Avengers: Infinity War Review

Introduction (Warning Contains Spoilers)

With an extended version of Avengers: Endgame coming to cinemas this September, Marvel is attracting renewed attention.

Avengers: Doomsday is also scheduled to arrive in December. That gives us another opportunity to continue revisiting the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

We are working through the Marvel films in chronological order. Our journey now takes us to 2018 and Avengers: Infinity War.

This is not simply another Avengers film. It represents the culmination of a decade of Marvel storytelling.

By this point, the MCU had introduced dozens of important characters.

Those characters had appeared across eighteen previous films. Now, many of them were being brought together.

That creates an enormous challenge for any filmmaker. Anthony and Joe Russo were responsible for handling that challenge.

Previously, the two brothers had directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War.

These movies showcased their ability to manage large casts. But then again, Infinity War is an elevated version of this.

Iron Man is here. Captain America is here. Thor is here. The Guardians of the Galaxy are here. Doctor Strange is here. Spider-Man is here.

And so is Black Panther along with the entire Wakandan nation. This is only the beginning of it.

In this movie, we see the superheroes trying to stop Thanos.

Thanos’ intention is to gather all the six Infinity Stones and then use them to wipe out half the lives in the universe.

He feels that this is necessary for bringing balance back.

That makes him quite unique from most other villains seen in the Marvel Universe till now.

Most of those villains usually wanted money or power. That is not the case here.

It also sends the MCU into space. It shifts from New York to Wakanda. It takes the audience to Titan and several other places in the entire galaxy.

This vastness of the scale is among the best things about the film. But at the same time, it is responsible for one of its worst things.

There are too many characters who receive minimal attention. Some of them play an integral role in the narrative.

While others tend to appear just so that the film reminds us of their presence. This makes certain narratives incomplete.

The character of Bruce Banner is a case in point. The story of his connection with Natasha Romanoff receives very little attention.

Considering what was laid out before in previous films, this seems odd. There simply isn’t enough space to cover everything.

And that is understandable and frustrating at the same time. In the end, Infinity War turns into a great balancing act.

Sometimes, it executes this task beautifully. And sometimes, the sheer number of characters works against it.

Direction

Anthony and Joe Russo had an incredibly tough task ahead of them. Not only were they supposed to advance storylines in the MCU, but they were also required to create interesting character combinations.

Lastly, and most importantly, the movie should be clear for audiences. The directors manage to do this rather well.

The plot is split into several factions.

Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man form the first faction.

Thor becomes part of the Guardians of the Galaxy gang.

Captain America becomes the leader of the heroes of Wakanda.

This creates a convenient system for the huge cast of characters. Moreover, it gives an opportunity for different factions to have their own tone of the story.

The Iron Man and Doctor Strange storylines have a serious tone to them. The Guardians are known for their comedy.

Thor’s storyline combines comedy with emotionality.

The battle of Wakanda serves as the standard superhero battlefield. That helps prevent the film from being repetitive.

This also helps keep the identities of the different franchises separate. The Russos know the value of chemistry between characters.

This is especially evident when the characters meet each other for the first time. An example can be seen with Tony Stark and Doctor Strange.

Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch have very different acting styles. Tony is snarky and cocky. Strange is also arrogant but much more controlled.

Their interactions end up being entertaining. Both characters do not want to concede that the other is correct.

This gives the film a lot of material to work with. Spider-Man adds yet another dynamic. Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker admires Tony.

But at the same time, Peter wants to establish himself. Therefore, this relationship has emotional value.

Peter’s presence in space also provides entertainment. To see Spider-Man in a team with Iron Man and Guardians is strange. And this is the reason it is funny.

Another great part of the film is the Thor and Guardians plotline. Thor meets Rocket and Groot. At first sight, this pairing seems absurd.

But it works quite well. Thor and Rocket possess big personalities. And they also suffer from a kind of emotional trauma.

While Rocket uses his humor to disguise himself, Thor follows the same way. So their dialogues reveal much deeper things that appear to be at the first sight.

Besides, the directors also provide the goal for Thor’s character. He is looking for a weapon that can defeat Thanos.

It provides the character with some action. And it also gives him the possibility to deal with all those losses he has suffered.

Thor has lost his father. He has lost his hammer. Asgard is lost. And just recently, he has lost Loki.

His meeting with Guardians is just another step on his journey. And it might be considered as one of the best character journeys in the movie.

There is also a storyline about Wakanda. It unites an incredibly large number of characters.

There are Captain America, Black Panther, Black Widow, Falcon, Bucky, Scarlet Witch, Vision and others.

However, this is where the issue of ensemble filmmaking becomes particularly apparent. Some characters only get brief moments.

Some characters vanish from the picture altogether for extended periods of time. Not all members of the cast can get an equal amount of screen time.

