This & That: Avengers: Infinity War - Completely SPOILED!

Martinex1: I know some of you have not seen the movie yet, so fair warning that down below and in the comments we will be discussing specifics about The Avengers: Infinity War film.  All story plot points may be SPOILED, so don't proceed if you don't want to be clued in on the happenings in the movie.  Stay away if you have not seen it yet.  Complete SPOILERS below these images...

The Avengers; Infinity War SPOILERS are coming below!

 HERE COME THE SPOILERS!

Martinex1: Okay, let's just start by getting it out in the open... I loved this movie!  If there was ever a movie that felt like a comic book, this had to be it.   I owe my response to the exciting action scenes laced with character development and witty banter.  Of course, I have seen all of the previous Marvel movies, so I came in with a full understanding of the characters and their motivations so the quick leap into the craziness did not affect my viewing.  I did not need all of the characters' backstories and history as those were expanded on in the other movies, so this film was all icing for a ten year long cake.  For me it was like getting the next great issue; I had much the same feeling as when I found a key final installment on a comic spinner rack back in the bronze age.

Redartz:  I'm with you, partner- I loved the movie!  It got out of the gate quick and the pace never let up. As you mentioned, the character backstories were covered in previous films, so this was, to me, like one of the classic Annuals with everything and everyone  thrown into the action. Great fun, edge-of-the-seat film, and what an ending...

Martinex1:  To simplify this discussion, here are a number of things (in no particular order) that I really liked about the movie:

1) Thor was very powerful. I say that as both in his portrayal emotionally and as a heroic figure.  Thor's interaction with Rocket about the death of all of the Asgardians including his brother and friends, was touching.  There was that brief showing of grief and regret followed by a bravado that the character really seemed to believe; I found the acting of Chris Hemsworth to be quite good here. Both Chris Hemworth and Chris Evans have really come to embody their characters. Thor's desire to power up with a new weapon and his focus on that quest were significant for the character; he was still funny but no longer just the fun-loving hero from his last film.  When he finally did show his strength, wrapped in electricity and lightning wielding Stormbreaker against the hordes, I sat up in my seat.  That is the Thor I see in the comics.
2) The scenes between Thanos and the young Gamora.  The first one when Thanos invaded Gamora's home planet demonstrated his ruthless fascist approach and also revealed a strange gentleness in his interaction with the girl.  I think that Thanos may actually be one of the more complex villains to ever reach the screen.  The second in which Thanos seems to visit the little Gamora in the afterlife really echoed some of Jim Starlin's art and design.  The setting was unique and very reminiscent of the comics.
3) Thanos had a clear motive.  I wondered prior to going into the movie if Thanos would be romancing the embodiment of Death.  I think the filmmakers changed and clarified the villain's reasoning and motivations in a way that made it quite horrifying but also believable.  His determination to do what he thought was right in purging the universe made him more than formidable.  And the filmmakers were wise enough to show him making real sacrifices to reach that goal.  Who thought the humanization of the galactic mustache twirler was so possible?
4) The special effects were great.  I really was not taken out of the movie by the special effects.  What must have been an extensive use of green screens and CG seemed very real.  Thanos himself had to be almost entirely a visual effect and yet he always seemed to really be there.  He didn't seem fake at all; he was very weighty and emoted well.  Only afterward did I even think about how he must have been created.
5) Ebony Maw and Proxima Midnight were worthy foes on their own.  Thanos' minions and accomplices from the Black Order received a fair amount of screen time, and two of them really caught my attention.   Ebony Maw, with his slithery voice and evil platitudes, was a surprise to me. I did not know the character as he joined the comic book universe long after I stopped following.  He, however, is somebody that stood out in the movie for me.   His power of moving matter and twisting steel was not only visually unusual but also very "comic booky" (if you allow that phrase).   Just the way he flew about the city on bricks in an upright position was fantastic. And his sinister torture of Dr. Strange made him seem so formidable.  Proxima Midnight also came across as sly and devious.  Not only was she a worthy opponent to the Vision and Scarlet Witch and the Black Widow, but she was a wise strategist.  She tricked the Avengers on a couple of occasions while battling in Wakanda.  The other two in the Order were less notable, but these characters were much more than I expected.
6) Wakanda as the front line.  I really enjoyed seeing Wakanda again, and it was nice to see any super-hero film finale to end anywhere but a big city, particularly New York.   It felt very different to have the epic confrontation taking place in the fields and forests of Wakanda.  Also, it was great to see the heroes and heroines of that land being the champions of Earth as the key invasion took place.
7) The simple things...  Minor touches like Groot offering his arm as the handle for Stormbreaker, the mention of Kevin Bacon, the hero on hero fight between the Guardians and Iron Man's crew, Dr. Strange's and Tony Stark's egos in conflict, the recognition of Captain America's fortitude as he took on Thanos in hand-to-hand combat, nearly every hero getting a key moment all wrapped into a great pastiche.
8) The ending.  It was both touching and complex.  I actually would have liked to see it go on a bit longer and to show some of the effects on other worlds and to show more reaction among the characters.  But it did really cut to the core.  I was particularly moved by Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and Groot's moments.

