By Seth Lukas Hynes
Avengers: Endgame
Rated M
Character-rich, deeply touching and extraordinarily suspenseful, Avengers: Endgame is a mighty conclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Five years after alien tyrant Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiped out half of the universe’s population with the Infinity Gauntlet, the remaining Avengers embark on a daring plan to reverse Thanos’s actions.
Endgame may have the best sustained dramatic tension in a major blockbuster since The Last Jedi, and contains a strong dose of consequence, which has been lacking in even the best MCU movies.
Barely a moment of the daunting three-hour run-time feels wasted. Endgame establishes a clear objective – which I won’t spoil – and challenges the characters with a steady stream of set-backs and obstacles. The battle sequences course with apocalyptic struggle and triumphant fan-service moments, but the film also devotes ample time to quiet stretches emphasising pathos and character depth.
From the beginning, Endgame delves deep into the physical and emotional toll endured by the survivors of Thanos’s cull. The grief and weariness of these heroes, and the sudden emptiness of the world around them, are palpable, and this desolate atmosphere renders their plan all the more urgent.
Endgame successfully walks the tight-rope of essentially concluding the MCU, poignantly wrapping up eleven years of conflict and relationships among its main characters, while still delivering a thrilling, deeply suspenseful experience on its own.
Avengers: Endgame is, simply put, one of the best superhero films ever made.
