By Nadia Ranaputri
Image source: IMDB
Director: Andy Muschietti
Cast: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Bill Skarsgård, Andy Bean.
Stephen King's infamous novel IT is no stranger to pop culture. The 1986 novel about a group of kids that call themselves the Losers Club going against a killer clown has been one of the most iconic horror novels. By 1990, IT was adapted into a two part miniseries with Tim Curry as the menacing Pennywise. But that wasn't the last we've seen of the clown. In 2017, IT was once again adapted for a new generation, this time taking place in 1989, with Bill Skarsgård taking over the role of Pennywise. IT became one of the highest grossing horror films and became one of my personal favorites of 2017. A full out horror film might not be a fitting way to describe IT, perhaps more of a coming of age film with bits of horror sprinkled into it, which makes for a more interesting experience. Pennywise's appearance was a way for the characters to grow out of adolescence, to force themselves into facing their worst fears, and in the end, these kids became one of the best aspects of the film. Now, it's time for the adult portion of the story to be told, hence IT Chapter Two.
Taking place 27 years after the Losers Club's confrontation with Pennywise, IT Chapter Two begins with a bang, or in this case, a gory murder. Once the murders start to resurface in Derry, Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa), the only Loser to remain in Derry; takes it upon himself to seek help to the former Losers, who have all moved out of Derry and became successful as adults. The club's former leader, Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy) is now a novelist and screenwriter, while Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain) is a fashion designer. Richie Tozier (Bill Hader) is a stand up comedian, Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) is a risk analist, Stanley Uris (Andy Bean) works in an accounting firm, and Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan) is an architect. While they've all become a big success, the rest of the former Losers (aside from Mike) have seemingly forgotten about their encounter with Pennywise, as the longer they stayed out of Derry, the more hazy their memories of Pennywise are. Mike, who had spent the last 27 years in Derry, was the only one whose memories stayed intact. Unlike the rest of the Losers, Mike spent 27 years researching Pennywise's origin, and in the process, how to kill it. Once the Losers regroup in Derry, it's up to them to rediscover their childhood memories and defeat the killer clown once and for all.
The adult version of the Losers has an impressive list of actors that pulls their characters of wonderfully. James McAvoy is brilliant as always being the adult Bill Denbrough, especially when it comes to moments of grief. McAvoy seamlessly blends into the role of the Losers Club's former leader, and like Jaeden Martell (who played the young Bill Denbrough in the predecessor), he carries most of the film's dramatic moments. Jessica Chastain is fierce as Beverly Marsh, taking over the role from Sophia Lillis with ease; while James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak not only looks exactly like his younger counterpart (previously played by Jack Dylan Grazer), but perfectly embodies Kaspbrak's mannerisms from Grazer's performance in the predecessor. Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, and Andy Bean also had fine performances as Mike Hanlon, Ben Hanscom, and Stanley Uris respectively. The standout however, as many have already said, is Saturday Night Live alumni Bill Hader as the group's loudmouth Richie Tozier (he's also fantastic in the show Barry. Definitely worth a watch). Hader is the film's biggest surprise, and perhaps mine, as I've seen him in many great SNL skits, so seeing him switch from comedy to horror was a pleasant surprise. But not only does Hader's Richie become the comedic relief, he's also the film's heart.
Image source: IMDB
IT Chapter Two may be bigger in terms of horror aspects, but it doesn't quite hit as much as its predecessor did. What made the first IT such a great film was the chemistry and the relationship between the seven Losers. Nevermind that it isn't truly scary compared to other horror films, at least the film knew that it wanted the audience to care for these characters. Once they're placed into a terrifying ordeal, we're not scared of the monster that taunts them, but for the characters who are going against the monster. The characterizations of the first IT are effective, showing that the Losers are just as interesting on their own as they are together. Bill is traumatized over not being able to save Georgie from his gruesome fate, Beverly has a troubled home life with her overly possessive father, Eddie has an over-protective mother, Ben is taunted for being the new kid; you get the jist. It succeeded because we cared about the kids, we cared about what they were going through, even when it didn't involve Pennywise. The first film interwove their character arcs together wonderfully, and in return, it gave Pennywise a chance to turn their ordeals into true horror.
IT Chapter Two doesn't quite manage to do the same for the adults, save for Richie, who has a much more poignant storyline than the rest. As kids, Pennywise's appearance was a way to deal with their worst fears. As adults, it's more of facing an emotional trauma, which is certainly interesting, but the film never really explores this, instead treating it as more of a fragment of a memory. Moreover, the film chooses to focus on expositional dialogue rather than actually showing it, which could either be effective or unnecessary, depending on how you look at it. Even for a nearly three hour film, some of the developments seem too rushed, which would probably explain why there isn't as big of a connection between the audience and the Losers now as it did then when they were kids. The comradery is still there, but compared to its predecessor, there's a lack of development between the characters we once loved, whose journeys we followed with excitement and dread, not to mention that the characterizations are sacrificed for bigger (and sadly predictable) jumpscares; and it leaves some of that duty to the flashbacks. And because the film has some pacing issues, it does disrupt its coherence between serving the scares and developing the characters, which was something that its predecessor was much better at.
Image source: IMDB
And then there's the formulaic scares that is too reminiscent of the usual horror tropes. The first film had those, but it wasn't overdone or repetitive. Most of the scares were genuine because it relied on silence and the character's expression to build the tension, not the over-done scary music that's a constant reminder that a jumpscare awaits. Take the scene in the first IT when Pennywise appears behind Beverly after she attacked her father. It had no buildup music that tells you a jumpscare was about to unfold. We only had a moment of silence before Beverly turns around, and low and behold, Pennywise was right behind her. It was an effective jumpscare because it was completely unexpected. Or perhaps when Stan encounters the flute lady, with only a tune and eventually the drop of the flute to create tension. It's devoid of the usual high pitch music that goes eerily silent for one second before a jumpscare, instead opting for a tune that would have been sweet to listen to, had it not come from a figure that Stan fears. Chapter Two, on the other hand, does feel like it's a little too reliant on cliché jumpscares that loses its momentum the more it repeats itself. The scares here don't stick as well as it did in the first film, though it doesn't fully fall flat on delivering some truly thrilling scares (helped immensely by Bill Skarsgård's brilliant return as Pennywise), and it especially doesn't hold back during the film's insane third act.
IT Chapter Two isn't a terrible film, by all means. In fact, there's still a lot to like from this film. It still manages to take some of the best aspects of both the predecessor and King's novel, and the fact that this one stays more faithful to the novel could be taken as more of a positive. As said before, there's still a sense of comradery for the most part that still manages to tug at heartstrings at times. When the Losers are back together, it's definitely a delight to see, especially during their reunion scene in a Chinese restaurant (the banter between Hader's Richie and Ransone's Eddie being one of the highlights). Despite rushing character development on the adult counterparts, the film does give some room for the characters to take a breather and have a moment of contemplation and nostalgia upon returning to their hometown; which are some of the film's best moments. It gives a pleasant sense of nostalgia to the kids that forged a lasting bond. The film is knows that it's a character driven story, for sure, and that the characters are what elevates the story. And when it lags in development, it soars in the chemistry, thanks to the film's impressive ensemble cast. There are moments where it hits you emotionally, some of them being from flashbacks, and others from the adult Losers.
