Classic Film Review #9: Avengers Infinity War & Endgame
Available on Disney+
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has provoked plenty of debate among filmmakers, critics, actors, and fans alike since its inception, and perhaps rightly so.
There are elements of the superhero genre which do threaten cinematic conventions, such as an overreliance on special effects and repetitive narrative tropes. Put simply, when a comic-book film is bad, it’s bad.
And yet, the two-part climax to the 22-film series that previously made up the MCU shows just how affecting these films can be when done well. I have always admired Kevin Feige and co.’s ability to seamlessly balance concurrent characters and arcs, and this skill pays off in a big way in both Infinity War and Endgame.
Both films finally pit the Avengers against the big bad that is Thanos (Josh Brolin), a misguided demi-god that is intent on wiping out half of the universe’s population. To do this, he needs to acquire the Infinity Stones and it is this quest that puts him on a collision course with the protagonists.
The shocking conclusion to Infinity War raises the stakes in a way previously unseen in the MCU, with our heroes seemingly down and out. But, as you might expect, Endgame sees them find a way to regroup and square off with their greatest foe one final time.
Both films are directed by the Russo Brothers and are praiseworthy for their toned-down palette, which is in direct contrast with the usually unrelenting brightness of the Marvel franchise, and delicate balancing act between the trademark wit of the Avengers and the more sombre tone that is befitting of the narrative’s apocalyptic stakes.
While the heroes ultimately triumph, they do so at a great cost and the emotional payoff of both films is undeniable. Quentin Tarantino may think that ‘real actors’ do not work this kind of film but tell that to anyone who watches the emotional gravitas with which Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson retire their respective monikers.
The world could certainly do with less superhero movies but, in the eyes of this writer at least, mainstream cinema would be a lot worse off without them, and these epics offer ample proof of that.
