The best superhero movie ever, and why? (a 'brief' essay)

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2020)

I think there's a cynical generalisation that Avengers: Endgame, and by definition the MCU, belongs in the same category as the likes of Fast and Furious, or Transformers, i.e. a lazily produced, generic production line, superficial big-budget, dumbed down blockbuster; watering down any substance and story in order to appeal to the mass consumer market. This couldn't be further from the truth.
In fact, it's that willingness to be more brave and take an un-patronising approach with the audience which enabled it to become the highest-grossing movie of all time.
Marvel took a gamble. They decided not to appeal to the lowest common denominator, but instead weave a rich tapestry of character arcs and narrative exposition, which was developed to greater detail in the 'trilogy within a franchise', i.e. Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame. Indeed, I struggle to think of another movie in the MCU that does so much justice to all the characters, or encapsulates their all too human traits in such profound and tragic detail.
I say that purely on the basis of scale, and Endgame's ability to 'cover all bases'. Take Thor, for starters. Now I read in one review that Chris Hemsworth's performance (specifically the comedic elements) was too 'on the nose' and overplayed. I couldn't disagree more. The Thor we see in Endgame is a complete subversion of the borderline toxic masculinity that shrouds him in previous instalments. He's broken, pained, tortured, and Hemsworth captures that in a sublime tragicomic reinvention of the character. Never have the stakes been higher, and never has a superhero been more mentally ill-equipped and insecure to face his demons. I think as a viewer we empathise wholeheartedly with that. Not all heroes are the one-dimensional, cardboard cut-out, indestructible, and incorruptible knights akin to Dominic Toretto or Optimus Prime (although these characters do get corrupted at some point or another this is carried with nowhere near the same degree of authenticity or pathos as Thor's). His ego, and self-esteem, have been dented (no, decimated) by his 'failure' at the end of Infinity War/start of Endgame. It's Endgame which serves as a spiritual journey for him, to pick himself up and prove himself "worthy" once more. This theme is underlying with most of the characters in the movie, in fact, but not in such a powerful, or personal, way as his. It's testament to Hemsworth that you don't know whether to cringe, laugh, or cry at his plight and instability. The term 'beautiful disaster' comes to mind.
This may be just me, but I always thought of Captain America as something of a non-entity during the events of Infinity War. Come to think of it, that was almost certainly an intentional decision. After Civil War it's almost as if Steve Rogers is ashamed to be associated with the Captain America moniker (his dropping of the shield in the climax of that movie symbolic of his disbanding that identity altogether). He's become a more humbled shadow of his former self. You could debate therefore, that Steve depends on 'Cap' to harness his strength and resilience, that he's incomplete without him. In Endgame, though, we get a triumphant return to form. After the reality check that was the devastating resolution to Infinity War, his humbling has given him a newfound sense of heroism, confidence, and most importantly modesty. In my mind he's the stoic backbone, the rock in the team through which everyone gravitates around.
Needless to say, the greatest character development comes in the form of Tony Stark. Robert Downey Jr's mesmerizing performance has been increasingly fine-tuned and nuanced as the MCU has progressed. In Endgame he finally comes full-circle. Once the selfish playboy millionaire who never truly stepped out of the shadow of his father's legacy, in Endgame his transformation is complete: making the ultimate sacrifice in a completely selfless act, but not before finding true fulfilment with the woman he loves, and finding true acceptance, or closure, with his father's influence in his life. The thing I found most profound with Tony in Endgame is his embodiment of 'the hero' archetype. For perhaps the first time ever in the franchise, in the form of his daughter Morgan, he doesn't need to wear the suit to be 'the hero'. He's just her dad, and that's enough. I think this is indicative to his character's journey from Iron Man. He no longer serves to his own self-interests, exacerbated through his previous use of grand posturing and artificial superpowers, but now rather displays truly heroic qualities from within, for the benefit of others. Tony Stark is the lynchpin which forms the emotional crux of the movie, made all the more heart-rending through the heightened sense of responsibility now bestowed upon him.