Overall, IT Chapter Two is still a solid closure to the IT duology, and is a fine companion piece of the first IT. There's more to like than there is to dislike, especially when there are moments where the film is fully aware that the characters are what made the predecessor worked in the first place. The film retains that stunning cinematography of the first film, capturing beautiful shots in the midst of all the horror, accompanied by Benjamin Wallfisch's gorgeous score. The flashbacks with the kids can feel as if they overshadow the adult part of the story, but some offer much needed development towards the present day, especially when it comes to these characters reliving past memories of their hometown. Some of these scenes even became the film's emotional heavyweight, providing a sense of those childhood memories that we don't ever want to forget. It's not an easy task to adapt a story that spans a thousand pages, but Chapter Two did what it could to compress the second half of what is already 1,100 pages worth of story into a near three hour film; whilst developing some of its own narrative along the way. While Chapter Two isn't as cohesive as the first film, and it should have used its runtime more effectively, that certainly doesn't stop it from having its moments.
Image source: IMDB
Overall verdict: IT Chapter Two provides a satisfying closure to the IT duology, despite its flaws. The ensemble cast that consists of McAvoy, Chastain, Ransone, Mustafa, and Ryan all have impressive performances as the adult Losers. However, it's Hader that steals the spotlight, providing most of the film's humor whilst also being the film's heart. Compared to its predecessor, the scares aren't as effective as the first film, but sometimes its need to amp up the scares pays off. As for the adult counterparts themselves, their development isn't as fleshed out as when they were kids; though it doesn't fully take away the joy of seeing the Losers back together. Even if it's a little more reliant on bigger scares this time, it's still aware that it's a character driven story, that in the end, it's the characters that help bring the film up on its feet. And since a big chunk of the story is about the Losers rediscovering their childhood, the film provides us with more flashbacks that could sometimes feel unnecessary, but other times pack that much needed emotional punch that drive the development in the present day. IT Chapter Two isn't as cohesive in when it comes to balancing its themes and elements as the first film, but it's still an enjoyable ride with plenty of moments to keep you invested.
Stars: 3.4/5
You can also read my review of the first IT here
By Nadia Ranaputri
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Laurent Bourgeois, Larry Bourgeois, Emma Thompson.
The Men in Black franchise was never really something I was fully attached to back then. I did remember having a lot of fun with it, but I was so confused with all this weird alien mumbo jumbo. As the years went by, I was much more fond of it than I was when I first saw it. A talking alien puppy, a time-traveling Boglodite, an entire freaking galaxy in a small piece of jewerly, and just all out fun action? Men in Black has it all. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as Agents J and K were one of the most iconic duos to ever cross the screen, and without them, Men in Black would not have worked as well as it did. As bad as Men in Black II was, Smith and Jones really knew how to carry a film. Heck, even Josh Brolin as a younger Agent K had great screen chemistry with Smith in Men in Black III. It's a trilogy that you can simply have fun with, no matter how ridiculous the plot and all these aliens can get, there's that sense of energetic vibe that you can't help but just go along with. It was a memorable trilogy, and one with a pretty satisfying conclusion. That is until its spin-off, Men in Black: International, came into the picture.
Men in Black: International begins with a young Molly Wright, who sees her parents get neuralized by the Men in Black after encountering an alien in their house. Years later, adult Molly (played by Tessa Thompson) is an ambitious seeker of the Men in Black, constantly seeking out the organization that deals with things that are not from earth. When she does find herself in the MiB quarters, she is recruited, but not before she could prove her worth in her position as an MiB agent by working alongside their neighboring branch in London. There, she meets the infamous Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), an agent known for his heroic act with fellow MiB leader High T (Liam Neeson) of taking down a big alien threat with "nothing but their wits and their Series-7 de-atomizers," something the film makes clear multiple times. M gets paired on a mission with H, where they discover that another alien threat had come to earth to seek a powerful weapon that has the potential to destroy a whole planet. Together, M and H team up to stop this alien threat from taking this weapon and save the Earth from destruction.
In what could have been a standout and a fresh take on the Men in Black franchise, the film is an unfortunate mess, with plot-holes that could have been much easier to explain than Captain America's ending in Avengers: Endgame. The film has a habit of introducing plot points that have no resolution, and that it would rather move on to another plot point without the previous being resolved. The plot is a mess, with no sense of direction as to where it really wants to go. It's like little sidequests in a video game that have little to no use in propelling the main plot. It doesn't even give the characters room to breath and show some kind of development. Take the plot point regarding an alien death merchant played by Rebecca Ferguson that only serves as room for more fight scenes and wasted potential. However ridiculous or forgettable Men in Black III might be (I actually enjoyed it for what it is, to be honest), its plot points and the characters that come across Will Smith's Agent J and Tommy Lee Jones' Agent K, at least they all served a purpose one way or another, either as their ally or someone serving vital information for the mission (when else can you see Andy Warhol as an alien informant?) Point is, they propel the plot. Men in Black: International had none of those. Don't even get me started on the villains, even Boris the Animal from Men in Black III had better development than them.
Men in Black: International lacks that feeling of genuine comedic absurdity that made the first three Men in Black films highly enjoyable. Men in Black is memorable for how crazy they can be without having it feel forced. Remember the giant cockroach alien that tried to steal the "galaxy on Orion's belt", which turned out to be an entire galaxy lying on the collar of a cat named Orion? Or how Agent K defeated said villain by intentionally offering himself to be swallowed whole just so he could shoot the alien from the inside with his favorite gun? Those things are what made Men in Black so memorable. This new Men in Black just feels so...lifeless. Not that it has to go all out in order to sell itself, but it lacks that energetic vibe that the previous three films had (well, with the exception of Men in Black II, but that's just me). The thing is, it nailed the delivery of banter and jokes, thanks to the likes of Hemsworth and Thompson. The real issue is the script, the content of the banter and the jokes themselves. The jokes won't crack more than an eyeroll. It's not that they're terribly forced, they just didn't stick the landing. There's a running gag between Agent H and another fellow MiB agent about H being "papa's little boy" that just isn't funny and drags on for a good minute. Chris Hemsworth is a genuinely funny actor. He can nail a punchline when it's actually good. When you give Hemsworth comedy-worthy lines, you can work wonders with it. Thor: Ragnarok is a fine example of that.
