Photo Courtesy of my buddy Caitlyn, taken at midnight, in the rain.
My friend Caitlyn doesn’t like to see movies in the theater. She’s one of those who prefer to enjoy cinema from the comforts of their own home. And even she went to see Avengers: Endgame in the theatre on opening weekend.
Even if you’re not a huge fan of super hero movies, you’ve heard of Endgame. The chatter has risen to a roar, with hardcore fans of Marvel, comic book movies, and film in general all excited to experience what is a cinematic first.
Run Time: 3 hr, 1 min
Rating: PG-13
Post Credit Scene: The rumors are true, no post credit scene for this game changer.
Stan Lee Cameo: Brilliant.
Photo Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Avengers: Endgame is not only going to break box office records, it’s changing film history. And if you’re a little stymied as to why this movie is a such a big deal, this is why. It is a culmination of ten years and 21 films, making household names not only of its actors, but its characters.We all knew Spider-man, the Hulk, and Wolverine, but now Groot, the Black Panther, Captain Marvel and a dozen others are part of the zeitgeist.
All this matters because when it comes to evaluating a film, it’s got to be acknowledged that there has never been a film like this before. Some storytelling tactics that might not work in the first of a series are used perfectly here, and there are several deeply affecting moments made possible only because these are characters we’ve gotten to know over ten years. We’re invested in them, and our emotional responses are earned.
I saw the movie Thursday night, in a full theatre with a very diverse audience. Young, old, single, families, college kids, high school kids. My favorite part was when this room of strangers all made the exact same noise at the exact same crucial moment. We went on a journey together. When the movie ended and the lights came up, people who had never met before were talking about what they just saw, comparing reactions, joking with each other. This wasn’t just a movie, y’all. It was an experience.
I can’t tell you much about the plot without spoiling the movie, and I am firm believer in #DontSpoiltheEndgame, but I’ll give you the bare bones. Endgame picks up where Avengers:Infinity War left off. Thanos united the Infinity Stones, snapped his fingers, and half of the Earth’s population disappeared. Our heroes are trying to find a way to undo this catastrophic event and rescue some of our favorites who got dusted in the snap, including Peter Parker, Dr. Strange, Star-Lord, T’Challa, and Scarlet Witch, among others.
And that’s all I can tell you. At least plot wise.
I can tell you that the movie is incredibly well done, bringing in much of what we loved in the last 21 films. Speaking of, do you need to have seen all 21 films to understand this one? Yes and no. On the one hand, the movie jumps straight into the story and doesn’t take any time to explain who anyone is or what their relationship to each other. Avengers: Endgame assumes you’ve seen Avengers: Infinity War, which I think is a good idea, to give you some context. Checking out the first Avengers isn’t a bad idea either. I overheard one gal in the theatre say, “this is my first one of these” and I was like “ohhhh nooooooo.” You don’t need to have seen every MCU movie to get what’s going on, but if you’re just jumping on the train now, you are going to be a little confused. Which would be a shame because not only is this a terrific series ender, it’s just a terrific movie.
Avengers: Endgame is gorgeously shot. There are some moments taken directly from the comics and they look so perfect on screen. At one point, I actually sighed I was so happy with how a particular moment was portrayed. The locales, the sets, the costumes, the soundtrack… every technical aspect here is top of the line, best in show, stunning. The acting is next level. These actors have been playing these characters for a while, and it shows. There is a comfort and a lived in quality to the performances. The chemistry is, as in previous Avengers films, believable and engaging. There are high emotional stakes, as I’ve said, but there is also some great humor and mind blowing action sequences. The final battle is going to be the one everyone is talking about, but there were a few smaller sequences that were so inventive and specific to this universe that were just delightful.
I loved this movie. It was satisfying to me as a fan of the MCU, as a fan of movies, and as a fan of well told stories. It was three hours long, and when it ended I was surprised. I thought we had more time. At its core, if you take away the aliens and the super powers, it really is just a story about people fighting for the people they love. Which is what all my favorite stories are about.
“Everyone fails at who they are supposed to be. The measure of a person, a hero, is how they succeed at being who they are.”-A Character, to another Character, in Avengers: Endgame.
I’ll be back next week, with a more in-depth, spoilery review. But in the meantime, are you going to see Avengers:Endgame? What’s your favorite MCU movie? Give me your SPOILER FREE thoughts in the comments!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!