Warning Spoilers Ahead!
Initial Thoughts:
Marvel Studios didn’t hold back for their biggest film to date. Firing on all cylinders and bringing to life one of most memorable cinematic experiences for the franchise. This film was captivating right from the get go, leaving me speechless when the dust had finally settled. There was so much going on within this film, whether it was the quest to retrieve the Infinity Stones that tied all the properties together. Or the interactions of characters who met for the very first time and chemistry they had onscreen. One thing is for sure this was Marvels most serious movie where the stakes felt real but I loved how it was balanced perfectly with the brilliant use of humour and heart. Allowing for it to be more than just fight sequences, the story become more compelling when it dealt with themes that humanised the villain whose idea of bringing balance to the universe was destruction and death.
“Fine, I’ll do it myself” – Thanos
We have been waiting years for Thanos to get off his floating chair and when he finally did, proved why he is the biggest and baddest. We knew that this film would have casualties and it didn’t take long till blood was split. In fact the very first scene saw Loki and Hemidall bite the bullet which set the tone for the remainder of the film. Even the Marvel opening credits had a somber feel to it, leading into a distress call from the ship containing the people of Asgard. This definitely wasn’t your traditional playful Marvel outing, in fact it felt scary when you have visuals of a beaten up Thor, being tortured by the Mad Titan and Hulk getting owned to the point where he was unconscious. It was disturbing in a sense watching our heroes being hurt both physically and emotionally in a way that we had never seen before.
This goes down to brilliant script writers who honoured both the source material but took time to pen this film thoughtfully. I think it’s easy to overlook past all the purple but Josh Borlin’s performance was incredible and it felt like this was his film. As much as it was about bringing together all of the protagonists we’ve come to know, his portal and presence every time he was on screen was menacing. This is a guy you do not want to go toe to toe with, he swatted away heroes like they were flies. In fact it took six heroes to try to get the gauntlet off his hand but due to emotions running high (looking at you Star-Lord), they came close but failed.
Thanos’ backstory from the comics is slightly altered for his film incarnation which is reasonable. This involves the destruction of Titan which in comics is a result of Thanos killing his own people. Whereas in the film, he wanted to help head count of his home planet but wasn’t allowed to because his idea was considered mad. In terms of how he got the idea of bringing balance to the universe by slaughtering half the population. This in the comics is from Thanos’ crush Mistress Death, she brings him back from the dead as there are more people alive than there are dead and she needs someone to do her dirty work. Thanos’ motivation in the comics is to please Mistress Death but she is never impressed and even betrays Thanos after seeing that he loses his mind due to all the power.
The Elephant in the Room:
I had predications as to who wasn’t going to make it and that only included a handful of people but with a fully assembled Infinity Gauntlet and an already existing body count. Thanos snapped his finger and a whole lot of faces disappeared before our eyes and these weren’t just your sidekicks. Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Peter Quill, Teenage Groot, Bucky Barnes, Falcon, Drax and Scarlet Witch were all turned to dust. This moment was a hat tip to the comics but source material aside this was baffling, I mean it reduced the number of supers for sure but added to the level of intensity of the film. I think it was a smart decision, we wouldn’t have cared as much if a number of people died who we had no emotional connection to but when you’re favourite heroes die, it’s something else.
Now I know what you’re thinking surely certain people can’t die, due to upcoming sequels. I definitely do feel like characters will come back for sure but I don’t think that this is a Batman v Superman situation where Superman was killed off for no particular reason. The difference here is that it added to the story, I like how there was no resolution, no happy ending. It ended in a non-Marvel way and set up what will be a highly speculated Avengers 4. It means that the remaining heroes have to band together and somehow fix the current reality while still being emotionally scarred themselves.
