Avengers: Endgame

And there came a day unlike any other, when nearly every superhero in the universe fought as hard as they could to stop a madman's genocidal plan.
And they lost.
Some paid with their lives, and some carried the survivors' guilt and then some.
This was "Infinity War"
So how will these heroes rectify this injustice?
Well, TAKE IT AWAY AKU!


Yeah that pretty much covers it.

"Avengers: Endgame" is the 22nd movie in the undeniable, and frankly inescapable entertainment juggernaut that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And boy-oh-boy if you thought you had to pay attention for all those movies for "Infinity War," the time-traveling aspect means that not only will it take its audience on a wonderful nostalgia trip, but the characters themselves get wonderful closure for certain things left unsaid or not done in those movies. And because the formula for the best laid plans always includes "SOMETHING GOES WRONG," their present is affected big time by a slight mishap in the past.

After the last movie was more focused on explaining the motivations of the main villain, we are shifted back to the heroes, specifically, the main six who kickstarted this team-up venture back in 2012. Strongest performances go to Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner, respectively as a Tony Stark with the BIGGEST case of motivating guilt since he signed away his autonomy in Cap'Merica 3,  and Clint Barton, who in the wake of unspeakable evil has taken up the blade in a killing spree that would make the Punisher proud (wonder if HE survived the Snap?). The emotions acted out, the action & history their characters encapsulated, and the sacrifices they are willing to make gives you adequate cause to root for them. Not saying the other 4 of the core Avengers have leaps and bounds character development, but really, how can you not after 11 years of movies? Captain America starts to be wistful of what he lost, Black Widow realizing her family has always been this odd assortment of freaks, the Hulk & Banner reach a strange inner peace, and Thor...realizes his failures and after a bit of a slump, finds his fighting spirit again. The 2ndary characters continue to develop, and for some, I am genuinely curious about their futures in the MCU, and for others, I am content with their stories being over. Cameos from old movies are also a-plenty so remember to keep a cheat sheet if you forgot some people.

Blending a post-apocalyptic grimness, with a humorous romp through their own history, and ending in a truly climactic battle reminiscent of anything from "Lord of the Rings," "Braveheart," "Last Samurai," or "Star Wars," this experience is a fine cap-off to a saga from several different storytellers in this new mythology played out on the silver screen.

Yes, even there was surprising Thor 2 nostalgia thrown into the mix!

For a creative overview from a fellow movie-reviewing friend, go here.
For a review (SPOILER-FILLED) with a multitude of goofy voices, go here.