One of the Best Superhero Films EVER!

Rating: 10/10 (17 February 2019)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong for a full decade now. The superhero film genre has never been bigger as it is right now. Sure superhero films have existed for decades (even way back in the 1960s with Batman), but only one would come out once every few years. In the first half of 2018 alone, we have had Black Panther, Deadpool 2, and Avengers: Infinity War. With all of these films from this specific genre, fatigue has started to set in.
Superhero films follow this archetype: average person falls victim to a mystical force that gives them superpowers; hubris of someone they know causes them to get similar powers of their own so they become a villain that the good guy could easily beat; forced deadpan jokes and an extensive use of CGI plague the rest of the film for well over two hours. Ensemble superhero films (i.e. The Avengers) follow this formula: a mega-villain tries to destroy the world so the assembled good guys team up and fight back with a tremendous amount of CGI and forced humour. Seeing these traits again and again will sooner than later leave audiences wanting a refreshing change. Predictability is all-too present now. Luckily, the third instalment of The Avengers breaks this monotonous motion. It seemed as though it wanted to start a new trend in the superhero genre. The tenth anniversary of the cinematic universe seems like the perfect time to do so.
Right away, the film opens up with the villain--Thanos (played exceptionally by Josh Brolin)--laying a beating on Thor, Hulk and Loki after getting an Infinity Gem and ready to get more. This opening has some heroes in trouble and the villain easily getting the upper hand on them. While most of the MCU villains has attitude and are cool to see, not many of them pose a real threat toward the villain. We know that the good guys need to remember something crucial or use a little extra force to destroy the villain. Judging from how easy Thanos had his romp, one question will cloud the minds of those that watch the film: "how are the Avengers able to defeat that thing?" This baffling question remains throughout the film. The wonderment will keep the viewer entranced.
New Marvel superheroes joining the Avengers are Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Spiderman (now portrayed by Tom Holland), as well as the Guardians of the Galaxy. The combination both teams works quite well. The teamwork and friction between the factions increase doubt to how Thanos will be overtaken. But at the same time, the writing between the teams is so well done, we want to see them working together and their journeys to victory. The minor flaw in this would be that there are too many characters and too many backstories to follow. So this may require multiple viewings. Anything wrong with that? Not at all.
Avenger: Infinity War also takes itself more seriously which is something I am personally very happy for. The jokes and punchlines are forced way too much and the deadpan nature makes it worse. That is almost completely gone here. Then there is how deep all the characters are. All of them face doubt, but they know they must save the day. And Thanos actually has justifiable motives. While we want the good guys to win, we hope nothing too bad will happen to Thanos. When was this last time a villain in a superhero movie was developed this well?
As usual, the action and special effects are amazing. But since the amount of humanity is at an unusual high this time around, the violent scenes seem more intense because there is so much stuff on the line.
This darker sequel to the 2012 blockbuster is a true sight to behold. The darkness is a nice change of pace that is needed to spice things up. And the use of depth and humanity are two things every great movie in history needs. Infinity War certainly has them. Everything in this are just in calling Infinity War a masterpiece as well as one of the best superhero films ever.
4/4 stars