Avengers: Endgame Review (Spoilers)

It is finally here: the epic finale all Marvel fans have been awaiting. An epic finale totaling a $1.2 billion box office gross globally in the opening weekend. With a 21-movie build-up, countless creatures laid to rest, and tons of chuckles, Avengers: Endgame was nothing short of the perfect conclusion.

After the three-hour cinematic masterpiece, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, it’s unreal to think this phase in superhero movies is over. Well, technically not over yet as Spider-Man: Far From Home comes out July 2, but Endgame is viewed as the conclusion of the ‘Infinity Saga.’ Despite being three hours, the movie flowed effortlessly and after a couple hours, it seemed like 20 minutes went by. The amount of detail put into Endgame was phenomenal, great dialogue, and of course, the intense final battle scene between every superhero imaginable against Thanos and his army. 

The premise of the movie was to travel back in time and prevent Thanos from gaining all Infinity stones, thanks to the wonderful mind of Ant-Man. As an Avenger who does not have the recognition as other characters, his mind proved pivotal as the mastermind of using the quantum realm to defeat Thanos. Keep in mind, Ant-Man missed Thanos snap because he was trapped in the quantum realm for five years. The remaining team splits up, traveling back to specific points to retrieve the stones. As the team returns with the six stones, a main Avenger does not, and a replaced Nebula, the dishonored daughter of Thanos, foils the plan and brings Thanos to present day. And then, it was time for the most awaited battle in Marvel history.

During the explosive, exciting, and emotional grand finale, the Russo brothers held nothing back as the battle was overwhelming and perfect. After the Hulk snapped using the Infinity Gauntlet, it brought back everyone who disintegrated in Avengers: Infinity War. Captain America, beaten and bloodied, stood in front of Thanos’ army alone, only to turn around to see Dr. Strange transporting thousands of eager fighters to defend the world. 

This was the best fight scene in any Marvel movie thus far. Valkyrie flying on Pegasus, the country of Wakanda, and other prominent Avengers square off against an army of thousands. Also, Ant-Man turns huge and topples and wails on the flying dragon ships, seen from Marvel’s The Avengers. 

The focus of the fight is to keep the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos. To simplify it, the battle was a giant game of keep-away. From Hawkeye to Spider-Man and all others involved, it was satisfying to see numerous Avengers have an individual spotlight. That is one aspect of Endgame I really enjoyed, how at some point, one Avenger was highlighted for a specific and crucial moment. 

Endgame was not strictly business as the movie was hilarious at moments. Thor, the God of Thunder, was overweight the entire movie and appeared as the God of Pizza. Since the snap, Thor went into a depressive turmoil, gained over 50 pounds, and lost all confidence in his abilities. Even as the final battle waged on, Thor did not have the power he used to in previous movies. Then there’s Hulk, a new-wave fitness guru who has found the middle ground between Hulk and Bruce Banner. This transformation was funny, yet cringe-worthy at times. He, too, was not at full strength and was not a deciding factor in the final battle scene. One last shocking tidbit: Captain America has a couple funny quotes, one stating, “Yeah, that is America’s ass.”

One thing to note going into the movie: it’s not an action thrill ride from start to finish. I went into the movie, knowing nothing about the comics or premise of the movie, thinking it would be a cat-and-mouse chase with Thanos. My lousy prediction could not have been further from the plot line, but I’m incredibly happy I was wrong. The plot was strategic, bouncing back and forth through time to collect all the Infinity Stones. It was like a walk down memory lane with clips from Marvel’s The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, as well as showing other icons: Howard Stark and Peggy Carter. The sentimental moment between Iron Man and his father Howard was a nice add-on. 

Now, for the big spoilers, leading to eyes swelling up and hearts being shattered, the deaths of Black Widow and Iron Man. When Black Widow and Hawkeye battled it out on Vormir for the Soul stone, it was devastating to see two friends willing to sacrifice for the greater good and each other. After Hawkeye returns without Black Widow, seeing Captain America cry tugged on the strings of everyone’s heart. She was never one of the most prominent and recognizable Avenger, but as the only woman Avenger from the original six, it was sad to see her go. 

As for Iron Man, it was one of the most difficult fictional deaths I have ever seen. Starting with the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie in 2008, Iron Man has appeared in the most movies at ten and whether a fan loved or hated him, it was heartbreaking to see him go. After snapping with the Infinity Gauntlet on, killing all evil beings including Thanos, his body fried and led to his demise. When Spider-Man spoke his last words to his mentor, seeing his innocent stature break down and cry was as emotional as it gets. Followed by Pepper Pots saying goodbye, sniffles echoed in the auditorium.

As if it his death wasn’t hard enough, the movie included a prerecorded message to his family saying he may not make it out alive. Tony Stark at one point kneels, directly speaking to his daughter and says, “I love you 3,000,” a reference from the movie earlier. This is when the levee broke and the water ran freely. 

Out of all the Marvel movies, it’s near impossible to not place Avengers: Endgame at number one. The Russo brothers created an iconic conclusion, tying all loose ends and combining elements from all Marvel movies to finalize a legendary series. Hell, the movie could have gone six hours and nobody would have complained. Nevertheless, Avengers: Endgame is a must-see in theaters to feel the movie through your veins, to share heartbreak and laughs among others, and above all, to say thank you to an incredible finale.

P.S.: Captain America stuns fans with a fantastic surprise.