Avengers: End Game is the sequel to Infinity War. It stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Remmer and Scarlett Johansson. It’s directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. The directors have done a credible job of bringing the MCU together, in what is said to be the final film in the first chapter of the MCU.
The movie picks up with the devastation left by Thanos in the previous film. Tony Stark is marooned in space with Nebula, waiting for death. Stark and Nebula are rescued by Captain Marvel, who promptly takes them to Avengers mansion. Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel, tracks Thanos to a remote planet, and The Avengers go after him to get the infinity stones. They find him; and he tells them they were too powerful for him to control, and he destroyed them.Thor then kills him in a fit of rage, and they go home.
The story picks up five years later, with The Avengers trying to pick up the pieces of their lives. Captain America is doing counseling sessions, and Iron Man has left and settled into family life with Pepper Potts. Hawkeye has become a killing machine; trying to rid the world of as many criminals as possible, to make up for the loss of his family. Natasha Romanoff, The Black Widow, is watching the monitors at Avengers mansion. In a somewhat absurd way, The Hulk and Bruce Banner have merged, with The Hulk becoming a celebrity posing for selfies. The saddest of all is Thor. He has become an overweight alcoholic, because he couldn’t stop Thanos.
One day while The Black Widow is watching the monitors, Antman, well played by Paul Rudd, appears and explains that he was in the quantum universe for five hours, and is told that five years have passed on earth. Scott Lang, Antman comes up with a time travel theory, and convinces the others to help. This also includes Tony Stark, who decides to come back to the hero business. They manage to travel back in time in teams to retrieve the stones. Unfortunately the team of Hawkeye and Natasha, retrieve a stone, but at the cost of The Black Widow’s life.
The Avengers have recovered the stones, but Thanos has retrieved information from Nebula; who he captured in the past, about The Avengers plans, and he shows up in the present and destroys their mansion. Captain Marvel immediately retaliates destroying his ship. Thanos and his army go head to head in battle, with every hero in the MCU, which they appear to be winning. That is until Iron Man picks up The gauntlet with the stones, destroying Thanos and his army, and bringing back the missing heroes. Unfortunately the gauntlet’s power is too much and Tony Stark dies a hero. After this, the heroes attempt to get the stones back to the past where they belong. Captain America goes back, but doesn’t return to the time platform, but several feet away. He has returned an old man choosing to stay in the past with Peggy Carter, and grow old. The film ends with Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, enjoying a dance together.
The problem with this film, is that is too long at three hours. The heroes spend most of it lamenting the Thanos tragedy. There are a few good moments, particularly when Captain America picks up Thor’s hammer and goes into battle with it. The CGI effects are amazing in the last hour with the climatic battle between the heroes and Thanos.
Robert Downey as Iron Man and Chris Evans as Captain America don’t miss a beat in their roles. Their characters even patch up their differences from Captain America: Civil War. It’s a shame that their individual movies are good, but they cant keep this movie interesting through three hours, but they didn’t write the script. Chris Hemsworth holds his own as a drunken, morose Thor, who after talking to his mother in the past; realizes his purpose. He becomes his old self, when the epic battle begins. Hemsworth, unlike Downey and Evans said he is more than happy to continue playing Thor. If the character fits with the second installment of the MCU, then he comes back.
Avengers:Endgame’s finale with Tony Stark sacrificing himself, to save the world, seems contrived. It might have been better if Thor or The Hulk had beaten Thanos in battle. The ending makes sense for the producers, since Robert Downey is leaving the MCU. The good thing is in comic books and movies, death isn’t the end.
It seems likely that this is the last Avengers movie. There are characters that will or should come back. One of them is Antman, who makes a major contribution to the movie. Paul Rudd has appeared in two good films featuring the character. Hopefully, there will be a third. It also looks like Thor will be back; either in his own film, or with The Guardians of the Galaxy.
If Avengers:Endgame is the last in the series, it would have helped to have a lighter tone. There were some comic moments between Rocket Racoon and Thor. The one light note is when the heroes return. Captain America getting his dance with Peggy Carter, to the song, Sentimental Over You, is enough to bring a tear to your eye. Even if this is the last Avengers movie, we’ll always have CGI and more from the MCU.