It all comes down to this

Rating: 9/10 (20 May 2018)

Avengers Infinity War, the film Marvel fans have all been waiting for since the first Avengers film came out in 2012, has finally arrived and it is safe to say it has lived up to the hype from the last few years. The Avengers, Earth's mightiest heroes, have returned this time teaming up with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Dr. Strange, Spider-Man, Black Panther and overall the largest ensemble of superhero characters the world has ever seen on film to defeat the deadly Thanos. The film is large in everything, scale, cast, visual effects, action, just about all one expects to see and as it progresses, it doesn't shy away from reminding audience viewers how large it is. The film's time length was necessary to establish it's story and it's characters correctly. That said not every one is a fan of films that pass 2 hours for issues concerning the story dragging on too much and too many characters to explore with not many receiving proper care. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the best example of films that reach the 3 hour length of time that is necessary to explore all plot lines. That trilogy worked out for many audience viewers though many that try and replicate this formula rarely succeed to accomplish what Lord of the Rings did. Avengers Infinity War is 2 hours and 40 minutes long and for the most part it succeeded in what it set out to do while many may say differently, especially those who aren't the biggest fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney has never been more the extravagantly triumphant corporation that it is today with all the brands and licenses they have the rights too and because Infinity War has turned a grand profit, earning an estimated $640.9 million at the worldwide box office it's opening weekend, the latter proves itself true.
This film is mainly about Thanos. For a movie based on the heroes the Avengers, it's really his film as it explores his character in deep more than the others. Some have complained that Thanos should have been developed little by little in past MCU films before this one, however Thanos doesn't disappoint. This is probably the film's strongest point. He makes Ultron and Loki look like preschool for the Avengers to face. The best thing about Thanos is what a complex villain he is. He's more than a world conquering doomsday villain. His character is incredibly complex to the point where you can't decide whether or not you hate him or love him. The visuals for him as well as his acting portrayal are phenomenal, the same cannot be said for many villain characters portrayed through the use of CGI/motion capture. Possibly the most interesting villain character aside from Loki, he is also undoubtedly the most powerful adversary any of the Avengers have faced, proving too great of a challenge for all put together. The entire cast were amazing to see all together for the very first time, even though some got more time on screen than others do. Particular highlights include Robert Downey Jr. as he continues to develop Tony Stark's character in his darker side, having been tormented since the first Avengers film happened all leading up to him facing his greatest fear. Zoe Saldana excels portraying Gamora's suffering from Thanos that has left her damaged all her life, a side to her that has never been seen before. Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange brought a powerful, stoic presence among the film's cast. He shares great scenes with Robert Downey Jr. and they are shown to have great on screen chemistry. The rest of the characters served their purposes uniquely in the film as well. Some provide more humor than others and some get more screen time, others get less. A film with this many characters can prove to be difficult with giving each their due screen time.
The last thing to point out about Infinity War apart from the acting and visuals are the action sequences. Probably some of the best we've seen throughout the franchise. The entire film is leading to one big inevitable war that does not disappoint. Every action sequence in the film from start to finish serves as a teaser for the upcoming battle that will determine the Universe's fate. Excitement and terror are the feelings you get when you're watching the fights as you're wondering what will happen and who will die. It is true that there are tragedies throughout; that said, people in the past have complained about Marvel continuing the habit of convincing the audience that characters die only to bring them back to life. Despite the fact that many of these actors have contracts with Marvel, some for up to five to six years, it is a truly bad habit the MCU needs to halt immediately. Yes tragic deaths of beloved characters may be tragic but sometimes characters who die need to stay dead to produce emotion. Be that as it may, Part 2 of Infinity War is set to be released May 3rd of 2019. It may be a long while though Ant-Man and the Wasp is set to come out this summer, Venom is set for the Fall so we'll have plenty of distractions from the anticipation. To conclude Avengers Infinity War is a spectacle on film that fans of the franchise up to this point will not be disappointed, including non-fans who can also enjoy the film. It will leave you itching for more.