Avengers: Infinity War

I'm going to keep this vague, for two reasons: I want to keep myself in check so as not to venture into spoiler territory, for your sake, and because this is truly a film that simply needs to be experienced firsthand in order for any relayed evaluations to be understood.

This is a good film. Actually, a great one. Among superhero and comic book films, it is of the best crop. It doesn't get a lot better than this. It's perhaps the biggest film (in terms of story scope, character count, and number of interwoven plot lines) to ever work this well as a cohesive piece of filmmaking. But more than anything, it. is. bizarre.

Avengers: Infinity War is a shockingly unique kind of film, perhaps largely due to the massive quilt of interwoven characters and storylines that the movie inherits. The actual content of the film aside, there's simply never been a project like this executed in cinema. It's just so big, and yet it succeeds in focusing the story on the characters' perspectives. I never once felt the expected detachedness that is natural in sci-fi/fantasy epics like this. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo masterfully handle the characters they chose as leads this time around (which you might find to be a surprising selection), telling a story that actually feels like a series of events seen through their eyes, rather than an assault of massive, mythic clashes with no personal stake for the viewer. Granted, there's some massive, mythic clashes. But you'll probably find yourself alarmingly close to the characters fighting in them.

Most notably "close" to the viewer is the villain himself, Thanos (Josh Brolin). The degree to which the character succeeds cannot be overstated. Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely perfectly walk the line between sympathetic messiah and fearsome, apathetic warmonger. He is, to put it simply, understandable, which makes his "evil" that much more complex and compelling. Josh Brolin's tempered, carefully calculated performance shines through on the Mad Titan's incredibly well-rendered motion-capture-CGI face. The Russo brothers were not lying when they said he dominates the movie. I didn't do the math, but I'm pretty sure he has the most screen time of any character, and that time is put to great use.

Not much can be said of the execution or trajectory of the other characters, without spoiling sensitive information, other than that they are handled very well. As mentioned before, the characters that the film focuses on are given strong dialogue and stronger performances, and their arcs work well individually and intermingle in fun and emotionally resonant ways. The characters that the film doesn't focus on, are naturally much less developed, but that's not so much a criticism as an observation. They aren't as critical to the core plot within this film, so their arcs are reduced or put on pause to make room for the story at hand. The Russo brothers have said that those with less prominent roles in Infinity War will step into the spotlight in the currently untitled Avengers 4. Their slighted positions in this film feel less like a disappointment and more like a promise of what's to come.

If there is a legitimate criticism I can level against the film at this time, it would be that certain moments, some intended to be emotionally resonant and others dramatically triumphant, don't quite land to their fullest potential. But I want to make clear that those moments are few and far between, and the ones that truly matter to the emotional rhythm of the film land with grace and power. The film's finale is absolutely nothing like any superhero film before, and it makes me wonder what could possibly be in store for not only the MCU of the future, but the genre on the whole as well. As my boss Christopher Lloyd said, "from now on we’ll think of superhero movies in terms of 'before' and 'after' this film," and as melodramatic as that may sound, he might be onto something. Infinity War's willingness to go in unexpected directions is astounding, considering the relatively "safe" decisions Marvel Studios have made with their franchise up to this point. This movie is weird. Sure, it checks off the expected moments of spectacle, drama, and badassery, but I can't overstate how much the film deliberates toward the harder narrative paths. "Will they actually do that?" The answer is yes. It even manages to defy and subvert even the most cunning superfan predictions that have been written about this movie.

On top of all this dramatic weight, deft handling of characters, and brilliantly refreshing narrative directions, Infinity War manages to cement itself as the most comic book-y comic book film of all time. I'm just going to go ahead and slap that label on it. Those who have read large comic book events will understand what I mean when they see the film. It lacks the limitation of so many previous superhero films to remain "grounded," fearing the fragility of the suspension of disbelief. Infinity War figures that, at this point, you've bought a talking raccoon without question, so why hold back any more? The diverse set of powers, locations, and narrative choices in the film reflect the vibrant and utterly weird range of possibilities seen in actual comic books, and it's all the better for it.

Look, see this movie. It is a pop culture milestone, just as the original Avengers was in 2012. It is entirely different, but it is bold, unprecedented, and iconic all the same. But whatever you do, please don't see this movie unprepared. You will not appreciate it. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has now been going for ten years, with 19 films to its name. All the while, it has been at the top of the box office and at the forefront of the world's collective pop culture. This movie deserves your investment. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT walk into this movie having only seen The Avengers and Black Panther and expect to understand or appreciate this movie on any level near what it has achieved. This is a sequel, through and through; a sequel to a whole cast of stories about more characters than you can count on both hands. Do your homework. It will pay off with this one, for sure.

To ensure your greatest enjoyment, I'll list below all the movies that you should see in preparation for this one, so that you fully appreciate all of the characters, arcs, and circumstances in play:

(in recommended viewing order)

Iron Man

Thor

Captain America: The First Avenger

The Avengers

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Guardians of the Galaxy

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Captain America: Civil War

Doctor Strange

Thor: Ragnarok

Black Panther

Please, don't watch this movie without completing this list. Or, if you do, don't bother the rest of us with your misplaced complaints and confusion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZfuNTqbHE8&t=26s&w=585