The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) started in the most inauspicious of ways. In Iron Man’s post credit’s scene, Nick Fury informed Tony Stark about the Avenger Initiative. That encounter led to the birth of the MCU.
That was 11 years ago —- 11 years since Marvel Studios teased the world about the possibility of creating an Avengers film.
Today, that possibility has not only become real but also evolved into a juggernaut. The Avengers have not only starred in one, but also in three movies. Marvel Studios has continued to hit home runs.
But, every story should have an end. Even Marvel Studios knows this. With this in mind, the Kevin Feige led company offers its final film — one that promises to conclude a storyline that encompasses 21 separate motion pictures. Playing in theaters this week is Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame.
The Story
Note: If you don’t want to read a summary of the film’s plot, then feel free to move on to the next part.
Avengers: Endgame (Endgame for brevity) starts with Tony Stark (together with Nebula) drifting in space. It has been a few weeks since the “The Snap,” an event in which Thanos, using the Infinity Gauntlet, committed intergalactic genocide by reducing half of the universe’s population into ash. So, with the ship damaged beyond repair, Stark succumbs to the notion that he would die soon.
Fate, however, intervenes. Captain Marvel finds Stark’s ship and brings him back to the Avengers headquarters.
The remaining Avengers speak with both Stark and Nebula. Stark, still in despair, rants and gets angry. He bewails his chance of defeating Thanos.
The team’s remaining members then try to placate Stark. They have him sedated to calm down. It is at this point when Nebula mentions that he knows where Thanos is hiding. The Avengers, reduced to a handful, decide to go after the Mad Titan.
The Avengers eventually find Thanos, but they are too late. The Mad Titan “used the stones to destroy the stones.” The Earth’s Mightiest heroes were stunned, and before they could do anything else, Thor severs Thanos’ head. The Avengers move on.
Five years after the heroes’ assault on Thanos, Scott Lang escapes the Quantum Realm. He then tries to make sense of the world and learns in the process about what has transpired in his absence. This prompts him to go to the Avengers headquarters.
Lang then informs Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanov that he was trapped in the Quantum Realm when Thanos decimated the universe. The Snap did not affect him. This gave Lang the idea of using the Quantum Realm to facilitate time travel and commit a “time heist,” i.e., go back to specific points in the past, e.g., Battle of New Your in Avengers’ 1, and collect the Infinity Stones to bring everyone back into existence.
Rogers, Lang, and Romanov however realized that they do not have the brainpower to validate their theory. They decide to reach out to Tony Stark.
Stark, with a family of his own, turns them down. Rogers, Lang, and Romanov go to the next “big brain” that they know: Bruce Banner.
Banner, now living as Professor Hulk (a synthesis of Hulk’s brawn and Banner’s brain), agrees to help his teammates and creates a time machine. It works, but is far from perfect. Stark, after reconsidering his decision, helps out.
So, the Avengers go back in time and get the gems. They create their own gauntlet. But, unbeknown to them, the Thanos from 2014 discovers their plan and follows them to the present to get the Infinity Stones.
Meanwhile, the Avengers debate as to who should put on the gauntlet and make the snap. Thor volunteers, but the team says no given his fragile emotional state. Banner then states that it has to be him; with his Hulk body, he is the only one that can probably survive the energy that would emanate from the stones.
Banner then snaps his fingers; everything seemingly is back to normal until Thanos makes a surprise attack. The Avengers fight back, but this time not just with a complete roster, but also with added support, or should I say an army of their own. A free-for-all ensues; both sides battle.
With the results uncertain, Stark asks reassurance from Doctor Strange that their only gambit — one out 14 million will work. Strange says: “if I tell you what happens, it won’t happen.” The battle rages on until the film reaches its most dramatic scene.
The Avengers try to keep the Infinity Gauntlet away from Thanos, but the Mad Titan still finds his way to it. The final and only obstacle left is Tony Stark. Thanos and Stark fight, with the latter snatching the glove from the former. Stark, with the gauntlet in his possession, snaps his fingers and says the now iconic words: “I am Iron Man.” In an instant, the invading horde, including Thanos, turns into ash.
The heroic move however came at a cost. Stark couldn’t handle the stones’ collective energy. He dies thereafter.
Staggering Scale
Indeed, watching Endgame felt like there was so much was going on. That’s understandable given that the movie provides a conclusion to 21 films that preceded it. This also explains and justifies the reasoning behind Endgame’s three-hour long running time.
But, aside from Endgame’s scale and scope — which arguably is a first of its kind — the movie also made references or simulated past scenes in different Marvel films.
