Finally – D-Day to Endgame has arrived. As someone who went into a crisis after the latest, final trailer dropped for Avengers: Endgame, I was BEYOND excited. After seeing all the positive responses to the movie on Twitter, I just couldn’t wait to see the movie!
Some General Pro-Tips
I couldn’t sleep the night before, so I went on to re-watch Infinity War. Let me tell you that that’s not very useful. In hindsight, it makes a lot of sense that a couple of reviewers mentioned that Endgame should not be treated as a direct follow-up to Infinity War. I also previously wrote an article on a list of Marvel movies you should watch to prepare for Endgame. Though I would consider some in that list to be decent choices of which movies to re-watch, it’s not enough.
To best enjoy your Endgame experience, I’d strongly advise you to watch a full recap of the past 18 or so movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (“MCU”) on YouTube. I personally watched this one, though I’m sure there are other more updated compilations (that include Captain Marvel and Infinity War) that you can find on YouTube.
Ideally, you would have watched every movie in the MCU at least once, because there are a lot of small references and call-backs to past films, that no compilation can cover entire ground on. You’ll still be able to enjoy the movie if you’re a Marvel fan, but in my opinion – the more references you recognise, the harder the movie will hit.
Going along that line of thinking – do remember to bring tissues, if you think you’re going to cry. I don’t usually cry during movies, but I teared up multiple times, and full-on cried once. If you’re the emotional kind, and you’re deeply invested in the stories of the heroes in the MCU, it’d be best for you to bring along extra tissues.
That, and if you’re watching Endgame within its first week of release, expect your cinema to be noisy. I cannot count the number of times I involuntarily gasped, squealed or made some other sort of excited or wounded noise.
The Spoiler-Free Movie Review
For context: I’ve watched almost every movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, apart from Thor, The Incredible Hulk, and Captain America: The First Avenger. Sacrilege, I know. I don’t read the comics or watch the spin-off series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though, so don’t expect any commentary from me on those ends.
To start off: the first wave of reactions were spot on. Endgame is nothing short of an emotional roller-coaster that balances humour alongside more emotionally charged scenes.
Kudos especially to Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant Man), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / The Hulk), and Chris Hemsworth (Thor) in the humour department. Something I’ve always admired about a couple of Marvel’s movies are their abilities to use humour, whether slapstick or sarcasm-based, without entirely losing the tension rife in the movie’s main plot. This expertise is once again present in Endgame, because the stakes are high throughout the movie, but humour is employed before the movie’s tension becomes suffocating.
Speaking of tension, it’s incredibly impressive how Endgame continuously ups the stakes of the characters’ missions in the movie, without making it seem entirely unbelievable. The film does a fantastic job of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, eager to find out what happens next, hands clutched in mild fear of the events that are about to unfold.
Who can forget about fanservice, too? Fanservice is gratuitously employed at some points in the movie, though it’s mostly geared towards fangirls. I’m saying that as a blanket statement, by the way – if you appreciate male posteriors as a male, by all means!
That said, I think the greatest fanservice that Endgame stands to offer, is its fight scenes. As always, Marvel’s action is gorgeously executed and altogether glorius. There’s really nothing like watching your favourite heroes team up and triumph (not a spoiler, we know they win, c’mon). Though some fights were a little messy, they can be followed without much struggle to understand what exactly is going on.
All other forms of fanservice aside, the film itself is also a visual treat! Much like in Infinity War, the film has a constant change of setting. The colours to match, the way everything is pieced together – it’s something that fans will definitely be able to appreciate.
All in all, Avengers: Endgame is a film that relies strongly on the emotional investment of its fans in Marvel’s decade worth of superhero movies. Clearly, it pays off, because this method of delivery works. High-tension scenes are made even more exciting because you wonder what’s going to happen to your favourite heroes. Jokes employed are made even funnier, and on the flip side, emotional scenes even more tear-jerking, because you’re endeared to these characters.
Point is, the heroes on screen are “your heroes”, the ones that you’ve followed and loved over the past decade. Marvel Studios knows that, and they’ve delivered by choosing to execute Avengers: Endgame in this manner, one that honours your heroes. As a fan myself, I’m overjoyed at how the movie turned out. At the same time, there’s a slight feeling of loss, knowing that it’s the end of an era.
Minor Critique
With all that said about the film, I think it’s clear that Avengers: Endgame is meant to be a treat for the fans of the MCU. It is for this reason that those that are not dedicated or emotionally invested in the MCU to at least some degree, may not enjoy the movie as much. It’s still an epic that’s worth catching that you can go into, with knowledge just based off a YouTube compilation! It’s just that as a fan of the series, the little nods and references to older films in the MCU were what made the movie special to me.
Other than that, I only have one main critique: the movie itself is executed beautifully, but it starts slow. Much like an athlete warming up before sprinting, it takes a while before the movie really picks up speed. It’s for this reason that some might feel that the movie might feel a bit long, or draggy, around the beginning, but trust me – the build-up is worth the wait.
That, and in hindsight, when you think about the events that transpired in the movie, you might realise that there’s a minor plot hole. I won’t spoil it, but I’ll be waiting to see if there’s an explanation for the plot hole.
Final Thoughts
On a whole, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame is a grand, marvellous (yes, pun intended) finale that beautifully closes off a decade’s worth of films. The closure that the film brings commemorates the end of a big, big chapter of the MCU and for Marvel Studios, but also marks the start of more to come for the MCU’s newer (and/ or more minor) heroes.
Ultimately, and more than anything, Endgame is is a poignant love letter to fans of the MCU – especially those who have followed it from the first movie, till’ the end of the line here.
Avengers: Endgame is showing in cinemas now, across cinemas island-wide.
Sheryl Lim, Writer (Lifestyle)
A sleepless cryptid with a sweet tooth, who spends most of her free time on the internet. Sheryl loves binge-watching shows on Netflix, Persona 5's Joker, arcades, and all her emotional support K-Pop boys.
