Film Review: Avengers Endgame ****
Avengers: Endgame ****
For critics who did not particularly appreciate the first two Lord of the Rings films, The Return of the King brought the characters’ arcs into focus, providing the conclusion to an expansive story. Roger Ebert said, “At last the full arc is visible, and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy comes into final focus. I admire it more as a whole than in its parts. The second film was inconclusive, and lost its way in the midst of spectacle. But "Return of the King" dispatches its characters to their destinies with a grand and eloquent confidence. This is the best of the three, redeems the earlier meandering, and certifies the "Ring" trilogy as a work of bold ambition at a time of cinematic timidity.”
Proving what Robert McKee says in Charlie Kaufman’s Adaptation, “Doesn’t matter what you do before, if you wow them in the end, you have a success, just don’t you bring in a deus ex machina.”
The end of a story can indeed make the sum of it parts mean more, although not always (Game of Thrones I’m thinking of you). In the case of Avengers: Endgame, I feel the same way Roger Ebert felt about Return of the King. The vision provided in the final installment of the Marvel Avengers series brings into focus each of the individual movies and character arcs. It makes the mess of Infinity War seem poignant and brings to close the story arcs of the original Avengers in a beautiful and eloquent manner, creating a surprisingly moving finale even with the trademark Marvel one liners delivered during near apocalyptic circumstances.
[Spoilers below]
Endgame begins where Infinity War left off. The opening scene before the credits is one of the best scenes in the film. It gives us the perspective of those who were not engaged with or posess the knowledge of the Universal stakes of the fight to keep Thanos from obtaining all of the Infinity stones. Watching Hawkeye observe his family’s disintegration, we need no more explanation of what happens to his character. Becoming a vigilante who attacks those who should have been destroyed, but were not by sheer chance, we understand a man who has completely given in to his darkest impulses.
The movie then settles into the reality that Thanos won and that the Universe will never be the same; even with that weight, petty disagreements and fundamental betrayals cannot be let go. I was so glad that they returned to Tony’s argument with Steve which began in Age of Ultron came to a head in Civil War and continues. Five years later though… tempers have cooled even if almost no one has healed. Captain America now leads a support group for those who lost loved ones, but he needs one himself. In the greatest irony, Tony Stark finds himself having to step away from being Iron Man and becoming a father. Gwyneth Paltrow is actually given something to do in the Marvel Universe as Pepper Potts has a line of dialogue that should have been undeliverable, but she makes moving. Black Widow plays the Martian Manhunter role from Justice League and organizes superheroes throughout the galaxy including Captain Marvel to try and stomp out crime all while realizing that they are only picking up the pieces of a broken universe.
It is in these quiet moments that Endgame finds its brilliance. By reducing the Marvel universe in half, they don’t need to develop nor track many of the heroes that we followed in Infinity War, meaning they have time to really develop characters and bring their story arcs to a true close. Giving the characters a chance to really mourn and feel the loss gives this episode an emotional depth missing in most of the Marvel films.
Once the plan comes together and the heroes assemble, they go back in time to collect the Infinity stones so they can reverse Thanos’ “inevitable” action. Doing a great job juggling three different teams, the collecting the stones for the most part does not involve fighting (a refreshing change in the Marvel Universe), but rather dealing with inner conflicts or meeting their manifestation: from Tony being able to talk to his father about fatherhood or Steve being able to reunite with his love, Margaret (I admit… it is convenient that she comes back into the story considering she’s not been mentioned by Steve for some time). For me though, the best arcs in these sequences belong to Black Widow and Thor.
Scarlett Johansson is one of our best actresses. I admit that she has been in so many action films recently that I had forgotten, but here is the actress who gave us Ghost World in a side role and Lost in Translation. Here, she delivers an incredible performance as a person who never believed she would ever have a family; who used to envy her best and only friend Clint (aka Hawkeye) for his own family. Now, the Avengers are gone and she is willing to do anything to save her family. In a similar depressing situation, Thor has lost everything. Even though he “rules” New Asgard, he is defeated; reduced to an emotional mess, overweight and having given up. His journey takes him to see his mother. Rene Russo does a great job in a small role, giving her something to do finally as Thor’s mother. What an incredible scene. Also notice that when his armor finally comes back on, he doesn’t lose the weight. It isn’t like he has to be that perfect man anymore. The Big Lebowski jokes are hysterical as well.
I admit some of the mumbo jumbo about how the time travel will or will not work makes no sense. As does the idea that they couldn’t just go back in time to get another Black Widow as Gamora also was “brought back”, not by being resurrected, but brought here from another time period. Why Hulk was sent to talk to The Ancient made no sense, especially since he did not witness the event he talks about where Dr. Strange gives the time stone to Thanos. But these are minor complaints.
The movie builds beautifully to the final battle with Thanos where they juggle all of the characters returning, giving each a cameo in the battle, and yet never making the battle confusing. It is always apparent where you are and who is battling whom. It is a true feat that is a microcosm for the Russos’ balancing the entire film. That is… minus the deus ex machina that happens in the final battle… I know it was “set-up”, but, Captain Marvel’s timing is a little too convenient.
Unlike Return of the King, the film does know when to end. The after climax scenes do not drag on and feel unwelcome. They resolve the major story arcs of each of the main characters with Tony being able to say goodbye, Steve being able to live his life and pass on his shield, and Thor deciding to stop being what others expect from him.
This is a remarkable film.
