Marvel doesn't fail to deliver

Rating: 8/10 (2 May 2018)

Of all Marvel films, this is the one where I really expected them to drop the ball. There seems to simply be too many main characters in the universe to make a coherent and satisfying film out of, however I would say they accomplished it.
Not a moment is wasted, but the film doesn't feel like it's rushing all the same. It feels like just enough time is given for each scene to develop each character, and though more could have been done and perhaps 3 hours or more would be more appropriate, it's a very clean and satisfying film that defies expectations. Perhaps the second part will fill out what remains to be explored, and that would bring it to a more reasonable 5 hours, and this film was more just half a story anyways.
This is one of the most dramatic Marvel films to date with the typical humor toned down a bit as to not interfere with the darker aspects, which surely sets it above Doctor Strange in terms of consistency, though the Guardians of the Galaxy are as goofy as ever, which is also neat since all the characters still feel as they did in previous films, which could have easily been muddled with how many directors have brought this universe to this point.
Thanos is probably my favorite MCU villain to date, as he has strong, logical motivations, which is admittedly uncommon among most superhero villains. Though he is definitively a villain, one can see things from his perspective, and can sympathize with him. He may be a bad guy, but his ideologies are not contrived but rather fleshed out in a believable way and shown clearly. It's quite interesting to me how Marvel has now seemed to shift to having the superior villains as opposed to DC.
One of the worst things about this film is actually the trailer, which spoils the climax of the film. This isn't the first time either. Civil War's trailer spoiled two critical plot points in the film, which can be a huge problem when it takes all of the tension out of a scene since you've seen the outcome before the movie even started.
I'd strongly recommend this film, though I'd highly recommend watching as many of the previous films as possible to make this film a bit more consumable. It is a bit dizzying, but that's surely not a deal-breaker given that it's so competently executed.