Avengers Endgame

I read a good description of what Avengers Endgame is like, really: the final episode of a long-running TV show. It wraps up things, kills off a few people, and gives the devoted viewers an emotional send-off. The end of this movie is like that "Goodbye" written out in stones in the last shot of M*A*S*H. It is not the time to start watching the series.

Avengers Endgame, the 22nd film in the MCU, concludes everything that started with the first film, Iron Man, in 2008. The focus is on the six original Avengers: Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain America, Thor, and Hawkeye (why didn't I realize that none of them were reduced to dust in Avengers: Infinity War? Well, Hawkeye wasn't in that one, but he's the first character we see in this film). The characters have multiplied over the years, but they're all back in this one (except for Paul Bettany as Vision. I guess he couldn't be revived). Some almost forgotten characters returned, such as Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One, Natalie Portman as Jane Porter, Robert Redford as that bad CIA Guy, (given his retirement, this will be his last film, not Old Man and a Gun) and John Slattery as Howard Stark. This truly is a cast of thousands. Is there any actor who isn't part of the MCU?

To summarize the plot would take me all night. Suffice it to say that after Thanos eliminated half of the universe's living creatures, he has retired to a rustic cabin where he putters in his garden (his idea is really a good one, at least for Earth, if it only involved humans). The Avengers and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) find him and quickly dispatch him (why wasn't it this easy before?) but the Eternity Stones are gone. So five years pass, and the Earth becomes something like a Left Behind movie. Tony Stark has put away his iron suit and has an adorable daughter with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). This is the equivalent of a policeman in a movie saying he has only a week left until retirement.

The remaining Avengers kind of go through the motions in policing the world. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is able to maintain his big green Hulk self while also retaining his human personality, and takes selfies with fans. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is bored and eats peanut-butter sandwiches. Thor has gone to seed, getting fat and drunk in "New Asgard." Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is roaming the world killing criminals. Then Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) pops out of the quantum realm with an idea.

I won't go too farther, but of course it involves time travel, the lame way out of any plot situation, whether it's this film or Lost. Of course, the script is full of references to time travel movies, letting us know that the writers aren't taking this bending of physics too seriously. When one character kills their earlier self, but does not disappear, I realized that we are just meant to trust that time travel works.

Anyway, the Avengers, along with some friends like Rocket Raccoon and Nebula (Karen Gillan, who plays a huge part in the plot) go back in time to get the stones. They encounter themselves (Captain America has a fight with Captain America) and one character sacrifices themselves at that place where Red Skull floats around in a black outfit that looks like it's from Stevie Nicks' closet. Characters meet people they haven't seen in years, such as Tony Stark having a conversation with his father (Slattery). This scene goes on way too long, and is the perfect time to have a pee break.

This all leads to a showdown with every good character battling the evil forces of Thanos (how he's back I'll let you find out for yourselves) and features the emotional death of another character, which closes the loop perfectly.

Avengers Endgame is more a geek orgasm than a movie. Anyone who is not familiar with the series would have to watch all the movies to get up to speed (if you haven't seen Doctor Strange, you wouldn't know who Tilda Swinton is supposed to be). As a fan of Marvel and the MCU films, it touched me in some ways. A funeral at the end of the film shows off every character wearing black and looking somber, and small spoiler: yes, Samuel L. Jackson puts in an appearance. But I will admit it was overwrought and too long--three hours was not necessary (thought about five minutes of it is credits, and there is no tease at the end, so feel free to leave).

A few performers look like they are glad to be done with their characters, but those who will return in other movies seem energized. Paul Rudd as Ant-Man brings a great sense of fun to the movie, as does Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket. Chris Hemsworth is very funny as the dissolute Thor (Stark calls him "Lebowski") but the joke is repeated too often. Robert Downey Jr., who was the center of the MCU, is terrific, but also seems tired of the role, as Stark was tired of Iron Man. It's interesting how Iron Man became the nucleus of the series, since he was never a huge character in the comics (for Marvel, it was always Spider-Man) but Downey has appeared in more MCU films (10) than any other actor, except for Stan Lee (his last cameo is in the film). Downey was a controversial choice back then, but it seems impossible to think of anyone else playing the part.

The direction by the Russo Brothers is uneven--this film is not well paced, with long stretches of inaction, punctuated by short bursts of action. But the film has shattered box office records, and earned a rare A+ from Cinemascore, so it is completely critic-proof.

I'd give it three stars out of four, and higher than that for Marvel devotees. Whether it's seeing Tom Hiddleston as Loki again, or watching the mutual delight of Cap and Thor when the former is able to wield Mjolnir, or seeing Michael Douglas de-aged to play Hank Pym in 1970, with long, flowing hair, Avengers Endgame is full of satisfying moments. For non-fans, it would probably be a huge meh.