And that is quite okay. However, that makes the film somewhat frustrating at times.

Take the example of Bruce Banner. He returns after the events of Thor: Ragnarok. But there is no development of his romance with Natasha.

That comes off as a wasted opportunity. The previous movies established certain expectations for the relationship.

Those are all ignored in Infinity War. The same goes for some other characters. Many of them had certain emotional problems.

There is not enough time to delve into them. Thus, the directors focus on the plot. That is necessary.

But it does not make those omissions any less noticeable. The action scenes in the movie are brilliantly directed.

They are big but not completely chaotic. But, besides that, the film provides varied action.

There are small-scale battles. There are fistfights. There are magical battles. There are big army battles. This variety helps the film maintain momentum.

The most spectacular fight scene occurs in Wakanda. Many characters are present there.

The scene also shows the spectacular side that people would expect from a movie featuring Avengers.

However, some of the less spectacular fight scenes may be even more memorable. The fight scene with Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man and Guardians is quite effective.

Each of the characters has his own set of skills. Moreover, each of them has very distinctive personality.

Their collaboration is entertaining. That is why direction in such cases should include both elements.

Cinematography

Trent Opaloch was the cinematographer. The entire movie was filmed using IMAX digital cameras. This is appropriate for the grand nature of the movie.

The film is set in many contrasting locations. New York offers a typical urban landscape. Wakanda offers an African futuristic environment.

Titan offers yet another contrast. Space is one more visual environment. Cinematography must make each location look unique.

For the most part, it succeeds in doing so. Wakanda stands out the most. It blends natural beauty with futuristic technology.

The film uses the grand battlefield well. The army of Wakanda offers a grand scale. The camera zooms out often to give an idea of the scale of the battle.

This shows how small the heroes are in relation to the entire battle going on around them.

This is crucial. The film isn’t just about the heroes. The entire universe is at stake in this story. This is conveyed through cinematography.

The scenes in space are also visually stunning. The environments of the Guardians are very different in nature.

They seem very colorful and strange. This matches the tone set in the previous Guardians movies. Titan is more dark and mysterious.

The scarred terrain of Titan mirrors the tone of this movie. The camera also helps distinguish between the groups.

The movie switches from a big battle to a more intimate discussion. This switch in scale helps the story breathe.

But the visual style can be overwhelming sometimes. So many things are going on within scenes.

Costumes, effects, settings, and characters fight for attention. It is inevitable to an extent. The movie is intentionally massive.

However, there are certain scenes that stand out more due to their visuals. The interaction between Thanos and Gamora falls under that category.

These are the scenes where performance plays a bigger role. It helps to have the effects work as part of the scene.

Cinematography manages the scope of the movie well. The IMAX experience also helps to make environments feel larger.

It works well during the battle of Wakanda. The movie looks like the eventful movie that it needs to be.

Visual Effects

The effects used are on a huge scale. It is one of the movies with the most effects from the MCU. There was a need to create a whole environment for the movie.

They also needed to create the digital version of some characters. Thanos is the hardest one to create.

Josh Brolin‘s acting had to be combined with a totally digital character. And the end result is quite impressive.

Thanos is not just an effect creation. He seems like a real character. His facial expressions matter. His eyes reveal his emotions.

And he moves like a real person would move. This made Josh Brolin’s acting possible. It was really necessary. Without this effect, the whole movie would fail.

Therefore, the effects had to do more than create an impression. They had to create a villain that seems believable.

Hulk is also an important achievement of the effects used. The performance of Mark Ruffalo is put into the digital character.

And he also has an important connection with Bruce Banner. Thus, there is an extra effort of effects.

There is also Iron Man’s armor, which is mostly computer generated.Effects are needed for Doctor Strange’s magic.

There is a lot of digital work in Wakanda. The fight with the Outriders requires whole armies.

The environments themselves also have to be expanded.

The movie relies on effects almost all the time. It could have become really distracting. Fortunately, in most cases, it does not.

The effects have been seamlessly integrated into the filmmaking process. It works especially well with Thanos.

His appearance changes depending on his environment. At the same time, he remains physically there.

There are some effects that are not as believable. Battles conducted with computer animation can sometimes appear artificial.

Some creatures also don’t seem as physically real as Thanos. But the quantity of effects means that their quality can vary between shots.

Still, the feat is impressive. The movie creates a much broader visual universe for the MCU.

But that is not all. This is crucial. The viewer must be able to believe that Doctor Strange can stand side by side with Iron Man.

That they can fight together with the Guardians of the Galaxy. That Thor can be in Wakanda.

The visual effects make these connections possible. This is a huge technical feat.

Themes and Storyline

At its root, Infinity War is a story about sacrifice. Thanos feels that sacrifice is necessary to accomplish his goal.

The characters are faced with the same notion of sacrifice. Will they sacrifice themselves for everybody else?

