Avengers: Endgame: Spoiler-Free Review

Plot Synopsis courtesy of IMDb.com: “After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe.”

Directed by: Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

Written by: Christopher Markus (Avengers: Infinity War), Stephen McFeely (Captain America: The First Avenger)

Starring: Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (The Avengers), Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right)

Avengers: Endgame is rated PG-13

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

As fans of television shows such as Lost and The Office will tell you, sometimes it can be hard to keep a good idea going long enough for it to end well.  While most original ideas can be sustained for a few years, stories inevitably fizzle out, leaving us with less than satisfying conclusions.  It is a truly rare feat for creators to have both the means and the foresight to weave a single story over the span of multiple years.

Avengers: Endgame has long been anticipated as the final part of the “Infinity Saga,” wrapping up the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it.  Especially in the year since the unexpected ending of Avengers: Infinity War, speculation has swirled rampantly among Marvel fans regarding the resolution of this incredibly lucrative franchise.  Despite all of my personal reservations going into Endgame, I quickly realized that this was not a story that would be allowed to taper off, and in no way did it disappoint.

As is often the case with a film release of this magnitude, the internet has been littered with theories about Endgame for the past year, making it practically impossible to go into the film completely unsullied.  This is something the filmmakers seem acutely aware of, and Endgame is a brilliantly subversive and innovative film.  The writers do an amazing job of tying the various characters and personalities together, giving each hero a clear purpose for appearing in the film.  The intricacies of this franchise are put on full display here, as even the most predictable moments come across as earnestly sincere and concrete. Nothing in this film is done to generate a cut-rate twist, and even its moments of fan service are necessary and rewarding.

Despite the darker tone the end of Infinity War embraced, Endgame continues Marvel's long-standing tradition of expertly inserting humor into the most tenuous circumstances.  After so many years working together, the cast has an excellent chemistry, and their constant banter makes the audience feel like one of the team.  It's hard to single out any of the uber-talented ensemble, each character makes the absolute most out of their time on screen.

With more than a decade of precedence, it is admittedly difficult to evaluate this film as a stand-alone piece.  To the credit of both directors, Avengers: Endgame is an outstanding capstone to the series, which validates and compliments the dedication of the fanbase.  The run-time of just over three hours is filled to the brim with action and drama, leaving essentially no stone unturned.  Not since The Avengers (2012) have we seen a collaboration of superheroes on this scale, and Endgame manages to blow the original away.  Powerfully triumphant and moving, Endgame is sure to have audiences literally jumping from their seats, as I found myself doing regularly.

For years I have begrudgingly enjoyed the catalog of Marvel films each year, feeling that the variety of spin-offs and sequels have grown too repetitive and generic.  Mere minutes into this film those feelings dissipated, and over the next three hours I was fortunate to enjoy a near-perfect conclusion to one of the most ambitious pieces of storytelling ever attempted.  For over ten years we have witnessed cinema and comic book history unfolding in real-time, and while we all hoped for a satisfying ending, nobody could have expected anything on this level. Avengers: Endgame is nothing short of miraculous, and should be appreciated regardless of personal taste, because the odds are that we will never see anything like this again.

Reel Rating: 10/10

Avengers: Endgame opens in cinemas on April 26