Endgame concludes MCU’s Infinity arc with an epic ‘fight of our lives’

Photo: Film Frame / Marvel Studios

Spoiler Alert!

Never have I ever witnessed audiences cheering in the movie theatre as the lights began to dim down, and heard such roaring applause as the movie came to an end. The three-hour long film was packed with so many twists and turns, hilarious jokes, and emotional moments that made it an extremely intense film.

To be honest, I was never a Marvel fan until recently where I fell in love with how Marvel developed its characters – how the characters change with the setbacks they have to overcome in order to grow as a person. In Endgame, you will be witnessing the changes in our superheroes – the sacrifices they are willing to make, that truly made me develop newfound respect and admiration for them.

“It’s not about how much we lost. It’s about how much we have left.“

Avengers, Endgame: Tony Stark

Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the story starts off with Avengers at their worst possible state in their post-trauma lives. The movie spends the first hour healing the characters and re-establishing hope for our Avengers. Overwhelmed by their failure, Marvel shows us a different side to our superheroes, where even superheroes despair when faced with the impossible.

“We lost, all of us. We lost friends. We lost family. We lost part of ourselves. This is the fight of our lives.“

Avengers, Endgame: Steve Rogers

In Endgame, this “fight of our lives” is not just the fight to protect their loved ones, but also a fight for themselves, how they need to battle with their inner conflicts; learn to overcome losses and grief, and bounce back, stronger and better than they were before. That is the true quality of being a superhero.

Photo: Film Frame / Marvel Studios

Marvel dedicates the second hour of the film to callbacks, bringing the audience on a trip down memory lane as it retells the journey of the Avengers, recapturing iconic moments from the previous films and reminding us the deep-seated insecurities that lie in our superheroes, i.e., Captain America (Chris Evans) deeply aches for the opportunities he had missed due to the choices he had made fighting Hydra in his debut movie, Captain America: The First Avenger; while Thor (Chris Hemsworth) cannot accept his mistake of not killing Thanos (Josh Brolin) “properly” when he had the chance. These inner struggles highlight how the superheroes we admire are all human — they have their own flaws, and imperfections. This is a film designed for fans who have already developed a sense of attachment to these characters; where they started, and what they’ve become over the years.

“Some people move on, but not us. Not us.“

Avengers, Endgame: Steve Rogers

Photo: Film Frame / Marvel Studios

The most epic part of the movie, for me however, is when ALL the Avengers finally gather, including the ones previously turned to dust. The much awaited catchphrase, “Avengers, assemble” is finally uttered by Captain America (Damn! I still remember how the audience cheered when Cap spoke those words!) I particularly liked how the Avengers play touch rugby to keep the Infinity Stones from Thanos. Each and EVERY Avenger takes a turn running offence towards the touch line, while being shielded by their nearest teammates, which really demonstrates the high level of trust, and teamwork that they have. The film shows how the most powerful force comes not come from the strength of the individual, but from working together and fighting together as a team.

Tony Stark: “You trust me?”
Steve Rogers: “I do.“

Avengers, Endgame

 

The bonus moments deliver unexpected surprises, such as the power-ups of certain characters i.e. Captain America lifting Thor’s Hammer (Damn! That was INSANELY epic!) and a generous share of humour in the film which planted a smile on everyone’s faces.

Photo: Film Frame / Marvel Studios

As much as I would love to say there were only joyous moments, that is unfortunately not the case. I could hear sniffles around me, as the heartbreaking moments hit the audience, i.e. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) sacrificing herself for Soul Stone, and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) taking the final blow for the team. The three-hour movie brought along too much feels. Just when an emotional gut-punching scene finishes, there comes another “oh no” moment that squeezes your heart! Endgame was undoubtedly an epic, emotional, and exceptional franchise finale.