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It’s finally happened. After kicking things off in 2008 with Iron Man, the MCU has brought the third chapter of their cinematic universe to fruition with the colossal undertaking, Avengers: Infinity War. Sit back and bask in the glory of your ignorance now, peasants. For come the moment that you venture into the theater, your entire world will be rocked on its head, and there’s a part of you that will never be the same.
The MCU fanbase has grown accustomed to their very own group of literal and figurative magical beings, so it comes as no surprise that the Russo brothers took great care to stitch together the worlds in a way that is simultaneously cohesive and disruptive. At this point in the saga, we’re hanging out in space, on earth, interdimensionally, and more. Nothing quite meets up, but it’s all interconnected in the sick, sweet way that we’ve come to relish. The payoff is tremendous, and we’re treated to vignettes that dwell within the larger context, while still holding it down with one common goal, stopping Thanos.
Since the moment the prune faced ultra-villain touched down in our consciousness at the end of the first Avengers, Thanos has been looming on the horizon. It doesn’t matter that the Avengers saved/destroyed New York back in their very first incarnation because Thanos was simply watching for their weakness. It doesn’t matter that our heroes have saved the world from destruction every step of the way because Thanos allowed it to happen.
In the larger scope of things, we knew this was coming. He didn’t need to tell us he’s taking things into his own hands during a cut scene, because there was no way he would allow underlings to handle such an important task as the one he’s on. Thanos is just as much of a beginning, as he is the end, and he inhabits this idea from the moment he steps on screen to the moment he goes out of view.
While for the most part everything works, there are times that even suspended disbelief takes a backseat to CGI and directorial choices. The Hulk’s entrance, for instance, seems less coincidental than it does contrived, shoehorned into the script to find something for him to do. The heavy use of CGI usually works seamlessly with the rest of the film, though there are certain points where an actor looks so super imposed that you can almost convince yourself that you could have achieved the same effect in a photoshop app. Barring any technical difficulties, you’re still treated to a vast array of class favorites in terms of location, and new worlds that overtake your wildest dreams.
With everyone—the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy—finally brought together and working towards the common good, it’s interesting to see the diversity within the MCU. Gone are the days of the singular female protagonist, and the raunchy costume that plague women superheroes. Instead, we’re allowed moments of pure power and clarity reserved solely for the strong women inhabiting the universe. The same goes for characters of color. No longer are they doomed to obscurity and dying off early for plot points. Instead it seems that the MCU is doing its best to incorporate legitimately interesting characters, regardless of their race. It’s decent, and honestly exciting.
It’s important to note that we as the MCU key holders must take great care to pay close attention to reading in between the lines. If you feel like you missed a key, less visible element in a scene or within a piece of dialogue, then you probably did. If you feel like a goddamn eagle-eyed super fan who catches everything, then you definitely missed something because your pompous attitude is blocking the nuance. We’ve reached the point where the margin of error is solely the line between what you know and what you don’t, and without that diligence you’ll find yourself starring down the barrel of an unknown plot point.
Without any sort of spoiler, Avengers: Infinity War will give you everything you’ve ever wanted, and simultaneously dash all your hopes and dreams in one fell swoop. The time for the final installment of the MCU as we know it is creeping up fast, and, y’all, it’s ok to be here for it. Enjoy these moments, savor every bit of what makes this universe work, because goodbye could be any day now, and you’ll want to remember this feeling while you’re learning to accept what comes next.
The Avengers: Infinity War is now playing in theaters everywhere.
