly unstoppable foe.

The pace of the story here is deliberately fast. With neither the camera, nor its focus lingering on any one character too long, this movie rattles along. In a movie so choc-full of superhero favourites, individual fans might feel that some have been used merely as window dressing for others’ stories. However, seen in its totality, everything elegantly bends to the service of the story. In what could have been an unwieldy mess, ‘Avengers Infinity’ war actually feels sprightly for its 149 minute running time.

Here humour is used to both grease the ego’s of the combatants and hint at their previous acrimonies. With its interesting alpha male squabbles, its is Josh Brolin’s Thanos that steals the acting crown. Immersed in layers of CGI, his is the performance and his character’s rational for a galactic purge that ultimately glues this movie together. 

Wisely eschewing any protracted, 3rd act CGI boss fights, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ final passage actually has plenty of emotional heft as the reality of the Avengers’ situation sinks in. With a willingness to go to darker territory, as shown in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, this is the perfect setup for what’s to come.