Released: April 2019
Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo
Rated PG-13
Run Time: 3 Hours
Distributor: Disney/Marvel
Genre: Action/Fantasy/Science Fiction
Cast:
Robert Downey, Jr.: Tony Stark/Iron Man
Chris Evans: Steve Rogers/Captain America
Mark Ruffalo: Bruce Banner/Hulk
Chris Hemsworth: Thor
Scarlett Johansson: Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
Jeremy Renner: Clint Barton/Hawkeye
Don Cheadle: James Rhodes/War Machine
Paul Rudd: Scott Lang/Ant-Man
When it comes to film franchises with multiple entries, there is always a certain level of expectation when it comes to a sequel of a beloved movie. Usually, the first sequel in a film franchise tends to be very good, sometimes even eclipsing the original film. It’s happened on multiple occasions: Godfather Part II, The Empire Strikes, and Terminator 2 just to name a few. If the first film in a series is really good, then the expectations for the follow-up film are going to be that much higher. Most of the time, sequels aren’t able to reach that bar, except for the ones that I just mentioned. It doesn’t mean that all sequels are bad, it’s just that the previous film set the bar too high. With Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, every single movie was building up to Avengers: Infinity War. It took them 10 years and 20 movies to do it, but it happened. When the film was released last year, already high expectations were blown out of the water. Now, the second part of the story, Endgame, has expectations higher than ever. Does it meet those expectations? Let’s find out.
After 11 years and 21 movies, we finally come to the end of the current iteration of the MCU. After Thanos’ victory snap destroyed half of all life in the universe, including a large chunk of the Avengers, the remaining members are left in disarray, not knowing what to do next. Tony Stark is stranded in space with Nebula and Rocket Raccon, while the rest of the universe is trying to pick up the pieces. Scott Lang/Ant-Man, who was left in the Quantum Realm after Hank and Hope Pym were disintegrated, escapes the Quantum Realm 5 years after being trapped there, not realizing what had happened. He shows up at the Avengers HQ with a possible solution to bring back the lost. That’s where I’m going to end the story description for fear of spoiling the entire film. This is one that you have to see. What I will say, though, is that the story is fairly easy to follow, but it is also one of the most compelling stories in the MCU. Going in, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy tackling a story that would rival Infinity War. In all honesty, the actual story and pacing isn’t quite as good as Infinity War. That’s not to say the story is bad, it isn’t, but Infinity War felt tighter. The pacing here is different, but not in a bad way. The first act is pretty down-beat, and considering the aftermath of the previous film, it was to be expected. You needed to build-up to the final conflict, so you had to slow things down and show the main characters in a situation that you’ve never seen them before. It is a very solid and satisfying conclusion to the MCU as it stands, although there will be more stories in the future.
In terms of expectations, mine were already very high going into this film, and it still managed to exceed them. Not just in terms of action, but also in character development. We see these characters that we’ve come to know and love in a very different way. Natasha is struggling to keep things together while trying to find Thanos, so they can attempt to undo what he did. Some of the characters that died in Infinity War are still dead. Thor basically became depressed and let himself get out of shape while Hawkeye became a vicious vigilante. Steve Rogers basically became a grief counselor as a result of The Snap. Again, I don’t want to go into much more detail, because it would be spoiling things for folks who haven’t seen the film yet, so I’m not going to. In terms of the action, Endgame turned up the dial to 11, as if it wasn’t already high enough in Infinity War. This is one of the most epic comic book movies that I have ever seen. The majority of the third act of the film is basically one big battle sequence and it is TOTALLY worth it. Once more, no spoilers, but if you’ve come for the action, you are going to get it in spades. It’s mind-blowing what they do here.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to feel after watching the movie. I certainly wasn’t expecting to get as emotional as I did, and I wasn’t the only one in the theater. There was a lot of sniffling going on and I can’t blame them. We spent 11 years watching these characters and connecting with them, so when a movie comes along that is going to be the final film for some of these characters and actors, it does sting a little bit. I’ve invested so much time into these films that to see it all finally come to an end hit me pretty damned hard. There weren’t a lot of Marvel’s films that made me feel the way that I did with Endgame. That speaks volumes about the quality of the characters that we’ve seen grow and evolve over the years and the quality of the writing in the MCU. Ultimately, I feel that Avengers: Endgame was the perfect way to wrap up most of these stories. There will be certain characters that will continue on in future films, and there will be some that won’t.
When it was announced that Endgame was going to be 3 hours long, some people were apprehensive. Let me put that to rest by saying that those 3 hours don’t feel that long. Again, proper pacing and writing help make the whole thing worth sitting through. While I don’t think Endgame is better than Infinity War in terms of story, the emotional impact that Endgame has is greater than the previous film. So, does the film exceed expectations? I think it does. I really do. There are a handful of films that define each generation: Gone With The Wind, Godfather, Star Wars, and Terminator to name a few. Avengers: Endgame is one that will define the current generation. Yeah, we’ve got Star Wars: Episode IX coming in December, but I don’t think that film will come close to what Endgame has achieved. So…yeah, I definitely recommend this movie, especially if you’ve been with the MCU for the past 11 years as I have. It is an incredibly satisfying experience that you will want to see again. I’m already planning to see it again.
My Final Recommendation: Part of the journey is the end. 10/10.