‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Non-Spoiler Review: Marvel Delivers On Every Promise

Lauren Gallaway
Movie Reviews Movies
Movie Reviews Movies Marvel MCU
5.0
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Review Essentials
  • Hilarious At Every Turn
  • Utterly Heartbreaking
  • Marvel's 'Return of the King'
  • Surprising Ending

Spoiler-free: This Avengers: Infinity War review will not contain specific plot spoilers, but it will cover the film’s themes, characters, and expectations. 

For the last 10 years, Marvel has been building to this one storyline: Thanos’ quest for the Infinity Gems. While Thanos‘ presence has been felt in many films, including the first Avengers, this is truly his grand entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As for Earth’s and the Galaxy’s Mightiest Heroes, everyone has a role to play. Whether they’re holding back Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, or Thanos himself, each Guardian, each Avenger, and each hero in this film has something powerful to do. As for who lives and who dies, while we won’t be covering that here, we can say this: the stakes are real and certain characters will not be coming back.

Grab your tissues, your shields, and your best pop culture references and let’s dive into this non-spoiler review for Avengers: Infinity War.

The Emotional Moments Hit Home

Avengers Infinity War Scarlet Witch Vision

If Marvel has proved anything in the last ten years, it’s that each of their characters can hold their own in stand alone films. This was how the Marvel Universe was built. Tony Stark led the charge by saying “I am Iron Man” at the end of Iron Man. But, as Nick Fury said, Tony Stark and all the other characters in this film have “become part of a larger universe.”

That universe has become tightly intertwined through the relationships these characters have built over the last 10 years. Tony and Pepper Potts, Bucky and Captain America, Thor and Loki, Rocket and Groot, Tony and Bruce Banner, Black Widow and Falcon, Gamora and Star-Lord, Tony and Peter Parker, Black Panther and Shuri.

These relationships have meaning and in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos will tear them apart. It would be easy to say, “bring tissues because X dies…” but that’s not quite the case here. Bring the tissues because characters that love each other, whether it’s the “unspoken” love between Star-Lord and Gamora or the love that has been blossoming between Wanda and Vision, this love is tested and tested HARD.

Marvel’s Funniest Film to Date

Avengers Infinity War Doctor Strange Tony Stark Bruce Banner Wong

In the midst of this testing, Marvel never fails to land a good joke. The audience in the theater was howling during certain scenes, howling as loud as audiences might have done the first time Star-Lord called Kevin Bacon a hero in the first Guardians of the Galaxy.

Right away the film kicks in the humor. One minute you could be crying and the next you could be laughing. That’s how well Marvel has figured out their storytelling. Peter Parker delivers a lot of these laughs, especially with his never ending movie and pop culture references. Doctor Strange delivers a lot of dry humor, especially when he meets Tony Stark for the first time.  And, as always, the Guardians deliver huge laughs. Especially Rocket, who has some fantastic moments with Thor.

What’s important about this levity is that it’s needed. Thanos is not called the “mad Titan” for nothing. He is hellbent on getting the gems and his “children”, Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive, Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian, are RUTHLESS. In fact, their fight sequences with the Avengers are some of the best Marvel has even done.

The Film Delivers Incredible Spectacle

Avengers Infinity War Spider-Man Iron Spider

When looking at a film like this, it’s hard not to think of other superhero films that have come before. While it would be easy to compare this to Justice League or even the first Avengers, nothing even comes close to Infinity War. The only film that has ever achieved this combination of storytelling, set pieces, stunts, action, and battles is Return of the King.

Return of the King, while only the third film in the Lord of the Rings franchise (Infinity War is 19th, if we’re counting), gave audiences the biggest on screen battle they have ever seen. It also divided its key cast, sending Frodo into Mordor, Aragorn into the Dead City, Gandalf to the White Tower of Gondor and Merry and Pippin to both sides of the great battle.

In Infinity War, multiple storylines take place at once, all over the galaxy. Each new planet the film visits is breathtaking and the final battle in Wakanda is definitely on the scale of the final battle in Return of the King. In terms of visual effects, the film fires on all pistons. Planets, aliens, battles, Tony’s new Iron Man suit, the Iron Spider suit Peter wears, Doctor Strange and Wong‘s mystical powers, even the gems themselves look gorgeous and incredibly detailed. Every scene, every effect, every choice pays off.

Is Avengers: Infinity War Good?

Avengers Infinity War Thanos

Yes. It’s really good. Good is actually an understatement considering everything that Marvel accomplished in this film. And here’s the crazy thing, Infinity War is only PART ONE of a two-part story. That’s right, the end of Infinity War is the BIGGEST CLIFFHANGER in cinematic history. While the film does come to a very specific ending, it sets up the entire plot of Avengers 4.

Don’t Miss the Cameos

There are some great cameos in this film! While Stan Lee is always a friendly face to see on film, another character from the Marvel Universe does make his or her return. No spoilers, but the audience made such an audible gasp when this person came on screen it was amazing. Also, the film does answer three of the biggest questions everyone is asking:

“Where is the Soul Gem?”

“Where is Hawkeye?”

“Is there a post-credit scene?”

You will find out all of these answers and more when the film opens later this week! As for the post-credit scene, a true Marvel fan always stays until the end credits.

Avengers: Infinity War opens worldwide on April 27, 2018.

Lauren Gallaway
TV editor at FANDOM. Creator of The Marvel Report. Journalist, Comic-Con reporter, Podcaster.