NOTE: True fans of the Avengers movies have,
by now, seen Endgame. This review is
full of spoilers for those who have not.
Avengers: Endgame is the
finale of this phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), so there was a
great deal that directors Anthony and Joseph Russo had to wrap up in a
three-hour time frame. It was a wise choice to open the movie on an intimate scale
as we see what happened to Hawkeye’s family following the snap. From there we
watch several Avengers locate Thanos, discover he has destroyed the stones, and
Thor dispatches his head with Stormbreaker. The movie then jumps five years ahead,
and the Avengers, thanks to Tony Stark, find a way to go back in time, collect
the Infinity Stones before Thanos does, and reverse the consequences of the
snap.
For
the most part, the story telling is tight and the action exciting. I
appreciated the expanded screen time for Nebula, as well as the appearance of
Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One. Dr. Strange and Ironman are two of the most
capably handled characters in the movie, providing some of the best dramatic
scenes. Considering that the MCU began with his story, it is appropriate that
Ironman is given the most emotionally charged and heroic death. Dr. Strange
plays a key role in the final resolution. His arrival, and the opening of all
portals for the characters who had vanished after the snap to join in the battle,
is gripping. I was so awestruck by this, especially seeing the armies of
Wakanda and Asgard, it almost made me forget about Thor’s portrayal—almost.
What
the Russo brothers did to Thor is horrendous. Presenting him as an overweight
and depressed drunk in the Norwegian fishing village of New Asgard five years
after the snap is a funny moment; however, it is carried too far, and he ends
up being a pathetic joke. Thor had previously struggled psychologically with
the loss of everything he had known, yet he remained heroic. Thor had also proven
himself a leader; it was part of his story arc over several movies. Handing
over the throne of New Asgard to Valkyrie is inconsistent with his free
acceptance of being king at the end of Thor:
Ragnarok. The dreadful portrayal of Thor is a major disappointment.
Using
time travel as a plot device is always problematic, and this is the source of several
plot holes because they ignore the rules they painstakingly establish. For
example, to prevent creating alternative timelines the stones must be returned
to their respective timelines after undoing the snap. However, Captain America not
only returns the stones to their timelines, as well as Mjolnir to Asgard in the
Thor: The Dark World timeline, he goes
back further and lives a life with Peggy Carter, creating two different
timelines in which Steve Rogers is living. If you establish rules of time
travel you must stick with them.
Avengers: Endgame includes some unforgiveable
character portrayals and a lot of plot holes; however, these are outweighed by thrilling
action, emotional endings, stunning visual effects, a score by Alan Silvestri
that beautifully complements the emotional drama and action of the film, and an
epic final battle against Thanos and his forces that alone is worth the price
of admission.
