Anthony's Film Review - Avengers: Endgame (2019)

The film lives up to the hype, with a nicely written story and bittersweet moments...

Ten-plus years. Twenty-plus movies. That's the prolific output of Marvel Studios, the film production company dedicated to making movies based on Marvel Comics superheroes. If the studio's business model wasn't clear before, it should be by now. Basically, it goes something like this: crank out more than one film a year, create multiple superhero film series, have events in one film connect to another, provide a film series bringing together multiple protagonists, and have the films end in a way that generate hype and pave the way for the next ones. If you think about it, Marvel Studios and its superhero movies practically eclipse Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise.

In 2018, Avengers: Infinity War generated a ton of hype given how that movie ended. And now, in 2019, we have the highly anticipated follow-up Avengers: Endgame. This is the culmination of the Marvel Studios business model. As I am writing this, the film has just grossed a billion dollars worldwide during its opening weekend. To put it into perspective, other films reaching the billion-dollar box office milestone required several weeks. Avengers: Endgame will no doubt be recognized by Guinness World Records for this phenomenal success.

But I'm not here to tell only a business success story. I want to make sure I review Avengers: Endgame, the movie itself. The only reason I bring up the business side of Marvel is to remind everyone of the hype surrounding the movie and then say whether the movie lives up to it. In short, the answer is yes. The movie is definitely not a disappointing letdown. It is a very good one, and definitely Marvel's best or at least close to it. And I say this even if I am not a die-hard Marvel fanboy and do not spend time analyzing every tidbit of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The first thing to know about Avengers: Endgame is that it is not so much a character-based movie as it is a plot-based movie. There are some emotional moments, yes, but for the most part, the movie presents more of what happens to the characters rather than how events impact them personally. If you like a good plot, though, you definitely have it here. There actually aren't too many twists and surprises. The beauty of the story is simply how easy it is to follow and how smoothly it moves along, such that this three-hour movie really doesn't feel like it's dragging time.

In order to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible, I am going to keep my plot description brief and, more importantly, keep it vague. The film starts in a way that is akin to a human drama set in a post-apocalyptic world. There is a somber mood along with the feeling that the only thing to do is move on. But one day, there's new hope. One Marvel character, who seems relatively less important compared to other MCU heroes in my opinion, has an idea to make things right again. It takes time for the idea to be fully developed, but once it does, an exciting but critical adventure begins.

If I had to describe just one thing about the middle part of the story that I really like, it's the way it provides new interesting insights into previous MCU films. Not all of them, mind you. Just certain ones. Imagine rewatching a past Marvel movie on Blu-ray or DVD and then be treated to a deleted or alternate scene inserted into the main movie. The fun of this comes from seeing familiar events at a different vantage point, as well as witnessing new possibilities open up. If this sounds like a sideshow distraction from the movie's plot, it's not. It's at the core of the plot.

I don't believe I have spoiled the story thus far, and I certainly will not do so for the ending. I'll just say what emotions and thoughts the finale invokes. Avengers: Endgame marks the end of the first MCU chapter spanning over a decade, while starting another chapter. It wraps up certain stories while planting seeds for new ones. It's both a heartfelt look at the past and a hopeful yearning for the future. Really, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not going anywhere. It's simply refreshing itself. With the business model I described above, Marvel Studios will make another few billion dollars in no time.

Overall, Avengers: Endgame is a very good movie. It's easily a 9 on my 1-to-10 scale. I am not giving it a 10 just because I have seen plenty of other movies that I've rated a 9 or a 10 and this one feels like a 9. A 10 would be a movie that is exciting to the max, has a ton of character and emotional depth, or otherwise does something very special. Think of the original Star Wars, The Dark Knight, and Black Panther. That said, Avengers: Endgame does not disappoint. It's a lot of fun, and it's definitely worth the three hours. Most importantly, it caps a milestone for an epic franchise that, at this point, overshadows all past blockbuster film franchises.

Lastly, I want to thank the late Stan Lee, the man who, in addition to co-creating Spider-Man, has made Marvel the entertainment company it is now. Not surprisingly, he has a cameo in Avengers: Endgame. When you see him, be sure to cheer for him and say one final bittersweet goodbye. He deserves it for all the work he did.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Avengers: Endgame, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my review of The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Avengers: Infinity War.