Whether or not you like what Marvel has done with its cinematic universe of comic book adaptations, it’s unprecedented in cinema history. After 10 years and 18 films, we finally arrive at Avengers: Infinity War, the first in a two-part showdown between Marvel’s extraordinary roster of heroes and Thanos, an intergalactic genocidal tyrant played in CGI motion capture by Josh Brolin, whose starring appearance has been seeded throughout the preceding films.
To say there is a lot riding on Infinity War is perhaps to overstate things, because in terms of box office, at least, this is already a home run for Marvel; but for fans of the series, who have a lot invested in the characters and have seen all the films, it really matters how this plays out. How pleasing to report, then, that while far from perfect, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have put together a blockbuster on an impressive scale that fulfils a lot of what fans will be looking for.
The Russo brothers most recently directed Captain America: Civil War, which means they already have experience doing what all directors of the bigger Marvel films must do: juggling and balancing. There are so many characters in these films, it’s difficult to make them all feel important, and we’re at the stage now where even major characters are effectively sidelined into cameos and supporting roles, although that is not fundamentally a problem if the script is strong, as it generally is here. Juggling characters is one thing, but the Russos also have to contend with a storyline that, while not complex per se, is very multifaceted. Thanos is looking to gather together the six infinity stones – which have been in existence since the Big Bang and represent things like ‘power’, ‘reality’ and ‘time’ – meaning there is a fair amount of ground to be covered. Devotees of the series will be familiar with the location of all but one of these stones.
Of all the films Marvel has put out, this one above all, perhaps understandably, is the least accessible to newcomers. That’s not a criticism – just a fact. It’s always been the case with these films that familiarity with the canon enhances the experience, and it’s something to be aware of before seeing Infinity War. There will be fun in there for all, but this is very much a sequel.
Marvel has taken risks with its formula for this film, in ways that are very satisfying. As a result, Infinity War, although it still very much adheres to the Marvel tone in terms of its quips and humour, feels darker than you might expect. This is primarily a positive thing, although it does mean that the tone quite regularly flips between serious and flippant, which it mostly carries off well, but some of the transitions from dark to light and back again feel a tad creaky. If this is the price to pay for some more darkness in this universe, then it’s no bad thing, even if some of that darkness may well turn out to be not quite as dark as it seems.
To make Infinity War work, Marvel had to make Thanos work. A conflict of this proportion needs a worthy villain, and thankfully Thanos is that villain. Given that fan reactions (and those of this critic) to some of Thanos’ (very brief) appearances in the previous films weren’t always positive, that’s an achievement worthy of merit. Josh Brolin gives a convincing performance, and crucially the CGI figure feels powerful and dramatically interesting (even if one of the infinity stones is dangerously close to being a massive plot hole). Thanos’ minions can’t receive the same level of attention, and as such feel a little like a wasted opportunity, but they are well realised visually at least, and provide some fun action sequences.
As somebody who has seen all of the preceding Marvel films, I expected to have my emotions tugged by Infinity War, but in that respect I found the film to be oddly inconsistent, perhaps as a result of the sheer amount of plot and characters. There are tender moments in here, and events that will draw gasps, but given how much darkness there is in the film, I felt I would be moved more than I was. The problem is that the film, even at two and a half hours long, doesn’t have much time to dwell on the consequences of what’s going on, or for relationships to be fleshed out beyond brief interactions.
But, given how much stuff there is in Infinity War, it’s a triumph of sorts that it works as well as it does, and I feel it will benefit from a second viewing. Marvel has taken time to get the villain right – something it hasn’t always done in the past – and that really pays off. Meanwhile, the charismatic cast, even if th ey don’t all get to make much of an impression this time around, are again on good form. This is a big film with big implications for the series, and for that it should be praised.