Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Review

After my wedding last week and short honeymoon, Avengers: Endgame was the next big event on the calendar (I have to admit that I, only for a moment, thought about heading to the press screening a day after the wedding, but decided that would probably be a bad idea). A film that isn’t only the sequel to Avengers: Infinity War, but also a title that Marvel has been working towards for the past eleven years. A sort of end to an era, just as film lovers felt about Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and other franchises. Although it is not the last Marvel film, it does largely feel like the last chapter in a series. After more than twenty films in this series, the fans have come to know and love these characters and Endgame takes them almost literally through the entire MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Is it one of the best superhero films?

After Thanos snapped his fingers in Infinity War and let half of all living things disappear from the universe, Endgame shows the aftermath of this. It quickly becomes clear that the effect is enormous. What can the remaining Avengers do to get everyone back? You can probably throw most of the theories you devised yourself into the trash within the first twenty minutes. This is refreshing, because as a viewer it gives you the feeling that the situation is perhaps more serious than you initially imagined and you no longer have any idea what is going to happen.

 Endgame is a film that appreciates fans and their knowledge of the previous movies and brings details back in big and small moments. That results in a number of “holy shit” moments, but also nice references to the past. Just like in Infinity War, it is a challenge to present such a large number of characters and various storylines in a way that works, but the Russo brothers have once again succeeded. This was the first Marvel film for me where I really felt the emotional moments (of which there are a lot). A lot of “definitivity” is ingrained, in addition to the typical Marvel humor that is also abundantly present. With a running time of three hours, this is the longest Marvel film to date, but you don’t feel that for a moment. Fans of Marvel will see this film despite what review say. If you are less familiar with the MCU, chances are that you will enjoy it less and many moments will be meaningless. I myself belong to the first camp and I came out of the cinema with a big grin on my face. Endgame is epic and a real achievement you can’t afford to miss on the big screen.

[score9]