For a film that surely requires exposition, however crazy it is, it seems much more content with exposition about what certain characters did rather than actually showing what they can do. Men in Black: International suffers the same curse as Captain Marvel: characters who are told to have certain traits but lack the physical evidence from the characters themselves to prove it. In other words, they're much more focused on the tell than show. In Men in Black: International, we're told countless times that High T and Agent H defeated a big alien threat years ago. Due to this, Agent H is deemed a hero, and other than his triumph at defeating said great alien threat, he's regarded as one of the best agents in the London branch. But we don't get to see this great agent. Instead, we get a cocky agent who apparently didn't see that a high ranking Jabbabian alien is in danger of assassination until it's too late (even after the alien literally warned him in clear desperation). Either it's him taking the "Jabbabians like to have good time" rule too literally, or that he's gotten drunk off-screen. And because story likes to sometimes jump ahead before anything is resolved, we don't get to see much of the character development. The first Men in Black worked because we got to see the development between Agent J and Agent K. Their development as individual characters and with each other was what made their dynamic work.
Men in Black: International could have been a game-changer to the MiB franchise, unfortunately it's easily forgettable. Sure, it has its moments and at the very least, you can have fun with it. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson are the perfect buddy cop comedy duo, and they could have fit right in when they're armed with a good script. Sadly, their dynamic wavers because of the messy plot and flat jokes. They're one of the very few aspects that made the film watchable. I quite liked the scene where Thompson's character tried to convince her fellow employers that she would like to be in the division that deals with things from "up there", which led to one of her potential employers to say "you mean accounting?" It was silly, but I liked Thompson's delivery of it. They did what they could with the script, but even they couldn't bring in much energy if the script itself doesn't work in the first place. In the end, Men in Black: International is unfortunately forgettable. More than anything, it felt as it didn't try to do anything new to the story, which is why it failed to really make itself standout among the previous Men in Black films. However, it's definitely not boring. It can have fun when it wants to be, and sometimes it's unashamed of its ridiculousness. This is the type of film that you watch when nothing else is playing, and you just want to have a little fun. You'll get it here, for sure, but to say that it's reinventing the Men in Black franchise is a bit of a stretch, especially when it simply stands as just another Men in Black film, perhaps the least favored of the bunch.
Overall verdict: Despite the star power of Hemsworth and Thompson, Men in Black: International lacks that genuine energetic vibe that made the previous three films so enjoyable (except Men in Black II, it was just a really weird film for me). The story just didn't seem all that cohesive, especially when it spends much of its time jumping onward to different plot points before the previous one could be solved. It's as if a chapter in a school subject is being discussed, but before you could even fully understand it, the teacher moves to a completely new chapter without having even finished it. That's what Men in Black: International felt like. What's worse is that most of these plot points have no significant impact that propels the story. So what was the point of having all that just to lead up to nothing? Moreover, this Men in Black felt unusually lifeless, and the jokes fell completely flat. I couldn't really find one that I laughed at, maybe just smiled at the delivery of it, thanks to Hemwsorth and Thompson. And that was the problem: the delivery was perfect, but the joke itself wasn't. Hemsworth and Thompson are really the best aspects of the film, their chemistry was there, it's just the development that's lacking quite a bit. That's not to say Men in Black: International was fully lifeless to point that it bores you for the entire runtime, it does have its fun moments. You can forgive its faults as a Men in Black film, it just fails to stand out among them.
Stars: 2.5/5
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| Image source: IMDB |
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Laurent Bourgeois, Larry Bourgeois, Emma Thompson.
The Men in Black franchise was never really something I was fully attached to back then. I did remember having a lot of fun with it, but I was so confused with all this weird alien mumbo jumbo. As the years went by, I was much more fond of it than I was when I first saw it. A talking alien puppy, a time-traveling Boglodite, an entire freaking galaxy in a small piece of jewerly, and just all out fun action? Men in Black has it all. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as Agents J and K were one of the most iconic duos to ever cross the screen, and without them, Men in Black would not have worked as well as it did. As bad as Men in Black II was, Smith and Jones really knew how to carry a film. Heck, even Josh Brolin as a younger Agent K had great screen chemistry with Smith in Men in Black III. It's a trilogy that you can simply have fun with, no matter how ridiculous the plot and all these aliens can get, there's that sense of energetic vibe that you can't help but just go along with. It was a memorable trilogy, and one with a pretty satisfying conclusion. That is until its spin-off, Men in Black: International, came into the picture.
Men in Black: International begins with a young Molly Wright, who sees her parents get neuralized by the Men in Black after encountering an alien in their house. Years later, adult Molly (played by Tessa Thompson) is an ambitious seeker of the Men in Black, constantly seeking out the organization that deals with things that are not from earth. When she does find herself in the MiB quarters, she is recruited, but not before she could prove her worth in her position as an MiB agent by working alongside their neighboring branch in London. There, she meets the infamous Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), an agent known for his heroic act with fellow MiB leader High T (Liam Neeson) of taking down a big alien threat with "nothing but their wits and their Series-7 de-atomizers," something the film makes clear multiple times. M gets paired on a mission with H, where they discover that another alien threat had come to earth to seek a powerful weapon that has the potential to destroy a whole planet. Together, M and H team up to stop this alien threat from taking this weapon and save the Earth from destruction.
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| Image source: IMDB |
In what could have been a standout and a fresh take on the Men in Black franchise, the film is an unfortunate mess, with plot-holes that could have been much easier to explain than Captain America's ending in Avengers: Endgame. The film has a habit of introducing plot points that have no resolution, and that it would rather move on to another plot point without the previous being resolved. The plot is a mess, with no sense of direction as to where it really wants to go. It's like little sidequests in a video game that have little to no use in propelling the main plot. It doesn't even give the characters room to breath and show some kind of development. Take the plot point regarding an alien death merchant played by Rebecca Ferguson that only serves as room for more fight scenes and wasted potential. However ridiculous or forgettable Men in Black III might be (I actually enjoyed it for what it is, to be honest), its plot points and the characters that come across Will Smith's Agent J and Tommy Lee Jones' Agent K, at least they all served a purpose one way or another, either as their ally or someone serving vital information for the mission (when else can you see Andy Warhol as an alien informant?) Point is, they propel the plot. Men in Black: International had none of those. Don't even get me started on the villains, even Boris the Animal from Men in Black III had better development than them.
