Haiku Revieu | Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War
★★★★½

So many people
How is my heart still beating
Is it next year yet

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The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

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This is a hard review to write, y'all.

A month later, and I'm still reeling from this film.

I mean, I had an inkling going in that not everyone was going to make it. But I wasn't prepared for that. (Since it's only been a month, I'll refrain from spoilers here, but those of you who've seen Infinity War—and if you haven't, what are you doing?—know exactly what I'm talking about.) Sure, I'm positive that a lot of what happened at the end will be undone, somehow, in Avengers 4, but that doesn't exactly make anything easier at this moment in time.

Nor does the stuff that likely won't get undone.

That said, I really loved this movie. I've been telling people that it's more Captain America: Civil War than Thor: Ragnarok, but like any good Marvel movie, it brings both the humor and the tears. Early on, I had my reservations on how a movie with this many personalities involved would work. But the dynamics between all of the characters are fabulous, and the way they flow between the various parts of the MCU franchise seems almost effortless. Even the most "standalone" of the MCU characters—i.e., Doctor Strange—meshes into the larger universe like it's no big thing. (He and Tony's animosity was particularly delightful to watch.) 

I really have to applaud all the people behind the scenes who made this happen. I don't know that I consider Infinity War the greatest crossover of all time, considering how much crossing-over took place before this film, but I certainly recognize how much work has gone on in the decade since the MCU started to make such a movie possible.

Some quick, not-too-spoilery highlights:

• Steve's "on-the-run" look. HERE FOR IT.
• Thor's intital meeting with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
• Shuri's dressing down of Bruce/the tech that makes Vision who he is.
• Steve and Groot's meet cute.
• Everything Peter says.
• Everything Drax says.
• The subversion of the "dwarf" stereotype.
• Loki's "redemption" (?)
• That moment with Natasha, Wanda, and Okoye
• Every one of our heroes being Heroes
• The post-credits scene

(I'm sure I'm forgetting something.)

Do I have a few complaints? Sure: Black Widow has never been used to her full potential, and I don't get the blonde. (It's maybe a disguise, OK, but no one else went that far.) Thanos's universe domination plot is FILLED with holes. Where were Valkryie, Korg, Ant-Man, or Hawkeye? Shuri and Peter never made plans to take over the world (and snatch control from the olds). And, natch, all that I mentioned at the start of this post.

But overall, the MCU continues to impress me, and I'm still proud to be such a massive stan. I'm DREADING what's to come, but have faith that it'll all be OK¹.

Check it out:

¹ OK is such a subjective term, but even if my heart gets broken again, I trust that the reasons for whatever happens will make sense in the end.