Film Review: Avengers: Infinity War

00:57 April 27, 2018
By: David Vicari

It's a battle royale in Avengers: Infinity War, which is officially the third Avengers movie but plots threads for Infinity War have been showing up in other Marvel Comics superhero movies, including 2016's Captain America: Civil War and last year's Thor: Ragnarok.

Infinity Waris chock-full of Marvel characters. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr,), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), my personal favorite Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and his Guardians of the Galaxy, and many more take on the major heavy Thanos (Josh Brolin). 

It doesn't look good for the fate of the Earth if Thanos gets his mitts on all six magical Infinity Stones. The Avengers and their allies split up into groups to try and stop him. One complication is that Guardian and Star-Lord's main squeeze, Gamora (Zoe Saldana), was raised by Thanos. 

Film Review: <em>Avengers: Infinity War</em>

Yes, there are too many characters here, even for a two-hour-and-30-minute movie, but directors Anthony and Joe Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely balance it fairly well. Plus, thanks to all the previous Marvel movies, we know these characters by now. 

The character of Thanos is the glue that holds the film together. He is a formidable villain because he is driven and obsessed with power, yet has inner conflict. His menacing presence is felt throughout the movie and you really feel there is much at stake for the good guys. 

This is a darker Marvel movie than we are used to, but the humor is still there. In fact, sometimes the humor is misplaced during scenes that should have remained serious. 

Infinity War delivers the requisite action, and much of it is exciting. Dr. Strange battling Thanos late in the film is pretty awesome, and Thor's appearance with his new axe is the coolest.  

Now, there are shocking moments and a cliffhanger ending, so be prepared. Just know that there will be another Avengers movie next year that will conclude the tale of Thanos. 


*** out of four

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