Men in Black: International lacks that feeling of genuine comedic absurdity that made the first three Men in Black films highly enjoyable. Men in Black is memorable for how crazy they can be without having it feel forced. Remember the giant cockroach alien that tried to steal the "galaxy on Orion's belt", which turned out to be an entire galaxy lying on the collar of a cat named Orion? Or how Agent K defeated said villain by intentionally offering himself to be swallowed whole just so he could shoot the alien from the inside with his favorite gun? Those things are what made Men in Black so memorable. This new Men in Black just feels so...lifeless. Not that it has to go all out in order to sell itself, but it lacks that energetic vibe that the previous three films had (well, with the exception of Men in Black II, but that's just me). The thing is, it nailed the delivery of banter and jokes, thanks to the likes of Hemsworth and Thompson. The real issue is the script, the content of the banter and the jokes themselves. The jokes won't crack more than an eyeroll. It's not that they're terribly forced, they just didn't stick the landing. There's a running gag between Agent H and another fellow MiB agent about H being "papa's little boy" that just isn't funny and drags on for a good minute. Chris Hemsworth is a genuinely funny actor. He can nail a punchline when it's actually good. When you give Hemsworth comedy-worthy lines, you can work wonders with it. Thor: Ragnarok is a fine example of that.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
For a film that surely requires exposition, however crazy it is, it seems much more content with exposition about what certain characters did rather than actually showing what they can do. Men in Black: International suffers the same curse as Captain Marvel: characters who are told to have certain traits but lack the physical evidence from the characters themselves to prove it. In other words, they're much more focused on the tell than show. In Men in Black: International, we're told countless times that High T and Agent H defeated a big alien threat years ago. Due to this, Agent H is deemed a hero, and other than his triumph at defeating said great alien threat, he's regarded as one of the best agents in the London branch. But we don't get to see this great agent. Instead, we get a cocky agent who apparently didn't see that a high ranking Jabbabian alien is in danger of assassination until it's too late (even after the alien literally warned him in clear desperation). Either it's him taking the "Jabbabians like to have good time" rule too literally, or that he's gotten drunk off-screen. And because story likes to sometimes jump ahead before anything is resolved, we don't get to see much of the character development. The first Men in Black worked because we got to see the development between Agent J and Agent K. Their development as individual characters and with each other was what made their dynamic work.
Men in Black: International could have been a game-changer to the MiB franchise, unfortunately it's easily forgettable. Sure, it has its moments and at the very least, you can have fun with it. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson are the perfect buddy cop comedy duo, and they could have fit right in when they're armed with a good script. Sadly, their dynamic wavers because of the messy plot and flat jokes. They're one of the very few aspects that made the film watchable. I quite liked the scene where Thompson's character tried to convince her fellow employers that she would like to be in the division that deals with things from "up there", which led to one of her potential employers to say "you mean accounting?" It was silly, but I liked Thompson's delivery of it. They did what they could with the script, but even they couldn't bring in much energy if the script itself doesn't work in the first place. In the end, Men in Black: International is unfortunately forgettable. More than anything, it felt as it didn't try to do anything new to the story, which is why it failed to really make itself standout among the previous Men in Black films. However, it's definitely not boring. It can have fun when it wants to be, and sometimes it's unashamed of its ridiculousness. This is the type of film that you watch when nothing else is playing, and you just want to have a little fun. You'll get it here, for sure, but to say that it's reinventing the Men in Black franchise is a bit of a stretch, especially when it simply stands as just another Men in Black film, perhaps the least favored of the bunch.
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| Image source: IMDB |
Overall verdict: Despite the star power of Hemsworth and Thompson, Men in Black: International lacks that genuine energetic vibe that made the previous three films so enjoyable (except Men in Black II, it was just a really weird film for me). The story just didn't seem all that cohesive, especially when it spends much of its time jumping onward to different plot points before the previous one could be solved. It's as if a chapter in a school subject is being discussed, but before you could even fully understand it, the teacher moves to a completely new chapter without having even finished it. That's what Men in Black: International felt like. What's worse is that most of these plot points have no significant impact that propels the story. So what was the point of having all that just to lead up to nothing? Moreover, this Men in Black felt unusually lifeless, and the jokes fell completely flat. I couldn't really find one that I laughed at, maybe just smiled at the delivery of it, thanks to Hemwsorth and Thompson. And that was the problem: the delivery was perfect, but the joke itself wasn't. Hemsworth and Thompson are really the best aspects of the film, their chemistry was there, it's just the development that's lacking quite a bit. That's not to say Men in Black: International was fully lifeless to point that it bores you for the entire runtime, it does have its fun moments. You can forgive its faults as a Men in Black film, it just fails to stand out among them.
Stars: 2.5/5
By Nadia Ranaputri
Avengers: Endgame has been out for weeks, but I'm still giving out a spoiler warning to give some chance for anyone who hasn't seen it. If you haven't seen it, I suggest that you watch the film first, then come back. If you have seen it, welcome aboard to the spoilers discussion. This is mostly just my spoilery thoughts about Avengers: Endgame since I have a lot of feelings with this film. It's possible that I might have missed out on a few things in this spoiler review, but really, I just wanted to discuss about the things that stood out to me, and things that made me downright emotional. Let's get into them.
[SPOILER WARNING. THERE WILL BE MAJOR SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT AND DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED, TURN BACK NOW]
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| Image source: IMDB |
Avengers: Endgame has been out for weeks, but I'm still giving out a spoiler warning to give some chance for anyone who hasn't seen it. If you haven't seen it, I suggest that you watch the film first, then come back. If you have seen it, welcome aboard to the spoilers discussion. This is mostly just my spoilery thoughts about Avengers: Endgame since I have a lot of feelings with this film. It's possible that I might have missed out on a few things in this spoiler review, but really, I just wanted to discuss about the things that stood out to me, and things that made me downright emotional. Let's get into them.
[SPOILER WARNING. THERE WILL BE MAJOR SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT AND DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED, TURN BACK NOW]
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Still here?
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Thor finally goes for the head
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| Image source: IMDB |
In some ways, I knew that somehow this confrontation wasn’t going to work out. The fact that what I expected to happen actually happened made it quite a surprise, which was that the infinity stones were already destroyed. This was one specific theory that I said to myself would be interesting if they actually did it, and they did. By the time the Avengers found out where he was, they were too late; Thanos had already used the stones to destroy themselves two days earlier. I thought that was an interesting way to set the film up. One particular scene that I have to mention here that I actually really liked, both because of the visuals and the music; was after Thor beheads Thanos (because of course he finally went for the head), he walks out of the front porch, with Alan Silvestri’s somber version of the “Porch” track from Infinity War. I thought that was a really great contrast to when compared to the ending of Infinity War, where Silvestri used the music to symbolize both the defeat of the Avengers whilst also highlighting Thanos’ victory and serenity; while in Endgame, a much somber version of the track is played to symbolize the Avengers’ second defeat. It just gives me chills.