Kid at a Candy Shop:
Doom and gloom aside for the moment because this movie, as much as it was an emotional rollercoaster, it had its lighter moments too. This was enforced through the coming together of all the key players from the existing properties. For years Marvel Studios have been saying that it’s all connected and this film was the fulfilment of that. It felt like watching the comics depicted in a live action format and I couldn’t get enough. Everything from the clashing of personalities to the combinations in fight sequences and this film had a lot of that. It was amazing seeing how each hero got to know about each other’s existence whether it was the Guardians getting to know the Avengers or Doctor Strange meeting Spider-Man, it was nostalgic in a sense.
We all knew that these interactions would be humorous and some of the best moments came through the comedy element. It didn’t take away from the situation at hand but meant that it didn’t turn into a DC film in the process. There was so many moments in this film and if anything they outweigh the negatives which are minimal. I think this came with the decision to split up the characters, rather than having all of them fighting for screen time. This was smart because it meant that each person had a significant part to play and the interactions worked better with few faces on screen at a time.
Pacing:
I was surprised as to how quick the film was over. Two and half hours went by in a flash and I think we as fanatics wouldn’t have minded more but it was fitting to have the runtime as it was to justify for the way it ended. The transitions were outstanding and upped the anti as we went from one locale to another, at the same time progressing the story. Now don’t get me wrong there was breathing room which came through character development scenes specifically involving Thanos and Gamora.
Heart:
I love how the story humanised Thanos and this was done through his relationship with Gamora. You actually felt for him especially with one of the most emotional moments where he was forced to sacrifice her to retrieve the Soul Stone. The flashback that revealed the killing of her people was graphic but also showed how she came to be his adopted daughter. These scenes also gave us a revelation of the rationale behind his conquest, which again added to his agenda.
Locations:
I also enjoyed how we got to explore new locations within the span of the time that we had with the characters. These locations also had an important part to play in terms of story and were mostly based in the stars. Every Avengers film has grown in its threat level whether it was the city of New York, the world and now the universe is in danger. Each location also meant that we got to meet characters whether it be Red Skull who made a return after being transported into space during the first Captain America film. He played the role of guarding the Soul Stone which could only be obtained by those willing to kill their loved ones as the price. We also got to meet Eitri played by Peter Dinklage, who represents a dying race of dwarves responsible for making weapons for Asgardian kings as well as the gauntlet for Thanos.
Black Order:
Amongst the faceless armies that Thanos possessed, we met his elite squad in this latest outing. They like Gamora and Nebula were taken from different planets that the Mad Titan has conquered and used as weapons. The group comprised of Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian (who in the comics is referred to as Black Dwarf but the film changed his name for appropriate reasons). I liked their presence in the film because they challenged the Avengers whether it was through the use of magic or through the use of spears and other weapons. We all know that Gamora is Thanos’ favourite, while these other supposed children were more like pawns in a sense. They did his dirty work and failure wasn’t really an option but upon getting killed, weren’t mourned for by the Mad Titan. I wasn’t emotionally attached to the characters as much but it was cool seeing Thanos’ evil space version of the Avengers who challenged them through torture or the stabbing of chests (R.I.P Vision).
Infinity Stones:
As mentioned before the Infinity Stones played a vital role in the film and this was the first time we saw them used to their true potential. Sure we’ve seen the Tesseract or Space Stone used a few times for teleportation and Doctor Strange bargain with Dormammu but that was child’s play. Thanos was not only on a hunt for them but he was not afraid to spill blood in the process. We also saw that he understood how they worked at the same time. He used the Power Stone from Guardians of the Galaxy to blow up the Asgardian spaceship. He used the Reality Stone last seen with the Collector (who is also dead) to create an illusion to fool the Guardians and to pull apart Drax, Mantis and also Nebula (his own daughter). The Time Stone which Doctor Strange gave up at the end, Thanos uses to turn back time on Mind Stone’s destruction, only to rip it out of Vision’s vibranium head. He also goes toe to toe with Doctor Strange and destroys a moon, only to throw it at Iron-Man. With that being said these are all trumped by the snapping of his purple fingers with Gauntlet in hand and all Infinity Stones inserted.
