Credible, action-packed, intelligent, clever, witty and almost perfect

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2018)

Yes, there is a "but" to come but onto the film first.
Right from the start you can feel the quality and intuitiveness of those at the helm. For me, that means close-ups, pans, zoom-outs and changes the POV of the action without the audience being aware of it. Every little eye-brow raise, head tilt and expression is intended and adds an unspoken aspect of the dialogue.
It is this deft touch and the quality of the storyline that sets MCU adaptations apart from the rest, well except for the stony, lock-jawed DareDevil but thank Galactus, Affleck has joined DC alongside Mr Cheesy himself, Henry Edsel (pun intended).
If losing Wolverine was painful, the losses in this quest is gut-wrenching and it occurs not with a struggle to the death but a passive whimper. It reminds of the Matrix where the players simply fall in a lifeless heap as they are each unplugged.
Without giving too much away, the use of a cliche to enable part 2 is where it loses me. Star Lord's plan worked and would have won the day but he couldn't wait another microsecond to ask about Gamora. Really, the first time they actually have an advantage and the fate of the universe in the balance, he goes ape and demands an answer immediately thus letting Thanos escape.
Thor too could have ended Thanos but for some inexplicable reason, he too stops short.
Last but not least, Dr Strange could have used anthem time stone the way he stopped an evil as powerful as Thanos, Dormammu, in his own biopic but somehow that didn't occur to him this time. How annoying.
As much I enjoyed the movie, plots are still important and have some respect for your fans. If they just wanted action for action's sake, they would have watched the Justice League or Transformers.
Please don't make Part III if that is how a sequel is justified.