So I have a confession to make.
I have not seen The Last Jedi.
I didn't see Rogue One in theaters either.
It all started when I saw The Force Awakens in theaters and hated the living shit out of it for being a cheap ploy to rekindle the synapses in my brain that formed when I saw the first original star wars film.
Since then I decided not to watch another Star Wars film again and have not regretted the decision one bit, considering how much the fans absolutely HATED the Last Jedi.
So it is with this in mind that I want to discuss Infinity War.
You see, it is interesting to me to note how two franchises that are part of the same company can be run so differently and have such wildly different results.
I am, admittedly, a late adopter. I don't generally get into things right away, I wait to see how others have reacted and follow up according to their feedback. For reference I got my first smartphone in 2011, several years after everyone else
The same is true of Marvel films. Outside of the first Ironman, which I admittedly adored, I never really got into the other films nor did I see the first Avengers.
Several years later, having gotten a subscription to Netflix and perusing the films there, I saw many Marvel films in their catalog, Captain America 1 and 2, Thor 1 and 2, Guardians 1 and 2, etc..
I started binging on them pretty hard and was amazed at how every film seemed to at least be competent. The early Thor stuff was a bit tonally unsure of itself, and the sequel admittedly a bit too derivative, but overall the quality of the films is quite high.
This is coming from someone who largely DESPISES modern cinema. But I have to admit, the films are well written, the dialogue is tight and relate-able, the energy in the films is fun, and they feel quite satisfying.
Since I binged, I started going to all the films. I went to see Ragnarok and Homecoming, both of which were very well made films, and I was further impressed at how this Studio kept consistently making the right decisions while at the same time taking risks so it doesn't become stale.
Okay now all that out of the way, I want to talk about Infinity War in more detail. I went to see it on the Saturday of its opening week end, and the energy in the room was astounding. People gasped, cheered, wept, and openly applauded the film at the end, an ovation from the audience, something that I have almost never seen in a theater.
The film should be a fucking mess. They were juggling so many characters, so many subplots and so many story threads that it shouldn't have worked, but it did. It shouldn't have felt cohesive, but it did. The degree of difficulty of this film is impressive. Really impressive. They aimed for the sky and got damn close.
There are faults to the film, for starters I thought RDJ was beginning to get bored with the role of Tony Stark, and they don't give Chris Evans enough to do in the film, but overall its gripping, it's pacing is great, the humor isn't overboard and doesn't undermine the serious moments.
What makes this film transcendental though, is the fact that the filmmakers weren't afraid to push the envelope, they didn't stick to a formula, they kind of reinvented it.
For those of you who haven't seen the film, do not read on.
Admittedly, I didn't react much to the ending, knowing there's another film coming in a year and also knowing that the key plot device includes a gem that allows you to reverse time SEVERELY diminishes the weight of all the deaths we see on screen, never mind the sequels that are already in the works due to contracts. I highly doubt that Black Panther and Spiderman are not coming back, or Gamorrah (is that how you spell it?).
That being said, I still felt the weight of it to some degree and am HIGHLY anticipating the sequel next year. The standout performances for me were two, one was Josh Brolin as Thanos. While I will admit his motivations are not well enough fleshed out and do not hold much weight (for example if you cut the population of a planet in half, it will double back in about 30 years, also there is plenty of evidence that suggests that overpopulation is not anywhere as bad as Thanos believes it to be), his performance is flawless, and the CGI purple monster has enormous subtlety and weight to it.
His character is extremely well fleshed out and consistent throughout the film. He feels scary, and they set the tone for the villain immediately, killing Loki and Heimdahl (again no idea if this is spelled correctly). This was a very clever plot device because it gave weight to Thanos whenever he was on screen. The plot armor of all these characters were removed right at the start, anything goes and its GREAT. It made every scene with him retain a certain undercurrent of tension and uncertainty, coupled with his immense power and intellect, a captivating combination.
The second standout performance is Chris Hemsworth as Thor. This guy has evolved a lot as an actor. I'll admit Cumberbatch was awesome as Dr Strange, but what we're seeing from Hemsworth is an evolution.
The first Thor was stale, it was predictable and we could see an actor painting by numbers. Competent to be sure, but not sure enough of himself to improvise or step outside of what was expected from a hulking muscular dude.
He has improved IMMENSELY as an actor since, his performance in Ragnarok was flawless and captivating, and here is as good or better. The subtlety with which he balances the tragedies that have befallen Thor and his immense will to overcome them was captivating, and his onscreen time with rabbit as he calls him (Rocket Raccoon) work really well, oh and his entrance to the Wakanda battle kicks ass, the entire theater erupted in a chorus of cheers when he wielded that axe into battle.
Oh I forgot the mention Giant Peter Dinklage...the set pieces are fucking awesome in this movie.
If you haven't seen it, go watch it. This is a cultural event, not just a movie.
The fact is that the film industry has become stale as fuck, and these guys are still finding ways to surprise the audience and entertain. These films are HIGHLY entertaining, they just work. These guys get it, they just get it, and its great to watch.
I'll admit that comic book films will never achieve the level of weight of a film like Lawrence of Arabia or a Network, my favorite kinds of films, which is why for me they'll always be art for arts sake, but honestly I'm beginning to wonder if I'm wrong about that and they can surpass the limitations of the genre. This one feels like it, like they stepped out of the bounds of what a superhero film was supposed to be and subverted expectations in a highly satisfying way.
Oh I guess I should circle back to Star Wars and how much its sucks dog shit compared to Marvel films these days, I'm curious as to why Disney is failing so hard with one and crushing so hard with the other.
Of course failure is relative, The Last Jedi still made a fuck ton of money mostly because fanboys are too brainwashed to recognize its become SJW dog shit...time will tell if those masses wake up.
But Marvel is flying high, and next years film, if its any good, will make as much money as this one, perhaps more if the resolution of this narrative is as satisfying as its cliffhanger was.
10/10. It isn't perfect, but I can't give this film any lower of a score, as it aimed soooo high and got it all mostly right.
