Not an MCU fan, but really enjoyed this

Rating: 7/10 (29 April 2019)

No spoilers!!
Being a sceptic of Marvel movies for a long time, I had low expectations going into Endgame. I didn't love Infinity War, but I wanted to see this film opening weekend to avoid spoilers and see how the 10-year culmination of the MCU concluded. Well, I was pleasantly surprised with the film. It's not without its issues, but Endgame felt like one of the most unique and captivating Marvel films to date. I was very surprised at how easily I was engaged throughout the 3-hour runtime. The film breaks down into three parts, each part having its pros and cons. Personally, I thought the first act was the weakest and overstayed its welcome. Despite that, there were still some interesting parts that helped flesh out the aftermath of Infinity War. The second and third act felt very original and had many surprising moments that kept me guessing what would happen next. However, there were parts that felt VERY fan servicey. Of course, some of the fan service was fine, but at other points it felt like a little much.
One of the great things about this movie was that it broke from the simple MCU formula. It has a much different story than any of the other MCU films and utilizes much different plot mechanisms to make it feel more original. The emotional range of the film was another thing that felt different to me compared to many other MCU films. I thought the humor in this film was handled much better, causing me to laugh multiple times. Not only was the film funny at points, but it also had some sad, depressing, exciting, and thrilling sequences. This film, unlike some other MCU films, was able to have some very serious moments and did not have to cut the emotional tension by inserting a cheesy one-liner.
Despite it being a much more original and emotionally driven film compared to other MCU films, it did have some shortcomings. I think that some of the fan service took me out of the film because it felt either overdramatic or forced. There were times were I caught myself rolling my eyes at how overdramatic or socially 'woke' the movie was being. One scene in particular felt like a blatant advertisement in the middle of the film, which was jarring and cringe worthy. There were also many moments of the film that could have been explained to help bring more tension, but instead were brushed over in order to fit everything into a reasonably lengthed film. I think there were parts that should have been cut or shorted and other parts that should have been extended. Lastly, I thought that Thanos was misused in this film. I was excited to see his role in this film but was left disappointed by his role as the villain.
As someone who wouldn't consider themselves a Marvel fan, I had fun watching this movie regardless of it having some issues. I would definitely recommend it if you have been following the MCU at all recently, but I probably don't need to do that because everyone and there mother is going to see this. Overall, I thought it was enjoyable and quite possibly my favorite Marvel film.
P.S. It feels satisfying to have this chapter of superhero movies come to a close. I hope that it will make way for more innovative and interesting films, whether they are superhero related or not.