The Perfect Ending, If Not Nearly a Perfect Film

Rating: 7/10 (6 May 2019)

It's been a long, fruitful eleven years for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and never has that been more apparent than in this, the true culmination of that protracted journey. Engame is a die-hard crowd pleaser, going above and beyond to check every box on the wish list, sometimes even to its own detriment. We get resolutions and payoffs to dozens of dangling threads, not to mention years' worth of fan service, while flashing back to the preceding films in a way that doesn't feel exploitative or redundant. Character moments abound, always a hallmark of the Avengers franchise, but where in the past it was enough to merely watch the big personalities bounce around a room, this time we see a tremendous logical change in each of them.
The plot suffers from pacing issues, leaves behind a whole slew of gaping holes and tends to over-rely on twists and misdirection where the expected route would've been much cleaner. It can feel disappointingly blunt at times, then surprisingly subtle and nuanced in others. At some points, more than a few, you'll feel that the Marvel slate has never been more forced, never cheesier. In others, you'll be shocked to realize you're still watching a superhero movie. It's not as smooth as the MCU's best, nor as efficient, nor as visually ambitious, but when it gets where it's going the results are spectacular. I credit that more to the decade of careful planning and coordinated execution than I do to this film in particular, though points are certainly due for sticking the landing.
When I found myself walking away from the cinema, contemplative and maybe a little bit shell-shocked, I experienced a strange mix of calm, relief and fulfillment. I wasn't amped up like a Rocky movie. I hadn't been through something titillating or epic, an instant classic that I'll assuredly watch over and over again. I just knew that it was over, I was cool with that, and I was satisfied by the closure. This iteration of the team went out on a high note, but not its highest. The perfect ending, if not nearly a perfect film.