Directed by:
Anthony Russo
Joe Russo
Starring:
Robert Downey Jr.
Chris Hemsworth
Chris Evans
Scarlett Johansson
As the theater lights dimmed and the Marvel logo flashed, I anxiously awaited the familiar music that accompanies it. Instead, I was greeted with nothing but silence and an Asgardian distress signal.
The opening ten seconds sets the tone for the next 150 minutes — this isn’t your typical Marvel movie.
While there is a great mix of humor throughout, the tone is noticeably darker and the heroes are more vulnerable than ever.
The PG-13 rating really sticks here, err on the side of caution when bringing young children into the theater, because crying may ensue.
“Avengers: Infinity War” is the culmination of 18 prior movies, and the stakes have never been higher.
Thanos, “The Mad Titan,” is on a quest to retrieve the six infinity stones scattered across the galaxy. If he is able to possess all six, he can simply snap his fingers and wipe out half of all life in the universe.
Standing in his way are the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy and the tribes of Wakanda, just to name a few.
It’s one of the most densely packed movies of all time, with heroes from each series fighting for screen time. Yet somehow, Anthony and Joe Russo, the film’s directors, give every character a chance to shine. A Winter Soldier/Rocket Raccoon team up wasn’t something I ever thought I wanted, but I’m so glad I got to see it on the big screen.
The movie begins where “Thor: Ragnarok” left off, with Thanos and his four henchmen, collectively called the Black Order, boarding the Asgardian ship. The situation isn’t pretty, and there’s no time wasted in establishing Thanos as the real deal.
It’s no secret that Marvel has suffered from a villain problem. Both Phase 1 and 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) were plagued by generic villains, with Loki and Winter Soldier being outliers.
I couldn’t begin to tell you what Mickey Rourke’s evil plan was in “Iron Man 2,” and if you were to ask me about “Thor: The Dark World,” I would reply with “It’s Asgard vs. elf people, with a little bit of Natalie Portman sprinkled in as well.”
While Phase 3 improved on this front (Zemo, Vulture, Kilmonger), some were still hit-or-miss.
But, the Russo brothers know how to craft a memorable villain, and Thanos lives up to the almost impossible levels of hype built around him.
When they said this was Thanos’s movie, they weren’t kidding. We follow him on his quest to achieve balance in the universe, something he truly believes is the right thing to do. In a sense, Thanos is essentially our protagonist.
From his perspective, Earth’s mightiest heroes are an obstacle he must push through, even if he doesn’t necessarily want to.
Thanos’s plan is without a doubt over the top and disturbing, but it’s in line with the comics, and as we follow him throughout the movie we learn and understand more of his motivations.
For me, surprisingly enough, Thor was the hero of the movie. The God of Thunder has never been one of my favorite Avengers, but “Infinity War” continues Thor’s excellent character arc.
Sure, his character is now completely out of line with his first movies, but he’s now so much more relatable to the audience. We can sympathize with Thor after everything he’s been through, particularly after “Ragnarok,” without having to look at his bleached eyebrows and shoulder-length hair anymore.
My only real gripe with the movie lies in its marketing. Marvel has done an excellent job of fooling us with fake scenes and misdirection in trailers, but it’s starting to feel a bit unnecessary and forced.
I’m all for subverting expectations, but I think this movie takes it too far. While the end product is stellar, I was left wanting some of those trailer scenes.
The movie also should have stuck with “Infinity War: Part 1” from the get-go, because after one hell of a cliffhanger it’s now going to be a long, agonizing wait until next May.
Max Rothenberg can be reached at [email protected]