Spectacle and weight, perfectly balanced

Rating: 9/10 (25 April 2018)

A culmination of the first 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's kind of insane of far they've gotten. There isn't any major development on previously established characters in this one. But that's OK since we have 18 other movies where you can get to know everything about them. Thanos is the man who's at the core. It's really good because now the villain isn't sidelined at all. Bold chances are taken, which actually makes you feel the important weight that this movie needed to bring. All in order for it to leave a greater impact and resonance compared to what the MCU has done before. It's a theme park ride, but with real care put into it. It's not merely action and special effects for the sake of it. There's a real humanity at the core of this extravaganza.
I'm the guy who doesn't read the Marvel comics. I've become a fan of these characters because of the MCU films. I knew nothing about Iron Man or Thor or Captain America. Now I have gotten to know them throughout the years thanks to this series and I feel a greater appreciation for them. The films haven't been fantastic masterpieces or anything, but they have given you what's necessary: An understanding of the hero. They have also brought some great fun and the adventure that you may want in a movie going experience. However, this time you are given something extra. There is a reward for having gone through 18 films. You can nitpick this because of tonal shifts and focusing on so many story-lines. I honestly think it's very impressive how it was put together in the end. Must have been a nightmare juggling what could have been a complete mess. Thankfully it isn't.
Try to stay away from spoilers since this is definitely "Mic Drop: The Movie". I will say one last thing before ending the review and please stay with me on this one. People say that there's going to be Marvel fatigue because there's been so many superhero movies coming out every year. And with some of them I understand. The Repetitiveness has been felt. But look back at the 50's or 60's when the grand epic super-scope films were based on mythological stories or historical figures or biblical tales. Movies like "Jason and the Argonauts", "Ben-Hur", "The 300 Spartans" etc. Those were often pure spectacle with a huge scale and the masses went to see them because they were events. The plots were adapted from very old stories. Archetypical stories with classic heroes and villains. All of those stories have been adapted by now. So the Marvel films are kind of acting like an equivalent of that for modern times. The superhero stories are from newer sources, but they feature similar archetypes. They have pretty much become replacements of the epic films from back then. The mythological stories are much older than the comic books and are naturally more respected and known. Superhero tales are more recent, but when you break it down to the core, they carry on that legacy. So take it easy with them and enjoy the experience.