For instance, Endgame showed a similar elevator scene to that of Captain America: Winter Soldier. In Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers fought Hydra agents will going down the lift. In Endgame, the same villains surrounded the Captain, but this time he did not punch his way out. He tricked his way out by saying “Hail Hydra.”
Another example is Endgame’s funeral scene, which showcased Tony Stark’s old arc reactor. That in a way paid homage to the film that started it all for the MCU: Iron Man.
The Characters Make The Movie
But, regardless of Endgame’s scope, the movie works because of its characters. Sure, the film was funny; it was action-packed. The battle scenes were memorable — especially the last one. It may go down as one of the best all-out confrontation between two sides executed in a motion picture. It is, however, Endgame’s personas that ultimately pull in the viewers.
The original six Avengers, i.e., Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, acted as emotional anchors. The pain and suffering of these six made the film relatable to the moviegoers. Their melancholy gave the motion picture a sense of realism. That was important given the film’s nature.
Do note that both the Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame storylines were derived from Marvel Comics’ Infinity Gauntlet tale published in 1991. And in that narrative, other characters participated, e.g., The Silver Surfer, Dr. Doom, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, and Adam Warlock to name a few. Aside from them, cosmic beings formed part of the story too, e.g., Lady Death, Mephisto, Galactus, Epoch, The Living Tribunal, and etc. Try reading the comic book version and you’ll find out about its trippy nature. You may even find the same impossible to present in celluloid format.
So, instead of being faithful to the 1991 comic book storyline, Joe and Anthony Russo (Endgame’s directors) refocused the attention to the six original Avengers. They watered down the original tale’s metaphysical components and instead concentrated on emotions, i.e., the Avengers’ sense of loss and despair. This made the story more relatable. Marvel Studios not only made a practical choice but also a wise one.
The Thespians
Endgame also owes its success to its roster of actors. But, some individual performances stood out more.
Jeremy Renner (as Ronin/Hawkeye) made up for lost time. Chris Evans, as always, was excellent as Captain America. Brie Larson owns the screen whenever she has a scene. Tom Holland, in his few takes, steals the spotlight. There is of course Paul Rudd, whose role is probably the most human of all and provides needed laughter and comedy.
Due credit, however, should be given to Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ), the franchise’s best actor. He once again provided indispensable gravitas to the motion picture. Without RDJ, the Avengers would not have soared.
It Ain’t All Good
The film inasmuch as it deserves praise falls short in some areas. It has plot holes. Case in point is when Thor took Mjolnir when he went to Asgard.
If Thor took his hammer back to the present, then what did the Thor of that that time use when Malekith attacked?
How about the Soul Stone? Could it still be returned to Voramir? Didn’t the Red Skull say that what has been done there couldn’t be undone?
How did Steve Rogers become old? Doesn’t the super-soldier serum slow down the aging process?
The show runners hopefully can answer these questions in time.
What Happens Now?
But, the more important question is what happens now? With Iron Man dying in the film, then that means there won’t be any Robert Downey Jr. appearances in the MCU for the foreseeable future. What’s Marvel Studios next play? Who will carry the torch?
Marvel, as reports indicate, will offer new content. It will present some Avengers, like Wanda, Vision, and Hawkeye, on TV via Disney+. Marvel Studios will also feature new characters onto the silver screen with the Eternals and Shang-Chi.
Now, as for those that will carry the MCU torch, Brie Larson, Tom Holland and Chadwick Boseman are the probably candidates.
But, whether the MCU can find someone to take Downey’s place remains to be seen. I won’t however fret that much, because as long as Kevin Feige is at the helm, the MCU is in good hands. If Downey is nearly indispensable, then everything falls apart without Feige.
Verdict
Avengers: Endgame is one heck of a film. The movie’s story, scale, and scope, probably a first in Hollywood, are all impressive. The actors performed in an excellent manner. The action was first rate. For these reasons, the motion picture probably may make some noise during next year’s awards circuit and possibly in the Oscar awards, too.
But, will Endgame become a classic? Now, that’s a question mark.
Even if it isn’t immortalized and glorified in the pantheon of best films ever made, Endgame rightfully joins the discussion, along with The Dark Knight and Black Panther, as being the best comic book movie of all-time.
Rating
1 – Don’t bother
2 – Wait for it on Netflix or HBO
3 – It’s ok. Watch in the theater if you’re not doing anything else
4 – Entertaining, worth every centavo, but not a can’t miss
5 – Go get your ass to the theater. Now!
This one merits a 5 for filmmaking never before witnessed in recent memory.
Playing the Point 