Avengers fans, get ready to gasp, laugh, tense up and scream and maybe even cry. This Marvel movie has the biggest cast, sets and budget yet. Estimated cost is somewhere between $300 and $400 million. All your favorite super heroes get their due flailing and fighting the baddest villain in the galaxy.
The Avengers join forces with Guardians of the Galaxy to stop Thanos. Josh Brolin plays the big bad ugly guy from planet Titan. He is the gorilla in the room throughout the movie. Thanos is huge and scary, with a yucky colored, ruddy, lined face that could stop a clock. Brolin not only does the voice of this computer generated character, he did motion capture for the first time to create his movement. And he does his best to stop the Avengers. Thanos is after the 6 magic stones which will give him the power to annhialate as much as he wants to create his own “balance in the universe”.
The film bounces from group to group of Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther and more Marvel warriors, all pitching in together. It’s kind of like a very diverse Knights of the Round Table in battle after battle on Titan and Earth to keep the stones safe and conquer Thanos.
There’s Iron Man/Robert Downey, Jr., Thor/Chris Hemsworth, Loki, Tom Hiddleston, The Hulk/Mark Ruffalo, Black Widow/Scarlett Johannson, Dr. Strange/Benedict Cumberbatch, Vision/Paul Bettany, Scarlett Witch/ Elizabeth Olsen, Captain America/Chris Evans, Star Lord/Chris Pratt, Gamora/Zoe Saldana, Groot/Vin Diesel, Drax/Dave Bautista, Rocket/Bradley Cooper, Mantis/Pom Klementieff, War Machine/Don Cheadle, Spiderman/Tom Holland. Plus the warriors from the biggest blockbuster so far this year, Black Panther/Chadwick Boseman, Okoye/ Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright/Shuri and there are a few more surprises. They make awesome entrances. Stark, Hulk, Star Lord, Rocket, and Teen Groot have some very funny bits. And watch for the beloved Stan Lee cameo
Thanos has his own definition of balance, and and so do directors Anthony and Joe Russo for this film. They are trying to balance funny quips written by Christopher Markius and Stephen McFeely, keeping with certain character personalities, still pushing relentless uphill battles and action on an unbelievably enormous scale.
However, there are times when the humor comes too fast and is too gratuitous after a tense and tortuous scene. It is jarring and, at times, out of place. There is no time to take a breath and recover. That can be good or bad, but it does keep momentum going.
The Russo Brothers are super hero directors in their own right having directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, this film and the sequel coming in 2019. Their humor comes naturally having won an Emmy for their work on TV’s Arrested Development, among other projects.
Where are the stones Thanos needs to fulfill his goal? On Earth, of course, in possession of some of your favorite super heroes. They use the magic of these pretty and powerful glowing bangles to ward off the evil caused by such bad asses as Thanos. As the ultimate destroyer, he is on the hunt to collect them one by one fighting the powerful heroes. Can they stand up to this evil giant?
Who will survive? That’s just it. Even before the opening credits, there’s the possibility of losing Avengers in who are in his clutches. Fortunately our super heroes’ powers seem endless. And you’ll be struck by what they are willing to endure to save each other and the world. Just when you think they’re goners, some amazingly bounce back with new ways to combat the evil villain. Well, some have to survive for the sequel, which, by the way, has already been shot.
Cinematographer Trent Opaloch, captures the enormity of the massive battles fought in this film having been in charge of shooting Captain America: the Winter Soldier and Civil War. The scenes on the fields at Wakanda are particularly spectacular. The CGI glow of Dr. Strange and the Scarlett Witch projecting their powers works pretty well. The sound effects of the blows in battle may shake your seat, depending on what kind of theater you’re in. Alan Silvestri, composer of the musical score for original movie, The Avengers, sets the mood here again from scene to scene and is to do the same for the sequel. Editors Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt had plenty to work with to arrange all of the parts of this monumental super hero epic.
If you’re not already a Marvel Universe fan, this film may not hold much interest for you. But if you are curious to see what it’s all about, we suggest you research to know who the main characters are and who is with who, or you’ll be totally confused. Just know that there is unfinished business left for the next installment. And suggest you sit through the mega credits to get to the post clip hint as to what’s to come.
This is one fun ride and if you’re a fan of the Marvel franchise, you’ll love it! For some loyal fans, it will be an emotional journey depending how invested you are in the characters and their relationships. You may find yourself standing up and shouting out loud in horror as one person did seeing one scene at our screening. Whether you’re a Marvel fan or not, this is quite a 2 and a half hour, jam-packed action adventure. It had to be that long to fit the whole cast in. But at times it feels as if this Avengers infinity war will never end.
Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Motion Picture Studios 2 hour 30 minutes PG-13