Redartz:  What he said. Okay, I can do a bit better than that...
I saw the film with a friend who has some familiarity with the comics, but not so much Thanos and that whole story. He had no trouble following the action, and was quite impressed by the ending. I was struck by the see-saw / rollercoaster ride of the film from start to finish.  It truly had it all; drama, humor, loads of action, and the added plus of unpredictability. Every character had their moment in the spotlight; too many to detail. But a few: Mantis' assault on Thanos being one of my personal favorites. Spider-Man expressing his all-too-human fear to Stark when faced with his looming demise. Wong getting a chance to show his capabilities.

And the ending- left me dumbstruck; a superhero movie in which the villain wins. And I use the term 'villain' somewhat loosely; as Marti noted, Thanos was portrayed with a good deal of complexity.  More so than I recall reading in the comics themselves (which, granted, is incomplete- never having read the Infinity Gauntlet stories). One can certainly condemn his means, but his end goal of improving life for the surviving half of the universe could be considered laudable in some quarters. My friend and I debated the moral questions posed by Thanos' actions all the way home from the theater. Following so soon on the heels of the sociopolitical  subjects addressed in "Black Panther", the social undercurrents flowing beneath "Infinity War" mark an advancing maturity in Marvel cinematic storytelling. It's like witnessing the shift from Silver Age to Bronze Age, but on film rather than newsprint.

Marti, you covered the film much better than I could have; I need to see it again, perhaps a couple more times. Your power of recall  is astounding; surely you must have seen this movie several times in order to maintain such detail...

Martinex1:  And here are a few things that weren't quite stellar but did not totally ruin the movie for me...

1) The Vision.  I thought that the Vision was portrayed mainly as a victim throughout the film.  I know that they stated that the hero's power was adversely affected by the proximity of the villain, but that felt wrong.  How many times can the Vision be stabbed and cut?  His intangibility must be a costly effect because it has hardly been shown at all in the films; I wonder if viewers who never read a comic even know that he can phase through anything.  For such a compelling character, he really seemed water-downed to me.
2) Bruce Banner.  Some note seemed a little off with Banner this time.   I don't really see him as the comic relief, but he seems to have been positioned that way this time.  I also think that some of his early dialogue was wooden.  I like Mark Ruffalo in many of his roles, so I think the script may not have been shaped particularly well for the character.  I did however like the Hulk's reluctance to make an appearance.
3) The Red Skull.  I know this may be a surprise for some, but the showing of this character made little sense to me.  I think that I don't particularly like the idea that somehow he became an immortal protector of the stone.  I understand his connection from the first Cap movie, but it seemed almost like he was rewarded in a strange way for his villainy.  

Redartz:  As noted above, my recall of the detail is still suffering from the 'holy cow' syndrome of the movie as a whole. The result of seeing it only once so far. That said,  I concur with your assessment of the Vision. It would have been welcome to have seen him more active and less incapacitated...

Martinex1:  And here are some things I hope for in the next movie...

1) I hope Captain Marvel is great, but I also hope that the rest of the heroes continue to have the spotlight.   Particularly since we have not met her yet, I hope the whole installment is not centered around her.
2) I hope characters like Ant-Man, the Wasp, Hawkeye, and Valkyrie get a chance in the spotlight.  Like in the comics, I'd like to see the weaker heroes unexpectedly have a shot at the big bad Thanos.
3) Along those lines, I think it would be great to see Hawkeye cheat in a challenge with Thanos much as he did with galactic villains in the comics.
4) I hope that perhaps some of the heroes don't return from the dead.  The repercussions are so heavy in the current movie, that I am not sure I want them all overturned. 
5) I hope it is not predictable.  Somehow Thanos's action has to be reversed of course; I just want it to be just as entertaining as this one.  Will Tony and Pepper have a baby as in his dream?  Will there be a scene of characters inside the Soul Stone?   Will Dr. Strange's one-in-fourteen million chance come true?  Undoubtedly much has been hinted, but it would be nice to see some curve balls as well.

Redartz:  Once again, partner, you cover the material thoroughly and effectively. I look forward to seeing the cinematic version of Carol Danvers. Offhand I'd guess there will be much more to her film than usually seen in a first-time character film. As "Captain America: Civil War" was essentially an Avengers movie, "Avengers: Infinity War" was basically a Thanos film (or a "Marvel Universe" film, if you must). Perhaps "Captain Marvel" will also cast a wider net than it's title might indicate.

Martinex1:  Overall I give the movie 5 out of 5 Bronze Medallions.  Marvel just seems to know how to craft their universe for the silver screen. 'Nuff Said!

Redartz:  We are united on this;  5 out of 5 Bronze Medallions from this viewer as well. Somewhere out there, Jim Starlin must be smiling...

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