Five years later
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| Image source: IMDB |
If you’ve been keeping up with news and theories regarding the MCU, chances are, the five-year time jump won’t be much of a surprise. The time jump was something that had been previously discussed prior to the film’s release. In this film’s case, it jumps from 2018 to the year 2023. Here, we see that the world hasn’t fully moved on yet, including the Avengers. They can’t really do much other than accepting that half the population is wiped out and all they could really do is provide comfort and support for each other. Tony has somehow moved on by settling down with Pepper and the cutest surprise, a daughter, while Steve is holding a support group for people in grief, and Natasha is overseeing conflicts within earth and the galaxy through contacts with Okoye, Carol Danvers, Rocket, and Rhodes. Scenes in the first act like Natasha silently crying and Steve coming over to comfort her gave room for our heroes to show vulnerability, that such a defeat would have a great effect on them. It gives so much more emotional depth and in those moments, we see them as more than just superheroes, we see them as humans. Hawkeye, who lost his family to the snap in the beginning of the film, becomes the vigilante Ronin. I loved the Tokyo sequence where Ronin takes down some sort of mafia gang, but it does feel like it belongs in another film, because it had a completely different vibe compared to everything else (for some reason, it gave me John Wick vibes).
Whilst we
see other Avengers grieving over the Snap, it’s Thor who’s drastically changed.
Some people may not like how the film went with his character, since he no
longer looks the part of the mighty God of Thunder, but instead as a sort of hermit
who has isolated himself from everyone else in New Asgard (save for Korg and
Meik) and is playing Fortnite (yes, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the
fact that Fortnite is still a thing in 2023) whilst constantly drowning himself
in booze. I honestly enjoyed where they were going with Thor. It’s
understandable that their failure to undo the Snap has affected Thor a lot. He
has lost the people he loves, he lost his home and he lost his people to Thanos’
slaughter in the beginning of Infinity War. The reaction Thor has when Bruce
mentions Thanos is undeniably heartbreaking. You see his pain, his grief, and
his denial when Bruce says they have might have found a way to solve the Thanos
problem. But throughout the film, we see that despite being unable to forgive
himself for preventing the snap, it doesn’t make him any less of a hero. I
loved that in the second act, he got to spend more time with his mother and
that he sought guidance from her. It was a nice little scene that actually
warmed my heart.
Back to the Future
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| Image source: IMDB |
The time
travel element was actually really fun, I’m not going to lie. I loved going
back to the events of previous films and looking at them in a completely
different perspective (like how we see that boisterous opening to Guardians of
the Galaxy where Peter Quill dances to “Come and Get Your Love,” just in the
perspective of an outsider who of course, would think Quill’s an idiot for
dancing on his own. I’m looking at you, Rhodey). Honestly, the time-travel
logic kind of went over my head the first time I saw it. It literally took a
second viewing for me to really see their time-travel logic. As Bruce explains
it, travelling through time and taking the stones won’t affect their current
timeline, but it would open some sort of alternate timeline. Not sure if I’m
saying this right, but he did say something along the lines of “your present
self becomes your past” (anyone who remembers this line, help a friend out). Point
is, as explained by Banner and later The Ancient One, the present them that is
about to embark on this time heist will be their past, meaning that anything
from the past events won’t be affected, rather it opens up another branch
reality. Also, they really had the audacity to say that Back to the Future, aka one of my most favorite films of all time; was
a bunch of nonsense (not taking this to heart, it did give me chuckles when
they mentioned it).
Time travel logic bonanza aside, I just really loved that the film was reliving past events. Fans who have watched and cherished previous MCU films will be truly rewarded by the second act. There’s something so nostalgic and so joyful about returning to 2012 New York and seeing the present Avengers witness their past selves. And I loved that fight scene between present Steve and past Steve. It was a fun little fight scene. Let’s also address that joke about Captain America’s ass, because that joke was the one my theater laughed the hardest at. I mean, when do you ever get to see Captain America looking at his past self and saying “that is America’s ass”? That was admittedly hilarious because it came out of nowhere and it was so sudden, yet so delightful to see. Also, this might be a major plot hole, but Loki escaped with the tesseract, so there’s an alternate branch timeline where Loki didn’t go to Asgard with Thor and is actually still alive out there..? Or….is that some sort of set up for the new Loki show that’s coming out? Either way, that should be a pretty fun arc to explore.
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| Image source: Slash Film |
Then we get
to second major death scene after Thanos in Vormir. As soon as they paired
Natasha and Clint together to go to Vormir, I instantly knew it was a bad idea.
What made it worse is that I already knew who was going to die. Little
backstory about this, so about a week before I saw the film, a friend of mine
had a couple of theories, one of them being that two Avengers will die in the
film. This leads to another one of his predictions that Natasha will be one of
the two deaths. Fast-forward to the day Endgame came out, my friend had already
gotten spoilers from someone who had seen it. He decided to give me
some hints about one of the spoilers, which actually confirmed two of his
predictions: two Avengers will indeed die and that one of those deaths were
between Steve Rogers and Natasha. My guess at the time was Steve Rogers. Now
back to when I finally saw the film and came across the Vormir scene. Because
my friend had indirectly spoiled it for me, I already knew who was going to
die. But here’s the thing, even if I knew who was going to die, it doesn’t make
the death any less painful. What made it even more sad is Natasha’s last line
to the Avengers before they head separate ways for their mission was “See you
in a minute.” It was actually more emotional for me the second time because I
was already aware of what was going to happen.
A Worthy Third Act
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| Image source: Youtube |
What else
can I say other than that the third act is one epic finale? I think it’s safe
to say that it is one of the best third acts I’ve seen in a superhero film. I
mean, Captain America finally wielding Mjolnir? That was freaking epic. And
just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, they amped it up by having the
heroes who were previously snapped out of existence have an epic return. I was
squealing and I had the biggest chills watching it on the big screen. I’m sorry
if I repeat the word “epic” but how else could I describe this entire act? Some of the scenes here even have “fan-service”
written all over it, but guess what? The fan-service here just works. They’re
doing more than just mere wish-fulfillment for the fans, they’re honoring the
fans who have followed the franchise for eleven years. I also want to add the
Wanda vs Thanos scene because heck yes,
Wanda finally shows her full potential. Her powers always had the potential to
be so much more than what the previous films have shown, and in here, they went
all out and really gave her the spotlight. If it wasn’t for the aerial strikes,
Wanda would have definitely defeated him easily and the film would have been
over sooner (and Tony wouldn’t have died too). Which leads us to....
“And I….am Iron Man.”
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| Image source: IMDB |
As soon as
Doctor Strange gave Tony the signal that this was the one chance that they
would win, I was already dreading for what’s going to happen. When it was
revealed that Tony had taken all the infinity stones from Thanos and preceeded
with the words that started the entire MCU, the very infamous “I am Iron Man,”
I was in tears. I knew he wouldn’t survive, but at the same time, I had a
slight bit of hope that he would. But he didn’t, and when Peter Parker was crying and
saying “Mr. Stark, we won,” while Tony was on the verge of death; I was
full-out sobbing. It didn’t help that they showed his arc reactor flickering out
when he was dying. Now, I was already sobbing when Tony died, but when they
showed the arc reactor that Pepper gave him in the first Iron Man at his
funeral, that was when I truly lost it. It didn’t help that the shot panned
through every single hero that came after him, because in the end, it was Tony
Stark that started this whole thing. I’m not sure if the whole theater sobbed,
but it’s probably because I couldn’t hear it over my own tears, though I do
know that the kid who sat beside actually cried as well. The MCU has crafted so
many amazing heroes, and Iron Man was one of them. His development throughout
each film he’s in just makes us love him more. The fact that his death hit
audiences so hard means that the MCU has done a spectacular job in creating and
developing these characters. We feel the weight of Tony’s death because we’ve
spent more than a decade with him, seeing his development and how he falls and
thrives again. It's just....I have never cried so hard over a death scene since Logan.
