An Ending Fit For A Titan

Rating: 10/10 (30 April 2019)

This is a spoiler free review of Avengers: Endgame. There is a special place in hell for those major outlets that spoiled gigantic plot details that Marvel hid in the advertising. #DontSpoilTheEndgame #ThanosDemandsYourSilence
To say Avengers: Endgame had to meet lofty heights is an understatement.
Endgame is the culmination of the largest cinematic universe ever conceived and one that changed how Hollywood does movies.
Endgame exceeds even the best of expectations.
The Russo Brothers have cemented themselves that the true masters of superhero films. These directors have perfected the formula; a beautiful balance of characters, heart, action, drama, and passion. I don't think anyone else could have made a film like Endgame without it falling apart under the weight of all the pieces stacked on top of each other.
The climactic tale of Endgame is relatively simple for a 3-hour behemoth. Following the events of Avengers: Infinity War, where the Mad Titan Thanos killed half of all life in the universe, the surviving Avengers do everything they can to reverse Thanos' climactic snap. What follows is a 3 hour love letter to the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and one that sees some storylines end and leads to new possibilities in others. To say more is to spoil part of the surprise of the film.
Endgame was filmed back-to-back with Infinity War and it's clear to me that Endgame is where the emotional heart of the Infinity Saga is was placed. There are many moments in this film that will bring you to tears. Moments that any fan of the MCU will cheer for. Moments that no other franchise could ever hope to attain.
This is probably the most emotionally vulnerable we've seen many of the heroes of the MCU. We see what it's like for our heroes that helped define a generation to have failed despite everything they tried. There's a sense of sadness and desperation throughout Endgame that no MCU film has ever maintained for so long. This is not to say that Endgame is a sad movie; Endgame is a very adult movie and is one that any fan of the MCU will need to see.
Endgame is a roller coaster of a movie in so many ways. There are moments of levity, moments of fist-pumping action, and then moments of complete sadness that might bring tears to your eyes. It delivers everything. It never flinches. It will affect you in every way a well-made film can.
Performances are across the board fantastic. Thanos still reigns as the best MCU villain and Brolin's performance as man/monster who has the absolute conviction to do what he sees as necessary and the power to achieve it is beyond terrifying. Due to the increased run-time and Thanos' actions in Infinity War we get to spend a lot more time with our core Avengers group and have those moments that Infinity War lacked. While some of the supporting characters don't get as much time to shine, Endgame is really about the emotional turmoil of the original Avengers and how they deal with a world where they lost. This is where the heart of Endgame is and what makes Endgame not just another superhero team-up film. Endgame is a deeply personal story. These are actors doing right by the characters they portray, and doing right by the fans that adore them for it.
Oh and of course the action is fantastic and on a scale that may never be topped. While Infinity War might have been more action-packed by nature of it being a, well, war film, Endgame is more focused on the character moments that lead up to the climax that we all have waited a decade to see. The sheer spectacle that is the final act of Endgame is worth the price of admission alone. So many moments in the final act will have any MCU fan screaming on the inside with joyous ovation that will make them hardly be able to contain themselves. I am not kidding when I say this: the dude next to me at the theatre was literally bouncing up and down throughout the climax.
Perhaps the only slight I have against Endgame is that it's a film that would be next to impossible to fully appreciate for anyone who hasn't seen the entirety of the MCU. There are moments in this film that reference pretty much every single MCU movie made. Most references are quiet ones to some of the more iconic scenes in previous MCU films; the more drawn out ones are fully explained in the film to let newcomers follow along. Endgame is best appreciated by the die-hard Marvel fans, but is still approachable for those who have only caught their more popular films.
I could go on and on about why Endgame is excellent but I must resist the urge to as it might spoil the surprises. Endgame is truly a unique film experience; an epic follow-up to Infinity War that finishes what that movie started, as well as acts as a nigh-perfect ending to over a decade's worth of cinema. While the MCU will continue with heroes new and old, Endgame is the point where we will look back at as a monument to the right way to end a story on a scale which previously was never even dreamed of.
Avengers: Endgame is the rare film that will make you cheer at the top of your lungs and make you cry just a few moments later. A film that has laughs while also having deeply reflective and somber scenes. Avengers: Endgame is a thrilling, heartfelt, and fitting climax that is almost impossible not to love.