Avengers: Infinity War - review, 9/10

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2018)

There's little explanation needed for this movie, the incredible hype that this movie has generated is testament to that; however, if you really are coming into this movie with no clue as to what it is, firstly how big a rock are you under? Secondly, I would advise you turn back for now. This film is a culmination of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe that has been developing for the past decade and it would be a waste to walk in to the theatre without previously immersing yourself into it. I know it sounds arduous but I truly feel that to fully appreciate what this movie has done, you need to familiarise yourself with the rest of the cinematic universe. So go, look up a viewing guide to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, buy a shedload of DVDs and set aside about 30 hours (phew!) of your time before you return.
I'm assuming that I'm dealing with those of you that are familiar with the films at this point, and have no fear, there are no spoilers to be found here so you can read on without worry. There'll be those of you that have been swept up in the whirlwind of hype of Infinity War, and there will be those who are sceptical of the seemingly incredulous speeds that this whirlwind is reaching, I'll tell you now that I was a member of the latter group; the expectations for this movie were astronomical, but, against all odds, they were met. To my surprise, Avengers: Infinity War hit every note for me, the acting, the absolutely gorgeous spectacle (including some of the most riveting and inventive action sequences I have ever seen), meticulous and outrageous action, and the now-trademark Marvel comedy, it is not without mistakes but it hits when it counts and evidences a maturation of the wider cinematic universe, shedding the mistakes of the past in favour of a newer, realer tone that breaks free of the classic Marvel-mould.
The two key issues I had found with previous entries were the poor execution of the main villains (think Thor: The Dark World) and the incessant comedic undercutting of sincere scenes (think Ragnarok). If these failures were keeping you anxious for this movie, know that they are largely fixed, the comedic tone is still finding that balance but is well-dispensed for the majority of the movie (and is nowhere near as distracting as it was in Ragnarok). The sincerity of this movie is well-used and certain scenes had left me a little misty-eyed, the raw emotion in this film was a welcome surprise. The second gripe, development of the main villains, is the greatest success of this movie, a great deal of time is put into ensuring that the stereotypical big-bad isn't just a stereotypical big-bad, instead his perspective is presented to you in an almost sympathetic way; perhaps you won't agree with his aims, but you understand them, and that's a first for the Marvel movies and is something that should be celebrated because it was achieved with great success.
Infinity War has accomplished a fantastic feat in the biggest crossover event in cinematic history, almost all of your favourite heroes will all feature here, all given respectable screen-time in their own subplots (of which there are many) before crossing paths with each other. It is a joy to see the immense cast that Marvel have been building for the past 10 years quip and bicker together as they face almost impossible odds as one. This summer blockbuster of epic proportions is not one to be missed and is a love-letter to the hordes of fans who have persevered since the beginning of Marvel-mania in 2008.