Now we didn’t really see Thanos use the Mind Stone in film but this is speculation, in the process of snapping his fingers Thanos is transported to a watery place with a similar structure from Gamora’s home planet and standing in it is her young self seen earlier from the flashback. She asks of him if he did it, to which he replies yes. She asks another question about what it cost and he replies back with something along the lines of “everything”. What does this scene mean, is it more evidence for his rationale or an indication of his love for his daughter? Does it depict the toll that it took to do what he did? The only reason why I bring this is up, it could be a result of the Mind Stone, showing us Thanos’ worse nightmare or him replaying his pain. We know how powerful the Mind Stone was in human hands, creating Vision, Ultron, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and affecting the Avengers in a big way. Are we going to see an emotionally wounded Thanos in Avengers 4 as a result of his possession of the Stone, I mean clearly the Soul Stone is already a constant reminder of his loss.
Notable Mentions:
There is so much we can talk about from this film, so to continue I thought I would list them or this could be a novel:
– Bruce Banner crashes into the Sanctum to warn Doctor Strange and Wong that Thanos is coming. Silver Surfer does so in the ‘Infinity Gauntlet comic.
– We finally got to see Spider-Man’s new suit in action which is made from metal and has arms sticking out the back. This is another reference from the comics to his ‘Iron-Spider’ suit which he gets during the original Civil War storyline.
– Bruce Banner can’t turn back into The Hulk after Thanos beats him up. It seems as The Hulk doesn’t want to come back. Could this run in with the Mad-Titan have scared our favourite angry Avenger?
– Stan Lee has a cameo as the driver of the bus that Peter and his classmates are in. He yells at the kids saying, “What? Haven’t you kids seen an alien spaceship before?!” This could be a reference to the battle of New York in The Avengers first outing or be another hint of his adventures as a confirmed Watcher.
– Pepper Potts and Tony Stark are engaged and Tony refers to a dream of them having a baby.
– Hawkeye and Ant-Man don’t make an appearance, it is talked of how they didn’t want to get involved after the Accords due to their families. This will obviously change with the Avengers 4, it is interesting to note that both Hawkeye and his wife were supposedly listed to be in the film but was later removed. Also the Russo’s did say that he was on a side mission which never eventuated in the theatrical release.
– Secretary Ross makes an appearance by hologram/projection and so does his whole board room.
– Rodey can walk properly now and also is War Machine again.
– Natasha and Bruce meet for the first time since Avengers: Age of Ultron, that was both an awkward and touching moment.
– Vision can know change his appearance and make himself look like a human even hiding the Mind Stone in public.
– Tony Stark is announced missing on the news.
– Thor mentions that half of his people died or were killed. What happened to Korg and Miek or Valkryie? Did they escape with the other half? Did Hemidall send them to Norway?
– If Xander is mentioned as being wrecked by Thanos. If this is so why didn’t they call the Guardians of the Galaxy for help? Did he blow up the whole planet?
– Thanos meets Star-Lord (the boyfriend) while he has captured Gamora and has a liking for him after he is pulls the trigger to shoot her. That scene with Gamora appealing to Peter Quill that he had promised to kill her if Thanos got her was emotional.
– During Thanos and Gamora’s conversation in his throne room, we find that it took 20 years before Gamora become the weapon that Thanos wanted and for her to by believing his lies. He also talks of how he wanted her to sit on the chair one day.
– Thanos also speaks of how there are powerful entities in the universe that aren’t willing to do what he is willing. Could they make an appearance in the next Avengers to match the source material or is it just a further development of their existence within the franchise?
– Shuri is smarter than Bruce Banner.
– Bucky gets a vibranium arm which Rocket asks for as well as his gun.
– Rocket and Teenage Groot are the first Guardians to make it to planet Earth from the team.
– Bruce Banner using the Hulkbuster was pretty fun.