One of the most surprising character departures comes in the form of Clint Barton, the reason being that in previous instalments there was always that feeling he was just there to make up the numbers. Maybe he'll pop a wisecracking one-liner, or show off some sick archery skills, but with no real depth through which the audience can truly engage with him. Fast-forward to Endgame, and we see him in a nightmarishly self-destructive spiral, slaughtering those he's decided are unworthy of having survived 'the snap', in some vain hope of avenging his families disintegration. Ironically, by the time we catch up with him in Tokyo any moral compass or conscience he may have possessed have disintegrated too, having turned into a violent mercenary alter-ego by the name of Ronin. It's a radical left-turn for the character, one which adds another layer of resonance into the failure and loss caused by the repercussions of Thanos's actions. Very similar to Thor you can see he's visibly traumatised, barely holding it together, ashamed, grieving, and now consumed by very un-heroic traits.
Avengers: Endgame is just as must a story of redemption as it is a mission to reclaim the Infinity Stones. This truly is the fight of their lives, not just against a terrifying threat, but also against their own eroded feelings of self-worth and purpose. It's in this chaos that they must pull together, now more than ever. One of the notable additions to the movie which I must mention is, of course, Paul Rudd's Ant-Man, the comic relief whose presence brings some much-welcome levity to an otherwise sombre start, and adds to the delightful camaraderie which underpins the teams relationship.
The 'three-act structure' (beginning, middle, end), as highlighted by film critic Mark Kermode, is utilised to daring and startling effect in Endgame. There's something very haunting and elegiac about the entire first-act. The filmmakers allow time for the audience to immerse, or acclimatise, themselves to this new colourless reality where the heroes are down on their luck, barely getting by, wandering around aimlessly and looking for a new sense of meaning in the fallout of 'the snap's' devastation. This in-turn heightens the emotional intensity, and as a result our allegiance to the characters, ready for the absolute sucker punch in the climax of the movie. We're just as determined as they are to prevail in the face of overwhelming odds.
There's a scene, which one critic derided, where Natasha Romanoff breaks down in tears while trying to eat a sandwich calmly and collectively. He argued that this was silly and was just there to pad the film out. I think he missed the point entirely. This scene perfectly emphasis the futility of our heroes readjustment to this new reality. Natasha is falling apart at the seams, trying desperately to put on a brave face, in the face of an inevitable and tragic truth. Sometimes a simple piece of storytelling like this can hold a such deeper meaning or resonance.
I was also very impressed by the reinterpretation of Thanos in Endgame, as opposed to him in Infinity War. Whereas before he was a world-weary conqueror, disillusioned and ruthless but ultimately led by a sincere impetus of moral righteousness, now he's a despotic tyrannical warlord. No longer interested in preserving the sanctity of life in the universe, instead he pursues a more greedy and egocentric ambition, to wipe out life as we know it altogether, starting from scratch and fashioning himself into a sort of false God. It's this despicability which makes Thanos an even more threatening presence, especially when compared to our now-vulnerable and emotionally scarred heroes. Josh Brolin delivers another magnetic performance, and without his involvement I do believe the success of the Infinity War and Endgame would've been seriously compromised.
The climax, when it comes, is absolutely electrifying. Basically the culmination of a 22-film saga, it's the ultimate reward for an audience who have persevered and followed these characters throughout an astonishing multi-layered journey. It runs the entire gamut, right from when the holy trinity of Iron Man, Thor, and Cap face-off against Thanos, to Cap's worthiness to wield Mjolnir, to the spine-tingling emergence of the portals/resurrection of the rest of the Avengers, to the evening out of the odds, to the battle to end all battles, to the realisation that a sacrifice must be made, to the period of mourning and self-reflection afterwards, and finally the transition of Cap/Agent Carter's ethereal dance into the end-credits montage, which is the cherry on the cake.
Personally I found that Endgame was satisfying on every emotional level, so much so I left the screening completely astounded and awestruck. It was truly epic in every sense of the word. The directing/scriptwriting team of The Russo Brothers, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely should be lauded for their sheer commitment to the story and characters, and reluctance to sell-out for a quick buck. I think those who choose to disregard it as just 'lazy' and 'unimaginative' are cheating themselves of a hugely gratifying experience.