A spiritual and exhilarating experience
It’s a Thursday night and I’m sitting in the living room of my flat. I’ve been at the cinema all day in London as I ended up watching Infinity War for the second time after a brief lunch break in between screenings. This doesn’t sound like a regular review to start off with because I have a crazy feeling looming around me of how fast the past decade of my life has gone. You see ten years ago when Iron Man was released I was thirteen turning fourteen and my mum took me to the cinema after swimming training…that was in Perth, Australia, as I write this I’m now twenty-three and living in London. These details probably aren’t important to you unless you’re secretly a stalker that I don’t know about but it’s important to how I view Avengers: Infinity War. Marvel Studios has had a huge and long effect on my life, I’ve grown up in the age of comic book heroes being brought to life on huge cinema screens and for that, I’m thankful because I wouldn’t have it any other way. As I sat in the cinema watching the culmination of ten years of my own movie-going experiences I can’t help but reflect on it all and take it all in. Right before my now wiser and ageing eyes, I’ve seen Marvel pull off the largest comic book film yet and I can’t stop loving it.
Avengers: Infinity War is the culmination of ten years of Marvel Studios films but if you really need me to explain the general plot then okay let me break it down for you. From the big bang itself six infinity stones were created and whoever wields these infinity stones becomes the strongest person in the universe. The mad titan Thanos makes it his plan to collect all of the stones so that he may wipe out half of the universe in order to fulfil his plan of saving it. The only people out there to stop Thanos is every Marvel superhero that has been introduced so far as The Avengers and The Guardians of the Galaxy must join forces to stop Thanos from collecting all the stones and wiping out half of the universe.
To say Avengers: Infinity War packs a punch is an understatement as the film plays out like the end of Return of The Jedi, you know when there are the three different events happening at once, Luke is fighting the emperor, Lando is trying to blow up the Death Star 2 and Han, Leia and Chewie are trying to get the shield down. For Infinity War it’s like that but for the whole film. You might think that this would be too much but it nicely works well in most parts. The film has a fast paced urgent feel to it and unlike other Marvel films, it doesn’t suffer from moments where you know you could go to the bathroom. There was one guy who thought there was that moment in one of the screenings today but as he was walking down the stairs he stopped and stood there for a few moments before proceeding to sit down…hope he didn’t wet himself.
Speaking of getting too excited, you get a real pure sense of joy seeing all of your favourite Marvel characters interact with each other. It’s not just because it’s a good story and you feel like yes they all need to help each other out but more in the sense of no one half-assed it. If there’s one thing I love most about the MCU, its how well chosen all the actors are. Each actor adds there own unique element to the show and it creates that fantastic tone and banter that you see all the characters have on screen, whether it’s Pratt’s Starlord making fun of Hemsworth’s Thor or Tom Holland’s Spider-Man being weird and awkward around Cumberbatch’s Dr Strange. Every actor and character somehow works in tandem and it’s fantastic to watch, everyone feels like they’re having a great time unlike in other ensemble films like say Justice League. Watching all of the characters on screen is a real treat and the action of them all fighting together is even better. If you’re a Captain America fan you certainly won’t be disappointed by his arrival in the film.
The characters I’ve grown up watching are fantastic, but what about the villain? Well, I can safely say that Marvel’s villain problem isn’t relevant to this film as Thanos is easily the best villain yet in the MCU, sorry Loki. Thanos’ large body fills the screen and towers over the top of every character. He doesn’t say stupid lines or make silly obvious mistakes, he simply is good at being a villain. What is best about Thanos is his story and his drive as to himself he isn’t the villain and Avengers: Infinity War is really his story about his plan on saving the universe, the only people that are in his way is basically everyone else. The wait for Thanos, the six years since the first Avengers film was released, is certainly worth it and for one reason in particular.
As I was rewatching all of the MCU films I noticed how outdated the special effects and visuals of some of the more older Marvel films have already become. It’s crazy to think about but its that thinking you always have where you see in your head the film your thinking about but it’s in like 4K! Visual effects have come a long way and Avengers: Infinity War looks incredible! The colour that shines off the screen is some of the best yet as even in darker scenes the bright colours of the Avengers symbolise some glimmer of hope in stopping Thanos. The ability to fit every actor in the scene as well as whatever was CGI is crazy and hell even the 3D was some of the best I’ve seen from a converted 3D film. Thanos and his followers don’t look ridiculous and instead look mean and rugged like a villain should be.
I would love to see the difference between what an avid Marvel Studios fan, someone who sees all the films the first day they’re out, thinks about the film and what a general fan, someone who watches just some of the films, thinks about the film. I feel a huge emotional connection to the characters so any of them getting hurt means a lot to me. A general fan most likely doesn’t feel that as much and then most of the emotional weight the film carries will be lost on them, most likely. It’s bits like this where Infinity War faulters a little as the film is so fast-paced that some important relationships that have been built up over the last ten years and eighteen films aren’t given enough time to flourish and remind you why it’s important. Or in the case of a general fan, tell you why certain characters react to other characters. Going into Avengers: Infinity War with at least some prior knowledge of characters relationships is probably more important than knowing the main storyline.
It’s hard to review Avengers: Infinity War because you’re watching a film that is basically half a film, it’s certainly part one of two Avengers films. At the same time, you can’t really say anything about the plot of the film because you don’t want to be that guy who ruins it for someone and every moment of the film will most likely be applauded by eager fans so you don’t want to take that away. What I can say is that as I’ve grown up with these Marvel Studios films I’ve felt a great connection to all the characters and I’ve grown to love characters I didn’t know before and that’s what makes Avengers: Infinity War so fantastic. As a comic book fan, it’s everything I imagined it would be in my head. Does it have some faults? Yes but every film ever has faults. Avengers: Infinity War is a film that will either mean a lot to you and you’ll have a fantastic time watching it or it will just be a great watch for you. Either way, I’m ready for the next Avengers film and I’m still overly excited for the next ten years of Marvel films.