Steve stays with Peggy
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| Image source: IMDB |
There’s one other thing I need to talk about. I’ve mentioned in my spoiler-free review that there are things I didn’t particularly like, and that’s Cap’s ending. This ending may be polarizing because as far as I know, I’ve seen people who hate his ending, love it, or just accept it, with valid reasons for each point. Most of my friends who’ve seen the film aren’t very fond of his ending, and I hate to say it, but I’m also one of those people. Now again, time travel here apparently doesn’t have any effect on the present, instead creating another branch timeline. Our heroes, Bruce Banner specifically, have clearly stated much earlier in the second act that they have no intention of messing their own timeline, hence why they’re adamant on returning the stones back to the time it was taken as soon as the job’s done. With how they concluded Cap’s story though, it’s the complete opposite of that. I don’t even know how to explain that there seemingly isn’t any effect on the current timeline. It isn’t even clear on whether or not he went to his current or another timeline to be with Peggy.
Yes, Sam
says that he’s living in a world without Captain America, but the film treats
it like a minor thing. If the modern world never got to see Captain America,
that means films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America:
Civil War never happened, or at least; the film never addresses whether or not
those stories are completely erased from the current timeline. That means that
his roles in the previous Avengers films are non-existent. Honestly, I don’t
know, I mean I am glad that Steve finally got to settle down and have that
happy ending with Peggy, and the passing of the torch scene where he gives his shield to Sam was touching, but shouldn’t his decision affect the current
timeline and perhaps open a new one? Which is ironic considering that Bruce specifically said to not mess around and to close the other alternate loops that might happen. I'm pretty sure that by staying in the past with Peggy, Steve was doing the exact opposite of what Bruce told him to do.
Final Thoughts:
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| Image source: IMDB |
After seeing
this film multiple times, it’s safe to say that my love for it hasn’t wavered.
I can’t say if this is my most favorite MCU film (for now, that spot still
belongs to Guardians of the Galaxy) but it is most definitely in my top five. Avengers: Endgame honors the fans who have been following the franchise since Tony Stark said "I am Iron Man" in 2008. The MCU has crafted these characters so wonderfully that we can't help but feel bittersweet to say goodbye to the characters we know and love. I never really put much thought into how I would feel when I had to say goodbye to the characters I have been following for years, but now that the time is finally here, I can say that I was not prepared for it. Endgame was really the perfect sendoff for the original six Avengers (save for Steve Rogers, but I don't hate his ending, it just didn't really make sense on a logical standpoint and it created so many questions and plot holes). And I love the credits sequence, especially when they honored the original six, that part made me cry because that is where I felt like I was truly saying goodbye to not only Tony Stark, but to the rest of the original Avengers. Endgame was an experience, and it was one that had everything I wanted, but at the same time, it had things that I did not expect; and that elevated the experience.
By Nadia Ranaputri
Directors: Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Karen Gillan, Josh Brolin, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow.
It's amazing when you think that this all started with a genius, playboy, philanthropist who built a suit of armor from a box of scraps. It's even more impressive when you see that his solo film opened the doors to many more heroes that grace the big screen, heroes that most people didn't even know back then, but have become well-known and beloved since their big screen debuts. This is the ever-expanding franchise called the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Who knew that a billionaire with a metal suit would lead to such a mega-franchise? With 22 films, multiple storylines, and a line of beloved heroes, the MCU has taken over the box office since their debut with Iron Man. We've witnessed both heroes from earth and the galaxy beyond face their threats on their own and together. We saw a billionaire who was full of himself, but eventually sees his mistakes and be the hero the world needs. We saw an ordinary man transformed into a super soldier, who still retains his goodness and his will to fight; and we saw a mighty God of Thunder who learns how to be humble and see the responsibilities of being a hero, and in the process, a king. We've grown to love these heroes and the journey they take throughout the course of their films. When we see them come together for the first time, it was something truly special. In Infinity War, we saw the entire MCU collide in one hell of a culmination and band together to fight their biggest threat yet: Thanos. But of course, their attempts weren't enough to prevent half the universe from disappearing. So the question is: how are they going to go from there?
Avengers: Endgame takes place right after the events of Infinity War, where our heroes are left in disbelief of their loss against Thanos. Half the population is wiped out, the world is in mourning, and the remaining Avengers are stuck between grief and trying to find a way to reverse the devastating snap. Thor is unable to forgive himself for not taking the fatal blow, Hawkeye becomes a vigilante, and Steve is trying to provide support and comfort for people who aren't able to move on. Just when all hope is lost, the Avengers begin to see an opportunity to avenge those that vanished when a possible solution is proposed. Seeing an opportunity to save the universe once again, the Avengers regroup together to do whatever it takes to finally set things right again, even if it means putting their lives on the line.
First of all, there's a lot going on in this film. Thankfully, the three hour run-time does the story justice. While the first act might be slow and even a little depressing somehow since it does after all, focus on the world after half the population is wiped out. There's a hollow feeling to it (the kind where you do feel that there's an empty void of longing that these characters are going through). Because we've been following these characters for so long, we've grown attached and really do connect with how they're reacting to it all. In other words, once the film starts, there's nothing very hopeful to it. The Avengers have lost all hope on ever trying to reverse what had happened. The only thing they could ever really do is give each other comfort and to the others who have lost their loved ones. It's in scenes like these where our heroes are shown as humans trying to accept their loss, that when our heroes have been tested to their limits and pushed to rock bottom; they can't always recover from it. Then it finally picks up around the second act, where a solution is proposed, but a very risky one. In certain ways, you can tell that it is also some sort of fan-service, but hear me out, this is the very good kind of fan-service. It feels as if it is more of Marvel giving appreciation to everyone that has followed this franchise. Those who have been watching every MCU film will be rewarded by the appearance of things from previous films (no spoilers here).