Will they sacrifice somebody they love? These are the questions posed throughout the movie.

The dynamic of Thanos and Gamora is important in this context. Thanos thinks he loves her. But he is prepared to sacrifice her.

His contradictory position is what makes him such an eerie character. He is convinced of the righteousness of his mission.

Power is another notion explored in the movie. The power of Infinity Stones is close to unlimited. And Thanos is sure that only he can wield it responsibly.

Of course, the Avengers have a different opinion. But this is not the point that gets a lot of attention in the film.

On the contrary, it concentrates on the results. This approach adds action to the plot. The film also touches upon the idea of division.

The Avengers are struggling with the aftermath of Civil War. There is no reunion between Captain America and Iron Man.

This becomes the key point because… The universe is now under the greatest threat ever.

But even its most powerful superheroes are separated from each other.

This becomes especially important for the movie The Avengers cannot work as one team. Different groups try to find the solution separately.

It becomes the reason why they fail. Responsibility becomes another important theme for the movie.

Tony Stark became more careful because… He understands what he is responsible for. Doctor Strange is first worried about the Time Stone.

But then he understands that he should make a greater sacrifice. Peter Parker becomes another example of responsibility.

He desperately wants to help. But he is still young. So, his situation becomes quite unique. He has the powers of a superhero.

But he does not have the experience of being one. Grief becomes another theme of the movie. And Thor is probably the best example. He has lost almost everything.

It is, in part, about coping with that loss. The movie does not romanticize his grief. There is still comedy.

But there is always the tragedy beneath that. And that is what makes his story work. The whole plot itself is massive.

Thanos moves through various settings. The heroes try to stop him. The Infinity Stones give the whole thing focus.

That is what gives the movie its structure. But the plot can still seem fragmented.

There are so many characters. There are so many settings. There are so many goals. Some parts feel more important than others.

And that is one of the things that cannot be helped about this movie. The movie tries to be multiple movies at once.

That is an impressive feat. It is also very tiring. The ending transforms the whole plot. Thanos’ snap eliminates most of the main characters.

The movie will not give us a happy ending. That ending shocked a lot of people.

But it also sets up Avengers: Endgame right away. That makes the movie both plot and setup. But the movie is obviously unfinished.

That is not necessarily a criticism. The filmmakers deliberately constructed it as part of a larger story. Still, the audience has to accept that many questions remain unanswered.

Performances

The cast is large. It brings both advantages and disadvantages. Some of the actors get much screen time. For others, there is just enough time to leave an impression.

Robert Downey Jr. continues to be among the best actors for me. Tony Stark became one of the emotionally strong characters in the MCU.

He adds humor and vulnerability to Tony.

The scenes with Doctor Strange was especially entertaining. These two actors work well together.

They are arrogant. However, they portray their arrogance in different ways. Thus, their clashes are very realistic.

Downey Jr. also makes Tony a scared man. He knows what comes next. Thus, he becomes more careful with his decisions.

Chris Hemsworth deserves special praise. Thor is the character who has one of the most dramatic arcs in the movie.

The actor manages to mix humor with real sadness. He works especially well in the scenes with Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper)

This unusual relationship brings emotions to the movie. Thor also has a reason to act in a certain way.

Hemsworth successfully conveys his motivations.

Josh Brolin gives Thanos considerable depth. This is perhaps the biggest surprise in the film.

Thanos, without any doubt, is the villain. But Brolin does not depict him as an evil being without any reason.

There is a reason behind all his actions. And that reason is that he believes what he does is right.

But that does not make him right. It makes his character more compelling. Brolin also shows vulnerability in his character.

And this vulnerability comes out of his relationship with Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) .

Benedict Cumberbatch works well as Doctor Strange. His scenes with Tony Stark are some of the film’s funniest.

However, Strange also becomes more serious as the story develops. Cumberbatch gives the character authority.

Tom Holland continues to make Spider-Man likeable. His excitement about being involved is believable.

He also has excellent chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. Their relationship adds emotional weight.

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany also deserve mention as Wanda and Vision. Their relationship remains an important emotional thread within the larger story.

Wanda is forced to consider sacrificing Vision to prevent Thanos from gaining the Mind Stone. That gives their relationship genuine emotional stakes.

However, their storyline is another example of the film’s limited space. There is clearly more that could have been explored between them.

Their story ultimately becomes important to the film’s tragic conclusion.

Mark Ruffalo has less to work with. Bruce Banner returns after his time with Thor. However, his personal relationships are not developed enough.

The lack of meaningful progress between Banner and Natasha is noticeable.

Scarlett Johansson is also given less material than expected. Black Widow remains important to the team. Yet her character receives limited development.

Chris Evans has a similar problem. Captain America has strong moments. However, his role is less central than in The Winter Soldier or Civil War.

Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan also deserve a brief mention as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. Their roles are smaller, but both bring personality and history from earlier films.

Their presence also reinforces the divisions left behind by Civil War. However, neither character gets enough time to develop beyond their established roles.

Chadwick Boseman makes an impressive return as Black Panther. Wakanda provides one of the film’s biggest settings.

Boseman brings authority to T’Challa. However, the character does not receive much individual development.

Zoe Saldaña has more emotional material as Gamora. Her relationship with Thanos becomes central. That gives Saldaña some of the film’s most dramatic scenes.

Karen Gillan also benefits from the story. Nebula’s history with Thanos becomes more important.

The Guardians continue to provide humour. Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and Pom Klementieff work well together.

Rocket becomes particularly important. His relationship with Thor is one of the film’s highlights.

The ensemble therefore contains plenty of excellent performances. The problem is screen time.

There simply is not enough of it. Some characters are inevitably reduced to supporting roles. That is understandable.

It is also one of the film’s biggest limitations.

What Worked and What Didn’t

It is undeniable that Infinity War is massive. The scale is remarkable. The movie alternates between the Earth and space.

It features Wakanda, Titan and several more locations. It reunites many heroes in the MCU. This fact alone sets the movie apart from others.

The crossovers have proven to be another big win. Thor and Rocket make an especially great pair.

Iron Man and Doctor Strange are fantastic together. The young Spider-Man adds some humor.

The Guardians seem to fit perfectly within the larger plot.

Infinity War is also visually ambitious. The worlds look great. The action is grand. The special effects are plentiful.

Thanos is especially believable. Thanks to Josh Brolin, the character gets a lot of emotional depth.

It could even be considered a surprise for the movie. The plot is also full of consequences.

This time around, there is no temporary setback at the end. The characters suffer from an important loss.

It adds significance to the story.

It also creates an amazing set-up for Endgame. It creates immediate questions for the viewer.

How will the survivors fix the damage done? Will the dead characters rise again? What will be done with Thanos?

These questions build up tremendous anticipation. However, there are many problems with the movie.

The worst is the amount of characters. There are just too many. Some get great moments in the movie.

Others get almost nothing. Bruce Banner is a good example. The dynamic with Natasha is never really finished.

This is unfortunate. Other characters are also underutilized. Black Widow has less to do.

Captain America is an important part but does not get much of his own story. Black Panther takes part in the major battle but gets little character development.

The movie therefore seems at times to be an assortment of character moments. Some work well while others don’t.

The pacing may be uneven at times. It is a long movie. But some stories are still rushed.

Other parts of the movie would probably have been shorter. This is caused by the massive scale of the film.

There is no time to pause. This reduces the impact of the emotional scenes. The movie is also expected to recall an enormous amount of information from before.

This is justifiable for an MCU film that is the nineteenth in its series. Nevertheless, it makes the film inaccessible to casual viewers.

This is definitely a movie based on prior films. The ending of the movie is yet another tricky issue.

It works really well as a cliffhanger. But it makes the movie fail to bring closure. Many people will find this annoying.

Others will find this daring. This is simply one part of a bigger story.

Overall Verdict

In terms of the ending, there are few movies that do it better than this one. The snap really turns everything around.

There is a sense of uncertainty left by the end. It also sets up the next Avengers movie perfectly. This film does not give us a straightforward win.

Rather, it leaves the story unfinished. A new movie must follow. Despite the flaws, Infinity War is still a fantastic blockbuster movie.

It is ambitious. It is spectacular. It has some amazing performances. It mixes great characters.

It gives Thanos the focus that he deserved after so much hype.

However, it is not without problems. The abundance of characters results in underdeveloped arcs.

There are some emotional plot lines which remain unresolved. The movie is also exhausting since there are too many things happening in it.

This does not mean that the movie is a failure. This just means that it cannot be as good as it potentially could be.

At least for me, this film does its best in being a big part of the MCU rather than a self-contained movie.
Its greatest parts are truly memorable. Its weaknesses are mainly due to the same qualities which make it great.

The film was attempting to gather an incredible amount of characters. It succeeded at it without losing total control.

This is quite a remarkable accomplishment. Moreover, it creates a villain who is able to support the plot for a long period of time.

However, more importantly, it makes people want to know what will happen next. This is why the set-up for Endgame is so brilliant.

Infinity War changes the position of the MCU entirely. The heroes have failed. Thanos has won.

The universe has been altered.

Thus, the next chapter in the saga becomes inevitable. It’s hard to overlook for any Marvel fan.

As a stand-alone movie, there are certainly some shortcomings. With its huge cast, it has some drawbacks.

There is an uneven character development. But when it puts the right characters together, it becomes extremely entertaining.

It’s a big, ambitious but sometimes overcrowded Marvel experience.