Endgame isn't quite the endgame you would expect

Rating: 7/10 (23 July 2019)

Endgame is carried by irresistable emotion and nostalgia, but it doesn't take away the fact that its 3 hour runtime and main story was not justified or fulfilled the way it could've been.
Feeling like more of a Captain America film more than anything else. Endgame is a more honed in and character focussed film than Infinity War, but it's just not nearly as exciting. It opens with a phenomenally cinematic prologue that makes you believe you're in for the Avengers ride of your life.
But once the story really gets going, it never really gets going. In fact they spend a tremendous amount of time in mindless despair when they could've just jumped into their time travel premise but sooner and been able to explore things with much greater intensity and context.
When Infinity War seemed like a near perfect "situation" type film for Endgame to use in their time travel pursuits, the Russo's completely neglect that film, that timeline and that villain as if it was not meant to be. Sucking out the endearing excitement that Infinity War gave us. And instead give us the Greatest Hits version that works on some levels of emotion, but just didn't quite fulfill the immensity of its intent. To save and bring back all the stones. Which felt more conveniently achieved rather than compellingly explored.
Ultimately they accomplish what they set out to do, with almost no sense of complication or challenge or even steaks at all. It gets to its climax so it can let all of its heroes have it with the great and undisputed Thanos, who isn't even the same Thanos as Infinity War.
And concludes a movies that is clearly meant to be a fan-letter, send-off tale for the MCU. And boy on that regard, does it deliver. But in terms of story, it's a hit and miss.
But nevertheless, it's climax is something to behold. And furthermore its final few moments may even endear a stronger impact than one might expect. Making you miss a franchise you never thought you would.
But In the end it was big, powerful, and hopelessly long and nostalgic. But it certainly isn't the 3 hour epic finale it poses to be. It's just fine in its own light of excitement.