The ‘Mendgame’

Film review: Avengers: Endgame

MANILA, Philippines — After Infinity War left half the world in tatters, and half our Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superheroes presumed expired, we all knew that the stakes placed on the concluding installment Avengers: Endgame would be sky high. Endgame would be the film where superhero survivor grief would be addressed, mending would occur, and the final answer to Thanos would be addressed. It would be the culmination of all the interconnected MCU films since Iron Man in 2008, and would spell the future of the MCU. In truth, it would be both end and beginning; and we all held our breath, waiting in anticipation.

Now that Endgame has finally arrived, it’s being asked whether the 181-minute behemoth delivers on its promise, and sets a new standard for the superhero film genre. A standard that can carry the torch that Black Panther established earlier this year, as the first superhero film included among the Oscars Best Picture nominees. If you recall, the furor started back in 2008 when The Dark Knight was snubbed as Best Picture, even if it received eight nominations, which included the Best Supporting Actor that Heath Ledger won posthumously. It’s only with last year’s Black Panther that a superhero film finally made it to the Best Picture list.

So Endgame basically picks up from where Infinity War left us. And for the first hour, we’re really talking about stages of grief, the varying reactions of the surviving superheroes and how they cope — whether with on-the-surface success, or abject futility. This is as emotional a gut punch as we can get from any film, and at times, it does look like we’ve stumbled upon a drama about despair and sublimation, rather than a comic superhero film.

With Endgame led by the acting prowess of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Chris Evans as Captain America, we are fascinated, subscribing to this film loaded with “gravitas.” For the first hour, the only shafts of humor come from Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and to a lesser degree, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd); and you’ll have to love the willingness of Hemsworth to continue to mine this comedic direction that really gave Ragnarok its special quality. He is hilarious here, and we’re thankful for the relief it provides amidst all the hand-wringing and furrowed foreheads.

After the 60-minute mark, there’s finally the semblance of an action plan for the surviving superheroes, and a wonderful plot device is set in motion; one that allows us to be treated to one cameo after another, a virtual gallery of all the major and minor characters we’ve encountered through the previous 21 MCU films. It’s nostalgia with a capital n, and you can audibly hear the exclamations of surprise and delight from the audience as this section unfolds. It’s an obvious salute to the moviegoers who count themselves among the MCU faithful and it’s great to see Marvel acknowledge this unabashedly.

At the 120-minute point, a galactic battle of epic proportions gets underway; and here, finally, is the justification for regarding this as an action film. If in the past there were films where the action bit was the letdown, here is the one that lives up to its billing. It’s been often said that Marvel films are primarily about character, plotting second, and action a close but definite third. This may still hold true for Endgame, but “coming in third” just got much stronger.

Marvel has always set its own path and direction with its films. And the really great surprise with Endgame is how it invests so much in character study and development. After all, we’ve been following some of these superheroes for a decade now, so it’s the narrative and the reactions that can catch us unaware, or bring forth a new facet of  personalities. This is as emo a superhero film as we’ll ever get, so while it may snag a Best Picture nomination in the 2020 Oscars, don’t be surprised if both Downey and Evans will also be part of the conversation when it comes to Best Actor.

Endgame is a MCU fan fantasy come true. And you’ll be left open-mouthed and in tears as mantles are passed, new storylines and partnerships established, and we’re treated to glimpses of where the MCU is headed for in the years to come.