A superhero blockbuster that features loads of iconic and highly marketable characters could have easily felt unwieldy, but directors Joe and Anthony Russo made a shrewd decision to put most of Avengers: Infinity War’s focus on its villain. Thanos, a mad purple behemoth from the stars played by Josh Brolin (and also motion captured) who’s in search of the various magical stones utilized in many MCU films, is more or less the protagonist of this film. H gets probably more screen time than any other character.
It’s a necessary choice that I feel strengthens the story of Thanos’s quest to exterminate half of the universe, in what can only be considered an extremely twisted effort towards population control (his homeworld was destroyed due to that very reason). If he acquires all of the stones and links them to his golden gauntlet, he’ll have the power to do so. While Brolin’s performance won’t make the audience sympathize any less with the titular heroes, he turns out to be another fascinating and complex Marvel villain following Black Panther’s well-received Killmonger.
Thanos truly believes that all of his actions are in the right, and as despicable as his plan may be, he sees it as a necessary evil to maintain life for the other, surviving half. The way in which Brolin carries himself while portraying this character feels unsettling and believable- as if he’s going to be remembered as one of history’s great men. The religious zeal in Ebony Maw’s (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) voice when he announces massacres on behalf of the Black Order indicate how noble the mad titan sees his cause.
Desperate for help, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in search of a weapon powerful enough to stop him, accompanied by the Guardians of the Galaxy’s Rocket (Bradley Cooper, delivering another strong performance as he bonds with the mighty Asgardian) and a surly adolescent Groot (Vin Diesel). But Gamora’s (Zoe Salanda) familial connections to Thanos wind up a bigger issue for our heroes than expected.
In fact, many characters get paired off into different groups. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) working directly with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who’s still serving as a mentor to the eager and impulsive Spider-Man (Tom Holland).
The new robotic spider-suit that Iron Man provides Peter Parker certainly comes in handy against the threat of Thanos’ “children”, as does a Stark-produced “Hulkbuster” armored battle suit that Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) finds himself piloting. His inner conflict with the green giant provides some sorely needed levity at points.
Both the protagonists and antagonists in this film are forced to make difficult choices that wind up altering the fate of the universe. Lending their aid to T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and the Wakandan people as they prepare for the oncoming conflict, a returning Captain America (Chris Evans, forthright and as inspiring as ever) and his friends Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) are more than game to let the bygones of Civil War be just that, as the universe is at stake.
As thrilling, funny and memorably intense as Infinity War is, be warned that it’s going to be an emotional roller coaster for longtime fans who have followed these characters through the MCU’s history. And I do feel there are enough pathos and strong enough performances from the cast for people who aren’t familiar with Marvel movies to become invested in.
Even though the goal of the villain is pretty to the point, this movie has a variety of twists that will keep most people and maybe older movie goers from getting bored. Its themes will probably be pretty challenging for younger viewers, however.
Though there’s plenty of humor to be found in the film, particularly on the part of Dave Batista’s Drax who’s his usual literal self and some quips between Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and Thor, overall it’s relief the audiences will be thirsty for- because the events in this film have such massive implications on future MCU entries.
This film’s story is unapologetically serialized. It’s aware of its place within the pop culture zeitgeist and the massive number of people who’ve followed Marvel’s established canon for the past decade.
So while it is a fairly straight-forward tale about heroes and villains hunting for magic stones, it’s comfortable enough to assume the audience is invested in its characters based on the previous canon.
At times, Avengers: Infinity War can feel a bit over jammed, and the amount of over-the-top mayhem the creators throw on the screen could be too much. I don’t know if this is the film that a newcomer would want to start with. But on its own, it’s an affecting and sharply directed adventure, with a nice mix of irreverent comic book fun and great drama.
Those who’ve kept up with the adventures of Marvel’s colorful crusaders will be rewarded well, and also more than excited for the fourth film in the series next year. But I’m going to give it a strong general recommendation anyway- because I’m very impressed by how sophisticated and uncompromising this approach to such a massively commercial endeavor turned out.