'Avengers: Endgame' is a fitting end to the MCU — movie review

Avengers: Endgame is an epic, emotional, spectacle-driven farewell to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it — and it's perfect in every way.

30-second review: Avengers: Endgame is an epic, emotional, spectacle-driven farewell to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it. And the fact that it is so clearly an end is part of the reason it's so successful. There are many callbacks and moments of familiarity that will make fans cheer, but they don't feel pandering. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Steven McFeely took care to earn every one of the moments and often having them based in character.

It also helps that the movie's structure is that of an epic balancing multiple story threads and arcs without feeling overstuffed. And it all culminates in a satisfying, glorious end that reminds us why seeing movies with a crowd is so powerful. The MCU is an incredible feat and Avengers: Endgame is the perfect capper to it.

Where to watch Avengers: Endgame: Available to buy or rent on Amazon.

Whatever it takes. Full review below ?

Don't get it wrong, Avengers: Endgame is the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, these movies will continue. But this is a series finale. And like any good series finale, it's filled with moments of joy — and fan service (more on that later) — sadness, nostalgia, and, most importantly, a vision for the future. Whatever comes next is something new — and that's the way it should be.

To the credit of MCU mastermind Kevin Feige and directors Joe and Anthony Russo, this movie is proof that every movie, every moment, and every character along the way mattered. Endgame is a celebration of the journey and the six heroes that began it all — Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson), Clive Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). It's their finale — and what an emotional, surprising, and exciting curtain call it is.

It's difficult to talk about Endgame without spoiling any plot details — and yes, avoid spoilers at all costs. I'll be vague here. Because even if you think you know what's going to happen, you don't. We begin about a month after Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiped out half the population of the universe using the six Infinity Stones and the Avengers are at a loss.

Even though Endgame clocks in at just over 3 hours, it doesn't drag. Though the first act spends a lot of time with the characters working through their defeat. They have always been the world's hope. Now, they're the ones in need of some hope.

It's the raw moments with these characters that I missed in Infinity War. That movie had the difficult job of setting up the stakes for this movie and it did that successfully. But what makes the MCU so impressive is its willingness to slow the action down for the sake of character development. So much of Endgame is spent delivering payoffs and callbacks for fans. A large chunk of the movie is a clever and entertaining trip down memory lane. That doesn't mean that it doesn't earn the emotional payoffs for its characters — particularly the original six Avengers.

Eventually, the story shifts to a Hail Mary attempt at reversing the effects of Thanos' snap that is so ridiculous that it might just work. And the screenplay penned by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely keeps things moving. I've always praised the original Avengers movie for its brilliant story structure, Endgame is similarly well-paced and focused. It builds to a brilliant final act that can only be described as Earth-shattering. It's not an exaggeration to say I was physically shaking.

But that's what these movies do so well. They get you laughing when they want you to laugh, crying when they want you to cry, cheering when they want you to cheer. If the Russo's specifically are to be credited with anything it's that they get you to do those things without feeling like you've been manipulated.

Some of the praise for that has to be given to the performances as well. Chris Evans gives the best performance of his decade-long turn as Captain America while Robert Downey Jr. absolutely nails every emotional beat of Tony's storyline. On the other hand, Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo hold down the comedic end. It's a well-oiled machine that chugs to its incredibly satisfying conclusion.

Which is good, since this is the end. The MCU will go on, but this is a bittersweet finale this 22-movie run. Storylines come to a end — all well-earned — and characters leave — some die, some move forward to uncertain futures, some stay right where they are. Still, they're all changed. Every single character is different from when they were first introduced and that's why no franchise has been able to do what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been able to do.

Endgame is a farewell. An epic, emotionally draining, spectacle-driven farewell. And yet, things are just getting started.

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Hey! I'm Karl. You can find me on Twitter here. I'm also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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Karl Delossantos

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Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.

‘Avengers: Endgame’ is a fitting end to the MCU — movie review

Avengers: Endgame is an epic, emotional, spectacle-driven farewell to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it — and it's perfect in every way.

More movies, less problems

Karl Delossantos

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