It’s an experience that Marvel fans patiently waited a decade for, a film release that may have had the highest expectations of any film in history. And with expectations at a fever pitch, thankfully Avengers Endgame delivered.
Could this be the greatest comic book movie of all time? Certainly, there were times that Avengers Endgame exceeded expectations. Yet there were others that stung with disappointment. Three years post-release, looking at the film with clear vision not influenced by a decade of built-up expectations, does Avengers: Endgame still satisfy?
Avengers Endgame is still super in every way
With an all-star cast, including Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Benedict Wong (Wong), Jon Favreau (Happy), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Josh Brolin (Thanos), and a slew of other B-list Marvel characters that have huge Hollywood names attached, this one is sure to remain dear to its fans and continue to win over new converts.Â
A true marvel
Endgame succeeds here where so many finales have failed before: It gives audiences genuine closure. Aided by a fast pace that is story-driven, Endgame authentically wraps up loose ends and delivers a satisfactory conclusion to the arcs of several characters, including Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, and Gamora. (Spoiler alert: some of them don’t make it!)
In addition to that feat, stylistically, the film is an embarrassment of riches. The cinematography is incredible and the production design can’t be matched. Narratively speaking, the urgency created in the film by the sense of finality surrounding it is balanced out with the appropriate amount of smart-ass jokes, just a little something to lighten the mood while our heroes attempt to bring half of the population of earth back to life.
Is Endgame the end?
Avengers: Endgame set the stage for Phase 4 of the MCU. And the consequences of “the snap” have already been felt across the MCU, beginning with Spider-Man: A Long Way From Home, then Loki, and now Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So much has gone wrong in Tony’s absence, but the room for growth is infinite (pun intended), and Marvel no doubt has the content and resources to fill that space for years.Â
Avengers: Endgame is one for the record books, a finale that is satisfying for fans of the comic books and casual movie fans alike. The end of a great saga, Avengers: Endgame is intended to close a chapter. But in the world of comic book movies, often, the end is only the beginning.
Avengers: Endgame is streaming now on Disney+.