Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Directed by: Anthony and Joe Russo

Written by: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Starring:

Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America

Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk

Chris Hemsworth as Thor

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and some language

Runtime: 181 minutes

Note: I promise this review will contain no spoilers for Avengers: Endgame…but if you haven’t seen Avengers: Infinity War (2018) yet, don’t keep reading.

I’ve been anticipating this movie for a long time, and my excitement level nearly shot through the roof after I watched Avengers: Infinity War. I needed this movie to wipe the events of Infinity War from my memory. Mind you, I liked Infinity War, but I’m still not sure I’ve fully processed the ending.

Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiped out half of all living creatures with the snap of his fingers after collecting all six Infinity Stones. Heroes such as Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch), Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier), Sam Wilson (Falcon), Dr. Strange, Black Panther, and Peter Parker (Spider-Man) are among those who disappeared. I’m sure I’m just spoiled by the traditional hero’s tale, but the good guys are supposed to win, and the bad guys are supposed to lose. End of story. Infinity War, though, ended with the heroes losing, and the villain winning. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around that.

In Avengers: Endgame, the heroes who were left behind don’t have a plan, but they have hope. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) slowly makes his way back to Earth after the devastation of seeing Peter Parker slip away in his arms. Captain America (Chris Evans) lost most of his allies on a Wakandan battlefield. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) still feels like he should’ve gone for the head and is lost in his guilt.

The stakes are high, and the odds are low, but in the world of superheroes, there is always a way. Because of my “no spoilers” rule, I can’t go into any plot details. I will tell you, though, that the plot goes off on a tangent that I never saw coming. The marketing campaign for this film was smart not to show too much in its advertising – that helped keep up the hype. Before seeing a movie, I usually get a sense of the story from the previews, rather than looking up spoilers beforehand. Because of the limited info in the trailers for Endgame, I didn’t have much info going in (a lot like my wife, who refuses to watch any Marvel or Star Wars trailers ahead of time – she prefers to just lose herself in the story).

Admittedly, I am not a comic book fan – I never read any The Avengers comics. So all my Marvel knowledge comes purely from the films. I’m sure those who have read the comics had at least a basic idea of how the story would end. I have a feeling that the directors (Anthony and Joe Russo) are comic book fans and aimed to remain faithful to the original storyline. The great Stan Lee wouldn’t have been part of the films otherwise.

Back to the story at hand. The heroes formulate an idea that may allow them to restore humanity. It sounds crazy and improbable, but they give it a shot because there is no other choice. It was refreshing to see the heroes working together again, especially Iron Man and Captain America after their division in Captain America: Civil War (2016). Iron Man’s parting words to Captain America in Civil War still echo in my brain.

The story overall is both emotionally satisfying and draining. I wanted to cry numerous times, but I’m not much of a crier. My wife, however, was nearly drowning the entire time. Many of her tears were happy tears, though, I swear. I think that fans will be satisfied with the outcome.

As expected, the humor is still spectacular, but it got a little too silly at times. I laughed a lot, but some of the jokes fell a little flat. Tony’s zingers are still top-notch, though. He hasn’t changed much since Iron Man (2008), and that’s okay. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything, but that’s just Tony – he’s a straight shooter. Even without the humor, the three-hour runtime wouldn’t have been too much. There are plenty of other elements to keep you entertained.

The visual effects are as eye-popping as ever. I read that twelve different visual effects companies participated in the film, including Industrial Light & Magic. I’m sure the film will get a Best Visual Effects nod for next year’s Oscars, though I wonder which individuals or companies will be nominated. The visual continuity alone is stunning, considering how many teams contributed. Also, the musical score by Alan Silvestri was done exceedingly well (but when has Alan Silvestri ever dropped the ball?). It gave me goosebumps several times. It is easily his best work since Forrest Gump (1994).

After the credits rolled, I was left in awe and wondering what’s next. I’m sure Marvel will continue to find ways to entertain the masses, but I have a feeling it won’t be the same. Those who watch Endgame will know why. I highly recommend seeing this as soon as you can, and not just to avoid internet trolls (or human spoilers) ruining something for you. It is just great entertainment.

3.5/4 stars