– It is important to note that Vision although the Mind Stone was ripped out of his head, still has a body. Originally it was destroyed along with the Mind Stone by Scarlet Witch.
– The fight sequence between Iron Man and Thanos was amazing. Tony only manages to get a single cut on Thanos’ skin to which Thanos wrecks Iron Man and ironically used his own armour to stab him. Unfortunately Thanos doesn’t kill him.
– Doctor Strange sees into future and out of all the million possible outcomes, there is only one where they win.
– Doctor Strange before he dies tells Iron Man that, “it’s the end game now”. Could this be the outcome he saw where they won and in order to do so, they had to first lose.
– In Iron Man and Thanos’ conversation, Tony tells the Mad Titan that he’s been in his head for the last 6 years (battle of New York). Thanos then states that he knows Stark, referring to how intelligence knows intelligence.
– Doctor Strange tells Tony Stark earlier in the film that he’s main concern was to protect the Time Stone and wasn’t concerned that if him and Peter Parker died as a result. That changed in the span of the fighting alongside each other.
– Bruce Banner has a brilliant moment when he finds out that there is a Spider-Man and Ant-Man.
– On Titan when Star-Lord is criticising Tony Stark’s plan, his fellow Guardians come to his aid bringing up his dance battle victory over Ronan. To which Stark is confused, thinking what would a dance off do against Thanos.
– Thor understand Groot and refers to how he took it as an elective in Asgardian school.
Post Credits/Avengers 4:
Finally the post credit scene of which there is one, it shows Nick Fury and Maria Hill in present day. While driving they are stopped by a car crashing into them and after finding out that there is no passenger, start to see destruction take place around them before they too start disappearing. We know due to the conclusion of the film that this was due to Thanos’ doing. In saying that before Nick Fury dies, he gets out a device and contacts someone. The device falls on the ground and loads, only to reveal a colourful logo which belongs to Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel who is played by Bree Larson. The female Green Lantern of the Marvel Universe has a stand-alone film next year.
It is been said that she will be in Avengers 4 after her first outing and will have a massive impact no doubt, along with missing heroes such as Ant-Man and The Wasp who also have a film later on this year. Both films look to taking place before the events of Infinity War, well Captain Marvel for sure. It is fair to say that after those who were sidelined for this film will be called in for help for Avengers 4. The film has no title at this point but we know that with an unresolved story line and a whole lot of missing characters that this next team up movie will definitely revolve around Thanos and his new colourful glove which took a toll after its powerful act.
It is important to note that leaked set photos from the next adventure of our heroes have been out and show what could be an interesting Avengers film. Also there are a lot scenes that were deleted which we will see when it’s release on Blu-Ray/DVD.
Character Death Observation:
While further dwelling on the death of the characters in the film, it is important to note that most of Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t survive this outing with Rocket the only left standing on Earth. In terms of the earth based heroes and I don’t enough if this was on purpose but all the characters turned to dust were apart of the new roster which include the likes of Black Panther, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange. As well as Bucky who is now the White Wolf, Falcon, Scarlet Witch and Vision.
All the main characters that survive were part of the original line up of characters which includes Iron-Man, Thor, Steve Rogers, Black Widow, Bruce Banner and War Machine. Isn’t it interesting that none of the A list Avengers died in this film but instead the story meant that the up and coming Avengers would be killed off. I think that the remaining Avengers will be left to pick up the pieces and resolve the story with additional help but it might cost some of them their lives. It has been long rumoured that the fourth Avengers film will be the passing of the torch and what better way to go out then to bring back to life half the population of the universe.
Rating:
This film is so good on so many levels and is my favourite comic-book/superhero films of all time. And with that being said I would rate it a 9 out of 10.
Let me know if I missed anything or I got something wrong. What are your theories for Avengers 4? Do you agree or disagree with my rating? Comment below, I would love to hear from you!
raviprasadwrites 