Bombastically ambitious, completely exhilarating and emotional, Infinity War is truly epic.

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2018)

Everything about Marvel's latest addition in its sprawling, epic MCU franchise feels overwhelmingly massive. Boasting the largest cast of any Marvel movie yet, a storyline on a colossal scale and a supervillain finally getting his chance to step forth into the limelight, Avengers: Infinity War has much to live up to. Since its genesis in 2008 with Iron Man, the MCU has been thriving for an impressive ten years, continuously expanding and, for better or for worse, birthing the term 'cinematic universe'. Thanos (Josh Brolin) searches high and low across the universe to complete his collection of infinity stones. Once all have been retrieved and inserted into his golden gauntlet, he will be granted world dominating power and become an unstoppable juggernaut of destruction. With so much at stake, the Avengers, along with the Guardians of the Galaxy and various other superheroes including Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), must unite to defeat Thanos before their world is torn apart.
As much as I was anticipating Infinity War, I was also anxious due to the sheer weight of it all. Sure, the geeky fanboy in me was psyched to see such an ensemble, but there was still the fear that the film would feel too overcrowded. Thankfully, the Russo brothers pull it off with such grandeur, resulting in one of the very best Marvel films yet.
Firstly, Thanos is without a doubt the best villain this franchise has brought into the fold. Marvel is known for its villain problem, only offering a small handful of memorable antagonists such as Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Ultron (James Spader), but the Russo's quickly establish Thanos to be the most threatening force to be reckoned with within the films opening ten minutes. Convincing villains are difficult to write, but for all his evil and destructive nature, Thanos is given an emotional depth that is sourly lacking in many villains these days, in both comic books and movies. In many ways, the film feels like it belongs to Thanos himself. As they've already proven in The Winter Soldier (2014) and Civil War (2016), the Russo's know how to present their audience with stellar action sequences, and Infinity War's action is just as brilliant. It's a breathless spectacle to witness, and it never relies too heavily on shaky cam, resulting in clear cut action sequences that never feel strenuous to keep up with.
One of the most notable things about the film is its collision of various voices. Throughout the MCU, multiple directors have made their mark on the franchise. James Gunn's wonderful Guardians of the Galaxy films are known for their colourful, upbeat tempo's and infectious soundtracks, whilst the first two Thor movies are rooted more within the dark fantasy genre, particularly it's sequel. Understanding this, the Russo's manage to incorporate all these unique voices into one movie to ensure every character is portrayed as accurately as possible according to their respective solo outings. Throughout the films heavier moments, the Russo's never forget to incorporate humour into the mix to prevent it being 100% doom and gloom. With so many characters to juggle, there are a handful of heroes who don't get as much screen time as they deserve, and a side mission involving Thor (Hemsworth) isn't as engaging as the rest of the film, yet it never drags the film down completely.
It's difficult to dive too deep into the film without giving away any spoilers. What I will say is that Marvel are finally beginning to take risks with their storytelling. The stakes have never been higher, and Infinity War is without a doubt one the most exhausting and exhilarating chapters in the MCU. Bombastically ambitious, bursting with action and emotion as well as a jaw dropping finale that will leave you feeling somewhat cold, Infinity War is truly spectacular and the perfect film to celebrate ten years of the MCU.