Wow this film, just wow...

Rating: 9/10 (27 April 2018)

So after years of Marvel movies leading up to this event: Thanos and the Infinity Stones in what is a combination of all the films, the question was: Could such an ambitious feat succeed. Answer: Surprisingly yes.
There is just so much going on in this: charismatic superheroes interacting with each other again or for the first time, a lot of unexpected developments, and excellent large-scale fight scenes, special effects, and sets. I especially liked the design of Thanos' main space ships. Very unique.
This is pretty much Marvel's The Empires Strikes Back, and is by far the darkest and most mature in the franchise. Trust me, this movie will be making you feel things by the end. On the other hand, the humor and characters do balance things nicely.
As for Thanos himself, don't worry. All the waiting and teasing isn't for nought. He is, with Loki and Killmonger, one of the franchise's top villains. Josh Brolin does a wonderful job of playing the guy, both twisted and threatening, but in a calm and almost relatable manner.
Not to say the film doesn't have its flaws, which is completely understandable considering that it juggled so many characters and places. Think of this as a war film, like Dunkirk, The Longest Day, or a Bridge too Far, that features various people affected by or involved in a battle. Though there are some strong moments, the cast just can't shine as brightly as they do in the solo films. Not all character relationships could have developed as much as they could and some characters you hope will meet won't. The Thor subplot also goes on too long. It could have been shortened to make way for other things.
The first quarter of the film suffered from too many close-ups shots and quick cuts, but that does seem to settle down as things goes on. Though the film did an admirable job of keeping the tone of the characters, there were moments with the Guardians of the Galaxy in which they could've cut a few jokes. Having them act moronish during certain moments did cut the tension a bit.
Also, not fond that Thanos' three regularly proportioned adopted children and lieutenants were computer animated instead of makeup like Gamora and Nebula. They just kind of stood out, and it didn't help that they weren't computer animated quite as well as their father. However, I don't agree with the complaints that they weren't well-developed. I mean, yeah they weren't, but they served their purpose as effective and distinctive threats for the heroes to fight. (You can't have all Darth Vaders. You'll always have some Boba Fett's.)
Now, I can't recommend this to anyone who's not very familiar for the movie series as it'll probably leave them confused. But for all those Marvel fans out there, I feel the film delivered what it promised.