by Jinzo Ningen » Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:15 am
Wow. Where to begin. Well, simply put, I feel that far too many reviewers (both professional critics & online folks), grossly overuse the word "epic" to describe movies ...but in the case of ENDGAME that term is entirely accurate, and fitting. In fact, "epic" almost isn't enough and somehow actually feels inadequate when attempting to accurately explain how phenomenal the film is.
It's a rare thing for a movie of this scope to meet even a fraction of its expectations - simply because there's so much riding on it and so much is expected from it. But whew! this film delivers, in every way, meeting and most of the time thoroughly exceeding what I modestly expected (and honestly hoped for). From a technical standpoint it's a truly mind-boggling achievement. The logistics alone that the Russo brothers wrestled with in their co-directors chairs to tell a coherent story involving 30-40 main characters and give everyone not just some screentime but actually GOOD screentime, that propels the narrative and expounds on these heroes in a deep worthwhile and non-fan service way is, frankly, nothing short of stunning. This film is truly the GONE WITH THE WIND or TEN COMMANDMENTS of superhero movies. It feels BIG when you're watching it, but despite a 3+ hour runtime you're never left checking your watch or thinking that they need to just hurry up and get on with it. They've taken the time to let every beat and moment sink in and resonate; no jump cuts to speed things along. Yes, Marvel clearly took a few extra minutes with this film to sort of pat themselves on the back, but it never felt gratuitous in that respect.
I can only imagine that the people behind the DC film universe are just standing around in their offices, shaking their heads in disbelief, crying, pulling out their hair and taking turns kicking themselves in the ass - repeatedly - at what Marvel has accomplished, seemingly effortlessly, yet again. DC/Warner Bros. would practically kill to snag even a fraction of what Marvel has achieved, yet their efforts continue to stumble, crash & burn in the starting gate or flame out well before the finish line time & time again. Granted, they've begun to s-l-o-w-l-y turn things around with their last few films, but now here comes ENDGAME... and DC has been shoved - decisively - all the way back to square one.
Every MCU character has growth and, in almost each and every case, closure and a completion of their story arc, whether individually or as a team (or both) in ENDGAME. Casual fans will almost certainly enjoy it, while hardcore MCU fans and lifelong comic nerds will be completely overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the film. It was an incredibly involving and exhausting viewing experience. I was so emotionally drained afterwards that when my wife & I got home Thursday night around 10 o'clock I went to bed almost immediately, fell asleep within seconds of my head hitting the pillow and I did not wake up once, until my alarm went off 8 hours later. I have never cheered so loud, laughed so hard or been so twisted up with emotion (with the exception of the original Guardians, but that's strictly a personal thing) in the previous entries in the MCU saga as with this film. Oh, and do yourself a favor and take some hankies. There were sequences where everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - in the theater was either sniffling or outright bawling. After watching these characters for 11 years and 22 films it was very difficult to bear witness to some of the aftermath. As I said earlier, there is closure for everybody ...but unfortunately not everyone gets a beautiful sunset & a bouquet of roses. And the surprises are far and wide-ranging. And OH! the unexpected wealth of cameos you never saw coming!!
It's certainly the most rewarding for those fans who've watched all of the MCU movies and are intimately familiar with them, (seen them more than once, often several times), and there are so many clever Easter eggs and callbacks - to ALL of the movies - it is just amazing. And there were scenes where the entire theater erupted in deafening roars, lusty cheers and thunderous applause. Man, it was something truly exhilarating to experience. I feel a great swell of pity to think that some poor souls will foolishly wait until this comes out on home video. This movie DEMANDS to be seen on a BIG screen.
BOTTOM LINE: I'd easily place this in my top 3 Marvel films, not only because of what it accomplishes but because it truly is a terrific film in its own right.
...What I wouldn't give for a time stone to keep Jeph Loeb away form Marvel Animation and keep Avengers Earth's Mightiest heroes going...
