WARNING!!! LIFE CHANGING SPOILERS INCLUDED!!!! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN WILL!
The culmination of 10 years and more than 20 films in the Marvel universe, Avengers: Endgame has set out to bring closure to millions of fans. Where Infinity War left everyone jarred and downright messed up, the Russo brothers have unveiled their master plan to reward the legion of loyal fans. Endgame is the most expensive execution of the franchise but that doesn’t leave it with an empty soul. Chalk full of themes, character arcs, multiple plots, not to mention an array of epic moments, Endgame provides plenty to process.
Given that the film was just a tick over 3 hours, (which honestly flew by seamlessly) many fans wondered if the finale would truly define all that has risen in the saga. There has been a lot of talk about “fan service” and where the notion belongs in a process to appease the masses along with the final project. I can definitely say that the writers cultivated a perfect blend of cookie-cutter heroism with groundbreaking discovery and story-telling. Not sacrificing the larger-than-life action scenes for more realism but finding a way to blend these payoffs with balancing all the relationships we have with these characters. Yet the incredible thing about the Marvel Universe is perhaps the inclusion that’s involved, even though Endgame is the tail end of this certain phase, it is clearly an event for all moviegoers.
No franchise in Hollywood history can honestly compare to what Disney-Marvel has accomplished to this point. Trilogies and sagas so epic and classic as Star Wars and The Lord of The Rings are the gold standard. The Harry Potter series cultivated the modern coming of age story-telling structure and this somewhat has leaked into the so called “Golden Age” of TV. For all these years, all of the multi-part narratives, all of the layers and ensembles involved have tested the Marvel fan base like no other.
The opening scenes of Endgame revisit some harsh times and moments. Clint Barton (Hawkeye) is seen spending his time with his family only to be tormented by realizing they were vaporized by the infamous snap. Stark (Downey Jr.) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) are stranded and drifting somewhere far out in space. A glimmer of hope resides in Captain Marvel’s (Brie Larson) arrival as she soars to the cockpit and rescues the two. All leading to what many didn’t expect within the first 30 minutes, which was a surprise confrontation with Thanos. Banishing himself to a remote garden-like planet, Thanos is taking it easy and simmering some dinner. Confronted by the heroes, he mentions that he has destroyed all six of the powerful Infinity Stones. Meaning the universe is stuck the way it is. Before the audience can even grasp this revelation, Thor goes all Game of Thrones on Thanos and beheads him. With his multi-chinned head rolling on the floor, this event just sets the table for a ride none of us expected.
Now obviously Infinity War didn’t turn out so great for the Avengers, and with the Infinity Stones destroyed what are the options to any kind of victory? Time travel of course! Yes, it seems that this is the only route the narrative could have taken, and with many characters vanishing in the previous installment, I guess we could accept this path. Now I understand that time travel in cinema is accompanied by so many tropes and mechanics. Most of them are explained in a clumsy fashion while some are just downright technically stupid. In fact, the characters mention Back to the Future and other time traveling films multiple times, tongue in cheek of course. At least the time traveling mechanic can be explained in this context since we have a couple of characters capable of such feats. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) holds some ability to bend time and see future outcomes, as he actually mentions that there is a 1 in a 14 million chance the Avengers are victorious in their battle with Thanos. Even Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) has demonstrated that time travel within the quantum realm can be achieved to some degree. So, there it is, the table is set for the narrative vehicle and the plan is in motion to go back in time and recollect the stones. For the sake of the universe, why not…
The screen flashes with a timestamp displaying that 5 years have passed by. GASP! What have the heroes and people of earth been up to? The five years passing allows for monumental change and depression to succumb to many. The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) was previously always tugging with his identity but as time passed, he has been able to merge and find some middle ground with his transformation, not to mention a newly found fandom from the people of earth. Tony Stark has seemed to cozy up to a civilian life with his family in a secluded area, and he doesn’t seem bothered by much these days. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on the other hand has drastically and hilariously become the drunken “Dude” and spends his time chugging craft beers and harassing twelve-year olds on Fortnite. The dude abides! 
After a sequence of rounding up the heroes and convincing even the hardheaded ones (Stark), the plan for a “Time Heist” is suggested. As mentioned before, this path allows the film to return to key events and provides the greatest outcome for memorable moments and surprising twists. Of course, they could have went back in time to when Thanos was a child and smothered him with a pillow but having bromancy moments with Thor and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) is a lot more fun.
Regardless of the never-ending geek diatribes about time travel, the main drive of the film is not debatable. The emotions and convictions that the heroes carry upon themselves and others is the compound of it all. Tony Stark, Thor and Captain America hold strong emotional burdens and these performances are worth the ticket price alone. These heroes have changed so much over the years that we almost forget their own personal struggles and ambitions. Collectively we understand their goal and what they are trying to achieve but individually they represent their own lost hopes and despairs. The film has plenty of heart-wrenching moments and many audience members at my screening whimpered as if their own dog was put down. The personal sacrifice of Natasha Romanova (Scarlett Johansson) was just the beginning of heart breaks. The most awful moment was when Tony Stark’s engineered heart dims down in what truly encapsulated the end of an iconic figure in the series. In a more light-hearted send off, Captain America received the most fitting end and one that the character probably most desired.
Embodied with strong emotions and character driven narratives, the creative team behind these masterful works have operated on orchestral levels. Think of how difficult it truly was to wrap a bow on all of this and to provide the loyal fans with everything they possibly could have dreamed. The audience has come to expect all these elements to be executed on the highest level. Cinematically speaking the sets and stunning battle sequences are above anything the Marvel team have accomplished yet and the nuanced moments escorted by the incredible score emphasize the real significance of it all.
Throughout the two and a half hours of battle-hardened sequences and ball busting jabs between the heroes, the trials and success of it all, Endgame puts a cap on the decade long journey that has represented so much in contemporary American cinema. Twenty years ago, films based on comic books and animated series were gimmicky and somewhat relegated to a lower form of storytelling. The revolution that Marvel has delivered over this past decade clearly changes that notion. Avengers: Endgame represents the end of a saga, but the storytelling and characters have been cemented forever.
Bonus: Did you stay and wait for the end credits to wrap up? No, there weren’t any new clips or teaser scenes but if you listened closely you could hear the clanging of iron being forged. Just a little homage to Tony Stark and the Iron Man legacy.
