Brace yourselves — there’s only one week left until the release of what might be the highest grossing movie of all time.
With 18 films in the franchise and just over a week to get caught up, there’s simply not enough time to watch each one.
If you’ve seen the films recently and remember them well, congratulations are in order. But if you’re not familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or have forgotten some of the more important details, I promise it’ll be okay. Here’s how you can prep for Infinity War.
“Avengers”
The final film in phase one of the MCU, “Avengers” is the first time we see these heroes share the same screen.
The ensemble superhero cast includes Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow and that arrow guy who is mysteriously absent from “Infinity War” posters.
This is in contention for my favorite Marvel film. There’s a perfect blend of humor and seriousness, and the teamwork-oriented action helps us see how far the MCU has come since then.
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
Most fans might remember this film solely for the soundtrack, but I remember it for … the soundtrack as well. It’s just that good.
Star-lord, Drax, Gamora and Rocket are the self-proclaimed “Guardians of the Galaxy.” While the film is great, I can’t help but wonder if they should change their name to “Guardians of the rest of the Galaxy besides Earth.”
Where were they during the rest of these films? Earth was cutting it pretty close on numerous occasions, and I don’t remember seeing any raccoons save the day.
Regardless, these characters will be critical to the plot of “Infinity War.”
“Avengers: Age of Ultron”
While not as great as the first, Age of Ultron introduces a plethora of important characters. Scarlet Witch, Vision, Rhodey 2.0, played by Don Cheadle this time, and Quicksilv … well maybe not that last one.
I’m still not sure how exactly Quicksilver was killed by bullets, but I promise I’m not bitter. Even if there was wasted potential there. A lot of wasted potential.
Vision, who is powered by an infinity stone, will be at the heart of Infinity War’s conflict. In order to complete his gauntlet, Thanos has to rip the stone from Vision’s head. I hope it doesn’t happen, but I have a sinking feeling Vision won’t have 20/20 for much longer.
“Captain America: Civil War”
“Civil War” is a fantastic film, at least until you compare it to the comics. After seeing the original, incredibly large scope of the battle, watching 12 people battle in an airport feels like a bit of a letdown.
Regardless, Spider-Man and Black Panther steal the show in their debut appearances, and the final showdown between Iron Man, Captain America and Winter Soldier does not disappoint.
The permanent rifts between these characters will be explored in greater detail and hopefully resolved in Infinity War, but we can’t know for sure.
“Doctor Strange”
Benedict Cumberbatch is the perfect Doctor Strange, and you can’t convince me otherwise.
Full of trippy visuals and psychedelic effects, the film almost made me dizzy at times. Dr. Strange’s final encounter with Dormammu is one of the most clever battles in the entire MCU, and shows an incredible amount of character growth within one film.
Since the time stone is currently in Dr. Strange’s possession, we can expect him to get more than he bargains for in Infinity War.
“Thor: Ragnarok”
Ragnarok single-handedly salvages the Thor trilogy. I acknowledge that director Taika Waititi completely changes the tone of the characters, particularly Loki and Hulk, but that change was necessary.
I only have two questions for Waititi. What happens to the fire demon Surtur after that ‘explosive’ Asgardian ending? And why was it necessary to, for lack of a better phrase, make us that intimate with Hulk? I don’t think I want the answer to the latter.
With beautiful cinematography and an ending that literally transitions into Infinity War, it’s the perfect finale to a week of Marvel recaps.
Max Rothenberg can be reached at [email protected]