For my spoiler review on YouTube, click here
A visually stunning action film, that must overcome some jarring tonal shifts, to deliver a nail-biting finale. That biggest pro, and con, of this movie is that there is always a lot going on. At any given point, story is unfolding in three or four different locations at once with dozens of characters. On one end, you’re getting your money’s worth. On the other, you’re moving from life or death scenarios and going to much more comedy-filled scenes. Independently these moments work fantastic. But, the transitions often take you out of the moment. As the film progresses and the stakes get higher, this isn’t so much of a problem. The plot is solid, but not all the side stories click. The effects are spectacular and if I didn’t know a head of time I would probably not realize that some of the characters are completely CGI. Most impressive is Thanos. The amount of emotion that needs to be portrayed with him dwarfs most of the other characters, and he works just as well if not better than the flesh and blood actors. Thanos himself is a well thought-out character, but there seems to be one piece of the puzzle missing to truly sympathize with him. The action is great, but some of the bigger set pieces don’t quite deliver like I would hope. When the humor is appropriate, they nail it, while on the other side, there are only one or two emotional moments that really hit home. The film also suffers from the fact that the story won’t be wrapped up until “Avengers 4,” so it’s always in the back of your mind that you’re getting only the first half of a story.
**** out of *****