Same for you Star Wars and Game of Thrones. Avengers Endgame just set a standard for wrapping up "universe" storytelling this year. What began in 2008 with Robert Downey Jr. breathing life into Iron Man, ends in 2019 with a satisfying, three-hour opus that will have you oddly wondering how long you can wait for a bathroom break at the expense of missing any of this.
Walking into this film, I knew there would be consequences and likely the first death of a major character or two, or three or more. Because the stakes are high, you'll likely be anxious through every word, step or action involved. I was. The film delivers on action and results, but it cleverly slows down and simplifies the story to a few key characters and some slower, emotional moments that all work. I have a decade of movie tickets invested in these characters and I'm satisfied with every nugget this film gave me and fans. Same with how each character arc concluded.
And yes, despite the grim setup that Thanos gave us in the previous film, the Marvel humor is there in full. DC was finally on to something with Shazam, but Marvel just knows how get the big laughs that are also memorable moments. Unfortunately, even the gags are spoilers, so I can't say much, except that fans will be thrilled.
Since the original Iron Man, none of these movies have been grand films on their own — but it's a marvelous serial that just paid off with an final comic book page for the fans.
Simply put: We know there will be more subtitles in all three of these franchises, but landing a climax that ends your original (and likely best) storyline is certainly a tricky feat. They landed it. I love it 3000.
Award potential: Likely Oscar nomination for three hours of Best Special FX.
The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.
