A Spoiler-Free Review of Avengers: Infinity War

Leo Veizaga, Staff Writer

Last weekend, Marvel Studios’ biggest production to date was released in US theaters, making headlines as fans around the country and the world celebrated. With the film going on to become the biggest opening weekend in the United States, Infinity War has certainly proven itself as the biggest hit that Marvel has made in recent years. Fans of these characters ten years ago never thought that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would ever grow to become as big as it is now, back when it all started in 2008 with the release of the first Iron Man film. Now, in 2018, fans are still reeling from Infinity War, and while I have seen the film myself and feel so eager to talk about what exactly happens in it, I will not, as this is a spoiler-free review.

Right off the bat, let’s start with the big question: did the movie live up to the hype? Indeed it does. It’s taken Marvel Studios ten years to culminate their franchise, and the Russo brothers put their all into the direction of Infinity War. The film fits so well within the MCU because unlike the other films, there’s almost no need for any character development for the founding Avengers (along with the newcomers such as Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther and Spider-Man) because we’ve already known all of them within their own movies for years, which leaves more room for action. Though the movie is long (Marvel’s longest to date at 2 hours and 40 minutes), it doesn’t feel that way, as the pacing and multiple storylines make up for Infinity War‘s runtime.

Moving on to the subject of the film’s antagonist, Josh Brolin’s performance as the sociopathic Thanos will keep you engaged throughout the movie. Though I will not reveal his motives as to why he seeks to use the Infinity Gauntlet, it’s not hard to imagine that he won’t let the Avengers stand in the way of his plans. Brolin’s performance will blow you away as Thanos stops at nothing to collect all of the Infinity Stones. Thanos is complicated, yet thoughtful; ruthless, yet emotional. Nothing more needs to be said about the Mad Titan.

The only major problem with Infinity War is that it’s not really inclusive for those who don’t keep up with the MCU. Let’s say you are somebody who has never watched a single Marvel movie, and you seem interested in watching Infinity War. The downside is that, if you really want to be invested in this cinematic universe, you’d have to watch all 18 previous Marvel movies. However, I’ve come up with a list of MCU films that will help you get a quick understanding of all the characters in Infinity War.

  • Iron Man (the one that started it all)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (the one that introduces the Guardians)
  • Captain America: Civil War (the one that shows the current state of the Avengers going into Infinity War)
  • Thor: Ragnarok (the one that ends where Infinity War begins)

Those five movies should give you a good head start before you watch Infinity War. Of course, my main recommendation would be to watch all 18 previous films, but that is entirely up to all of you. Now that I’ve given you Jags a spoiler-free review, go off and see the movie for yourself! And remember: Thanos demands your silence (no spoilers!)