But then there's the third act, and it is insanely epic. Perhaps epic might even be an understatement. Whatever it is, it's the type that give you chills, makes you cheer, and has you crying tears of joy and sadness; because that is exactly what I did. The third act is simply pure action, packing in all the thrills and tension while also making it a grandeur. This is perhaps the biggest scale that any superhero film has gone to in terms of final battle. It doesn't take up a whole sequence, it takes up a whole act. Maybe a battle this size can be a little tiring and nauseating, but Endgame makes it work. In fact, nearly everything in this film works. It has a great balance of action and emotional character moments that really did make me tear up at times. This also works because of the performances, and seriously, there are some great performances here, especially from Robert Downey Jr. It's clear that Downey, along with the likes of Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, and many others care about these characters and their stories. They, along with the Russo brothers, Christopher Marcus and Stephen McFeely; everyone else in front and behind the camera, care about this film, this big finale of an already vast franchise. It might feel a little messy at times, slightly incoherent at worst, considering how many things they have to juggle; but if anything, the three-hour run-time proves that it's an advantage for them to dive into these arcs.
However, this film isn't without its flaws. Somehow, the route that it's taken is quite a risk, but it especially in regards to its connections to previous MCU films. It's great to see how much it connects to other films in the franchise, but the direction it plans to take, particularly in the second act, it can create glaring plot holes for both this film and other films that have a connection with it. There are also certain rules that characters establish, but later broken by some. You can't simply do a certain arc without considering the effects it has in both stories to come in the future and stories that came in the past. Endgame does address the vast effect that it has on previous films, but sometimes it forgets that (this particular part is something I want to discuss later on in a spoiler review that I'm planning to do). Keep in mind that this is merely a nitpick though. Also, because it juggles quite a lot of things, it may be slightly overwhelming at times. It sometimes has some jarring POV changes where the film focuses on one character, and just as you feel like you want to see more of it, it changes focus on another character. It may be bothersome, but it isn't something major; it just leaves you wanting more focus on certain things rather than the things the film chooses to focus on. Moreover, some might be bothered with some of the decisions that this film choose to do with the characters, but it really just depends on the person that watches it.
When Infinity War was a film that involved the whole MCU, Endgame focused on the people who started it all, the original members that made it all happen. It makes it so much more emotional knowing that while this concludes eleven years of storytelling, it also does so by taking us back to where it all began. It started with them, and it ended with them. It's hard to simply say much about Avengers: Endgame other than it being an incredible finale to the franchise we've been following since Tony Stark says "I am Iron Man" in 2008 without giving away any spoilers. I can say this: Endgame knows damn well that it has to juggle between building up a fantastic finale and wrapping eleven years worth of stories. After 21 films in the making, Endgame is the true culmination of this grand franchise. It was everything I wanted it to be, but at the same time, it was nothing like I expected it to be. It might be the most epic finale to a film franchise, and it's amazing how much the MCU has grown throughout the years. Endgame is proof that if you put so much love and patience in crafting the characters, it can all pay off in the end. Kudos should also be given to Alan Silvestri, who did a fantastic job scoring the film. While most MCU films do lack a memorable score (save for the likes of Black Panther or Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Endgame was anything but that.
It really feels like this: imagine someone giving you the biggest present wrapped in a box. You open to see that every single present in the box is much better than the last. But you can't play with them forever. Sometime, you'd have to put it back in the box, so you do. You put everything back together and close the lid of the box back. You bid farewell to this present that brought you so much joy. That's what Avengers: Endgame feels like. This franchise has given you so much joy in your life, but you know you have to say goodbye someday. This is the MCU's very own thank you letter to the fans, the last present that they're giving us before we bid farewell. It's incredible to see how far this franchise has come, how many characters they've crafted, and how they play into the bigger picture. Never has a film made me cry, cheer, and feel goosebumps as much as Endgame. We've witnessed finales from other famous franchises like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and The Hobbit. For the MCU, it's the finale of what they call "The Infinity Saga." Though the MCU will still continue after this, this is the finale for the characters we've witnessed and loved since the first Iron Man. Much like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the experience for me was unlike any other. Avengers: Endgame is MCU's farewell party, and it is one that goes out with a spectacular bang.
Overall verdict: Avengers: Endgame is a satisfying finale to the evergrowing MCU. Its three hour run-time can never be more perfect to wrap the story of the characters we've followed since Iron Man. It's clear that the people who starred and crafted the film care about providing closure as well as build an epic finale that perhaps will be remembered for years to come. The performances are simply fantastic, from Downey, Evans, Johansson, and many others who starred in the film. However, it isn't perfect. Because this film had to juggle many things, some arcs may end up a little messy, while there are notable scenes or arcs that should have been given attention, but is sidelined in favor of scenes that either feel like comedic relief or filler scenes. In other words, they didn't need to be there. Some people may find some of the decisions that the film chooses to make surprising, and some may not like where the film goes, but in the end, it's up to the audience to decide. I personally liked where they chose to go, but there are some aspects that I did not particularly agree with (a very interesting topic to discuss in a spoiler review). Despite that, Avengers: Endgame is pretty spectacular, especially when it gets to that epic third act. It gives so much attention and care to these characters that the audience have grown to love over the years. It's amazing when a particular franchise pays so much attention to both the characters and the fans. Overall, Avengers: Endgame is emotional, epic, and a satisfying finale to the franchise eleven years in the making. It is quite an experience that once it's finished, despite all emotions, you can't help but long for just one last trip with these characters.
Stars: 4.5/5
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| Image source: IMDB |
Directors: Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Karen Gillan, Josh Brolin, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow.
It's amazing when you think that this all started with a genius, playboy, philanthropist who built a suit of armor from a box of scraps. It's even more impressive when you see that his solo film opened the doors to many more heroes that grace the big screen, heroes that most people didn't even know back then, but have become well-known and beloved since their big screen debuts. This is the ever-expanding franchise called the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Who knew that a billionaire with a metal suit would lead to such a mega-franchise? With 22 films, multiple storylines, and a line of beloved heroes, the MCU has taken over the box office since their debut with Iron Man. We've witnessed both heroes from earth and the galaxy beyond face their threats on their own and together. We saw a billionaire who was full of himself, but eventually sees his mistakes and be the hero the world needs. We saw an ordinary man transformed into a super soldier, who still retains his goodness and his will to fight; and we saw a mighty God of Thunder who learns how to be humble and see the responsibilities of being a hero, and in the process, a king. We've grown to love these heroes and the journey they take throughout the course of their films. When we see them come together for the first time, it was something truly special. In Infinity War, we saw the entire MCU collide in one hell of a culmination and band together to fight their biggest threat yet: Thanos. But of course, their attempts weren't enough to prevent half the universe from disappearing. So the question is: how are they going to go from there?
Avengers: Endgame takes place right after the events of Infinity War, where our heroes are left in disbelief of their loss against Thanos. Half the population is wiped out, the world is in mourning, and the remaining Avengers are stuck between grief and trying to find a way to reverse the devastating snap. Thor is unable to forgive himself for not taking the fatal blow, Hawkeye becomes a vigilante, and Steve is trying to provide support and comfort for people who aren't able to move on. Just when all hope is lost, the Avengers begin to see an opportunity to avenge those that vanished when a possible solution is proposed. Seeing an opportunity to save the universe once again, the Avengers regroup together to do whatever it takes to finally set things right again, even if it means putting their lives on the line.
