Absolutely Sensational.

Rating: 10/10 (26 April 2018)

SENSATIONAL, FUNNY, HEARTBREAKING, AWESOME! ILOVED this movie!!!
Now that's out the bag, let me get down to the grit.
After 10 years and 18 movies, finally, the War is here! As a spectacle summer popcorn movie this has no equal, as a technical achievement, there is no better, as a moving relationship drama with real depth and threat, The only other time I have experienced anything close was the LOTR trilogy... its that good!
Yes, its safe to assume that I am a Marvel fan-boy and may be just a tad biased in my opinions, however, I always try to go into MCU movies with an open mind, never expecting what happens on screen to rival the many stories I have consumed over the decades in the books. This does, in every possible way.
Less politically relevant than Black Panther but with ten times more heart, as funny as Ragnarok but with a million times the threat this is the culmination of thousands of hours of hard work and devotion from a studio who not only know what they are doing but also clearly love what they do too, and it shows In every beautifully framed shot, every character interaction and every emotional death scene, right up to the cliffhanger to rival that of the first Matrix.
The biggest surprise to me was Thanos. A genuine force of nature. The biggest bad in the MCU. The Mad Titan himself.... a loving father with a complicated back story and impossible decisions to make whilst carrying the fate of the universe on his vast shoulders! This is no doubt, 100% HIS movie. Brolin nails it, with the assistance of the best mo-cap in cinema history, he is able to convey a tortured, moving performance that resonates with the audience who can not help but almost agree with his logic, you almost want him to win!
The rest of the ensemble cast are great as usual, the dynamics between the team-ups are superbly handled, especially the scenes with the Guardians, who, thanks to Drax, inject most of the humour. The Tony Stark/Peter Parker relationship also expands on the groundwork laid in Civil War and continued in Homecoming, to great effect. Tony, more than ever truly cares for Pete and as such feels a greater sense of responsibility than ever. With great power, right? Furthermore, the Wanda/Vision, Quill/Gamora, Rocket/Groot, relationships are all dealt with incredibly well, with heartfelt emotion and genuine love for each other. Trust me, there will be lumps in throats! on the flip side is Thor and Cap, who are both dealing with loss, Thor dealing with the destruction of Asgard and Steve with the state of the fractured Avengers, they are very much the 'solo' heroes, both with nothing to lose, both at their most dangerous. Dr Strange also plays a huge part in the narrative of the film, however, alongside Hulk, Black Widow, War Machine, Falcon, Winter Soldier and Black Panther, they are very much the window dressing to fill the gaps between the main event.
The pacing of the movie is spot on, it really never felt like 2 and a half hour film and had Avengers 4 started right after I could have probably sat (on the edge of my seat) through that too!
If I had to find a negative it would probably be Hulk shaped, but that's really clutching at straws, this is an outstanding achievement and a milestone in cinema. Go see it. Go see it again, you will not be disappointed. I'm off to catch viewing number 3.