That the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building since the launch of "Iron Man" in 2008 to "Avengers: Endgame" puts the kind of pressure on the studio executives, crew and cast that would buckle The Hulk's knees. If the film has even the tiniest flaw, the excitement surrounding the long buildup would turn to deep and dark frustration.
No need to worry. The film doesn't even have a flaw small enough for Ant-Man to wiggle through. The production is so strong that even if you have not seen any of the other 21 films leading up to the "Avengers: Endgame" or read a Marvel comic book, it would still be a gift of massive action sequences and emotional highs and lows.
Those who have been loyal fans are presented with a film directed by Joe and Anthony Russo that blends together major and minor characters, big and little plotlines and massive and insignificant moments to create a masterful presentation. It had looked like the MCU had peaked with "Captain America: Winter Soldier" or "Black Panther," but "Avengers: Endgame" has set a new and heavenly high standard for the comic book action film.
It would be a sin to give away any details, as this is a production that's best enjoyed without spoilers, but there are some general observations that can be made safely. The film picks up at the end of "Avengers: Infinity War," where half of the known universe was snapped out of existence by Thanos (Josh Brolin). Among those who vanished were a handful of heroes including Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), just to name a few.
It's up to the remaining Avengers to come up with a way to repair the damage done by Thanos, who was certain eliminating half the population in the universe would be a good thing. But instead of the survivors building a better world, they have fallen into such an emotional quicksand that everything is falling apart. That includes members of the Avengers.
The key to correcting the problem that's used by screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely is one that often comes with too many holes to be practical. That the writers address those issues shows they understand there will be some questions, but it really is the best way to be able to show how elements from so many movies were used as building blocks to get to "Endgame."
Much of the film deals with the efforts by the Avengers to find a solution to the Thanos problem, but the writers and directors were smart enough to fill the moments between key action scenes with some beautiful moments. It's nice to see the MCU has not lost its sense of humor, and the levity works perfectly.
Talking about the top-notch acting performances must be done carefully as to not give away any hints. Please note a large number of the cast members do some extremely good acting work who just can't be singled out.
It is safe to say Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth continue to show that long ago Iron Man, Captain America and Thor stopped being parts in a superhero film; the characters they play take on such a depth they breathe life into every scene. Downey has never wavered in his portrayal of Stark as a snarky genius with a weird heart, while Evans makes Captain America such an iconic character it should be a law he should always be treated with patriotic honors.
Hemsworth gets to stretch in "Endgame," and he makes the most of the moments. His performance will end up being the biggest buzz by the fans who have _ in some cases _ been waiting for this moment for more than a decade.
That's a long time to wait, but the payoff exceeds even the highest expectations for how good "Avengers: Endgame" could be. The quality is so high, the action so intense (especially the final battle) and the writing so smart that "Avengers: Endgame" is the most super of all superhero movies.
