Bold, brazen and ballsy stuff that isn't afraid to go dark; incredibly thrilling, nail-bitingly tense and satisfyingly unconventional.

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2018)

'Avengers: Infinity War (2018)' is bold, brazen, ballsy stuff that's dark, daring and manages to deftly dodge all of the deep chasms that come with having the sheer amount of characters it has, all with rich histories and personalities as different from one another as their respective films are from this. It's remarkable how well it keeps each of these in focus while also keeping them true to who we know them to be, amalgamating their presences perfectly with this new tone so that nothing is lost yet nothing stands out. Admittedly, many of even the key players don't have much to do but all of them are well drawn and exist within the world in a tangible space, fulfilling their roles in the best way they possibly can. It feels as though this is the best version of a film with over twenty core characters that could have been accomplished. Besides, it's actually Thanos that's the 'star' and that is an unconventional and unexpected move. It's also one that pays off as he is easily the best, most intimidating and most understandable villian in Marvel's history. You empathise with him, on the most human of levels at times, and can even understand his point of view, just not his methods, whilst fearing his might as it lives up to all the hype it's been given. There's a real sense of forward-momentum and a proper pacy tension propelling the picture, leading to a series of confrontations that may be almost entirely digital but feel fully palpable thanks to excellent CGI and phenomenal writing. The script sets the stakes pretty much perfectly, weaving the interpersonal character motivations with the overall universal threat, and it paints a picture of a layered, all encompassing situation in which all our players play a part. It all comes to an unexpected and deliciously downbeat close, too. This is only dampened slightly, in execution and perception, because of the flick's 'Part I' nature - as well as the announcement of a few post-'Part II' MCU titles - which is actually the source of most of the film's minor issues. Without the context of the next film, there are some elements that don't quite seem 'real', but this could just be that they haven't sunk in yet because we don't know if they will be backtracked by the sequel or if they will be solidified by it. Still, as it is, this entry in the series is perhaps the most unconventional and unexpected flick the MCU has ever produced, one that stands on its own as a ballsy blockbuster unafraid to divide its audience. The tone is almost perfect, incredibly dark but with a dash of levity where it's called for (this is how you do 'serious', DC), and the pacing is great, too, even if it feels a tad long at times due to the unusual structure. It's just a breathlessly entertaining, incredibly thrilling, nail-bitingly tense, hopelessly jaw-dropping, edge-of-your-seat roller-coaster that does all of its characters, and its legacy, justice. Not to mention Alan Silvestri's phenomenal score. 9/10