First of all, there's a lot going on in this film. Thankfully, the three hour run-time does the story justice. While the first act might be slow and even a little depressing somehow since it does after all, focus on the world after half the population is wiped out. There's a hollow feeling to it (the kind where you do feel that there's an empty void of longing that these characters are going through). Because we've been following these characters for so long, we've grown attached and really do connect with how they're reacting to it all. In other words, once the film starts, there's nothing very hopeful to it. The Avengers have lost all hope on ever trying to reverse what had happened. The only thing they could ever really do is give each other comfort and to the others who have lost their loved ones. It's in scenes like these where our heroes are shown as humans trying to accept their loss, that when our heroes have been tested to their limits and pushed to rock bottom; they can't always recover from it. Then it finally picks up around the second act, where a solution is proposed, but a very risky one. In certain ways, you can tell that it is also some sort of fan-service, but hear me out, this is the very good kind of fan-service. It feels as if it is more of Marvel giving appreciation to everyone that has followed this franchise. Those who have been watching every MCU film will be rewarded by the appearance of things from previous films (no spoilers here).
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
But then there's the third act, and it is insanely epic. Perhaps epic might even be an understatement. Whatever it is, it's the type that give you chills, makes you cheer, and has you crying tears of joy and sadness; because that is exactly what I did. The third act is simply pure action, packing in all the thrills and tension while also making it a grandeur. This is perhaps the biggest scale that any superhero film has gone to in terms of final battle. It doesn't take up a whole sequence, it takes up a whole act. Maybe a battle this size can be a little tiring and nauseating, but Endgame makes it work. In fact, nearly everything in this film works. It has a great balance of action and emotional character moments that really did make me tear up at times. This also works because of the performances, and seriously, there are some great performances here, especially from Robert Downey Jr. It's clear that Downey, along with the likes of Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, and many others care about these characters and their stories. They, along with the Russo brothers, Christopher Marcus and Stephen McFeely; everyone else in front and behind the camera, care about this film, this big finale of an already vast franchise. It might feel a little messy at times, slightly incoherent at worst, considering how many things they have to juggle; but if anything, the three-hour run-time proves that it's an advantage for them to dive into these arcs.
However, this film isn't without its flaws. Somehow, the route that it's taken is quite a risk, but it especially in regards to its connections to previous MCU films. It's great to see how much it connects to other films in the franchise, but the direction it plans to take, particularly in the second act, it can create glaring plot holes for both this film and other films that have a connection with it. There are also certain rules that characters establish, but later broken by some. You can't simply do a certain arc without considering the effects it has in both stories to come in the future and stories that came in the past. Endgame does address the vast effect that it has on previous films, but sometimes it forgets that (this particular part is something I want to discuss later on in a spoiler review that I'm planning to do). Keep in mind that this is merely a nitpick though. Also, because it juggles quite a lot of things, it may be slightly overwhelming at times. It sometimes has some jarring POV changes where the film focuses on one character, and just as you feel like you want to see more of it, it changes focus on another character. It may be bothersome, but it isn't something major; it just leaves you wanting more focus on certain things rather than the things the film chooses to focus on. Moreover, some might be bothered with some of the decisions that this film choose to do with the characters, but it really just depends on the person that watches it.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
When Infinity War was a film that involved the whole MCU, Endgame focused on the people who started it all, the original members that made it all happen. It makes it so much more emotional knowing that while this concludes eleven years of storytelling, it also does so by taking us back to where it all began. It started with them, and it ended with them. It's hard to simply say much about Avengers: Endgame other than it being an incredible finale to the franchise we've been following since Tony Stark says "I am Iron Man" in 2008 without giving away any spoilers. I can say this: Endgame knows damn well that it has to juggle between building up a fantastic finale and wrapping eleven years worth of stories. After 21 films in the making, Endgame is the true culmination of this grand franchise. It was everything I wanted it to be, but at the same time, it was nothing like I expected it to be. It might be the most epic finale to a film franchise, and it's amazing how much the MCU has grown throughout the years. Endgame is proof that if you put so much love and patience in crafting the characters, it can all pay off in the end. Kudos should also be given to Alan Silvestri, who did a fantastic job scoring the film. While most MCU films do lack a memorable score (save for the likes of Black Panther or Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Endgame was anything but that.
It really feels like this: imagine someone giving you the biggest present wrapped in a box. You open to see that every single present in the box is much better than the last. But you can't play with them forever. Sometime, you'd have to put it back in the box, so you do. You put everything back together and close the lid of the box back. You bid farewell to this present that brought you so much joy. That's what Avengers: Endgame feels like. This franchise has given you so much joy in your life, but you know you have to say goodbye someday. This is the MCU's very own thank you letter to the fans, the last present that they're giving us before we bid farewell. It's incredible to see how far this franchise has come, how many characters they've crafted, and how they play into the bigger picture. Never has a film made me cry, cheer, and feel goosebumps as much as Endgame. We've witnessed finales from other famous franchises like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and The Hobbit. For the MCU, it's the finale of what they call "The Infinity Saga." Though the MCU will still continue after this, this is the finale for the characters we've witnessed and loved since the first Iron Man. Much like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the experience for me was unlike any other. Avengers: Endgame is MCU's farewell party, and it is one that goes out with a spectacular bang.
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| Image source: IMDB |
Overall verdict: Avengers: Endgame is a satisfying finale to the evergrowing MCU. Its three hour run-time can never be more perfect to wrap the story of the characters we've followed since Iron Man. It's clear that the people who starred and crafted the film care about providing closure as well as build an epic finale that perhaps will be remembered for years to come. The performances are simply fantastic, from Downey, Evans, Johansson, and many others who starred in the film. However, it isn't perfect. Because this film had to juggle many things, some arcs may end up a little messy, while there are notable scenes or arcs that should have been given attention, but is sidelined in favor of scenes that either feel like comedic relief or filler scenes. In other words, they didn't need to be there. Some people may find some of the decisions that the film chooses to make surprising, and some may not like where the film goes, but in the end, it's up to the audience to decide. I personally liked where they chose to go, but there are some aspects that I did not particularly agree with (a very interesting topic to discuss in a spoiler review). Despite that, Avengers: Endgame is pretty spectacular, especially when it gets to that epic third act. It gives so much attention and care to these characters that the audience have grown to love over the years. It's amazing when a particular franchise pays so much attention to both the characters and the fans. Overall, Avengers: Endgame is emotional, epic, and a satisfying finale to the franchise eleven years in the making. It is quite an experience that once it's finished, despite all emotions, you can't help but long for just one last trip with these characters.
Stars: 4.5/5
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Welcome to my blog! I'm an English Literature graduate navigating through a sea of films and books.
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