Anyone who knows me will know that there are very few films that have made me cry, Avengers: Endgame is now one of them.
‘An emotional rollercoaster ride’ is the only phrase I can really think of to describe the final instalment of the Avengers franchise. I never would have thought sitting down to watch the first Iron Man film aged ten, that all these years later I would have become so invested in the lives of a bunch of misfits who somehow band together and use their differences to defend the planet they love.
In my experience, Marvel movies never disappoint; they are the perfect blend of action, romance, cheese, and humour which appeals to old and young alike and never fails to draw large audiences. However, I was not prepared for the impressive script, tear-jerking scenes, and loving treatment of the characters that shone through in Endgame. Far from the money making “let’s put all the superheroes on screen at once” scam that it could have become if mishandled, the film proved beyond a doubt that directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo care as deeply for the motley crew of superheroes as the most avid fan. The chosen characters’ deaths in the film were poignant and well done, and I surprised myself with how moved I was to see characters I have followed since childhood, and grown up and matured as a person alongside, die in order to save their planet, one last time.
The attention to detail, for me, made the movie, with nods to previous films such as Tony Stark’s first ever magnet heart, engraved with “proof that Tony Stark has a heart”, taking us all the way back to where it first started. This can only serve as a reminder of the sheer brilliance of the writers who have apparently rather astoundingly had the Marvel cinematic universe films planned out since about 2005!
The film had, of course, it’s fair share of action as required from a superhero film, but it was the quieter moments of reflection from the characters, acted so well by the stellar cast, that gave the film its edge. It was clear that they too were reflecting on the end of an era for their characters. And, truly, the end of an era since Endgame marks the end of the story for many of the main characters, handing over to a whole new generation of heroes and, with them, Marvel films and fans.
Despite two rather obvious and glaring plot holes (both of which rather frustratingly lead to a character’s death which could have been avoided…) Endgame gave us every emotion under the sun. The film was a beautiful and fitting end to a story that has captured the hearts of people everywhere. I doubt the creator of our favourite heroes, Stan Lee, could have ever imagined all those years ago, what his humble comic book universe would become. Rest in peace.
