Avengers Endgame Movie Review…
a love letter to the Universe,
you decide.
I’m not sure if by the time I’m done writing this if this will feel like a movie review or a love letter, but I think they need to be one and the same. I spent like four days writing this because I wanted it to be perfect but then I realized it’s a blog post and nothing I write could possibly capture the true work on the screen, so I stopped obsessing and wrote whatever came from my heart, into my fingers, and onto the screen.
If for some unimaginable reason you have not seen Avengers EndGame yet…
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS.
So stop reading, find time this weekend to go see it, and then come back and tell me all about it. 😉
I bought two tickets for my sister and I about a week after they went on sale. Our town usually doesn’t sell out here for any movie, even the past Marvel ones, but this time it did. The first two showings on Thursday night were just about totally full. I was shocked. The 7:30 show we went to that night was a completely packed theater, which has never happened before; mind you, Marvel and the occasional DC movie are the only times I go to the theater but still. There were adults, teenagers, twenty-something-year-olds like myself, and kids all filing in with their popcorn and water, deciding when was the optimal time to do one last bathroom run. (Of course, I spent $6 on a commemorative cup with ant man on the top because it’s endgame and I HAD TOO).
There’s a special kind of feeling when an entire theater of all different ages and whatnot cheer or get dead silent at the exact same moments. I got chills when the theater erupted to Doctor Strange’s magic circles appeared, and we all knew what or should I say who was coming, and when the rest of The Avengers came back. I was beaming with joy inside, and the rest of the theater portrayed it on the outside. And when the sad scenes were happening everyone was so quiet, taking it all in, you could have heard a pin drop (And me hysterically crying, probably). Before I get down to the mushy gushy, I should say, I obviously LOVED the film. I think it was done beautifully, I think the storytelling was outstanding, and I think that we were incredibly lucky to not only watch a true cinematic masterpiece but also to get such an ending to this Era that was able to be done so beautifully.
The most beautiful heartbreaking scene to me was with Hawkeye and Black Widow. It has always been their pure friendship that I’ve admired throughout this entire thing. From this kid calling her Auntie Nat to their endless banter, even during battle, they were a real piece of life outside of avenging. Now, of course, it makes perfect sense that Nat was the one to sacrifice herself for the soul stone. It’s a very Black Widow thing to do, and also she doesn’t have a family (outside the other Avengers) like Clint does. At the beginning of the film, she refused to give up looking for him after he went rogue and lost his way and all she wanted to do was help him, this was how she was able to do that. Thankfully Hawkeye survives the battle and is later reunited with his precious family. I sobbed like a god damn baby when Natasha died, but she had a perfect ending, and I’m excited about the prequels so I can learn more about her since only a few things have been mentioned with no real story behind them ( such as her parent’s names, or Budapest).
I’m thankful that Clint didn’t stay a “bad guy” for long because his sarcasm and one-liner are one of my favorite parts of everything avengers. I think Hawkeye is one of the most underrated characters in the whole MCU. From him cracking jokes about him taking on aliens with a bow and arrow to his wife saying it scares her that the team needs him as badly as they do, he is such an important part of the team and I don’t think he gets enough recognition for it. I love that he’s the one guy with a family who’s also out there saving the world. I love how he helped Scarlett Witch during Ultron, his voice of reason, how he always does the right thing and even exposed his family in order to help his avenger family heal. Bless Clint Barton.
It was very cool to see Hulk and Banner finally be able to be one and the same even if it took a little getting used too at first. I think it was one of the major character aches we saw, but it got lost in everything else that was happening. Thor’s change was also important. While it was an area of comedy, it was also a lesson. Thor is a God yet, he had a real human downfall. Losing EVERYONE in his life, losing a huge battle and finally falling into a rut. It showed how even God’s can have a hard time getting back up after a devastating loss. Clint was the same way. He’s an OG Avenger but losing his family to Thanos’ snap shattered him, and he lost his way for a while, something that very easily could happen to ANYONE in the same situation.
Can we also talk about Ant-Man for a minute? He’s really become a favorite of mine. Not only is Paul Rudd incredible in this role, but where exactly would the Avengers be without him? Without him how would they know about the Quantum Realm? How would they have been able to go back and save everyone? They probably wouldn’t right? Without Ant-Man is there a happy ending? Doubtful.
Nebula is the character that was an excellent villain in Guardians of the Galaxy, and the dynamic between her and Gamora was always entertaining, but I never would have guessed she’d have such a big role here. But I’m glad she did. Her character is another that had a whole other lesson tethered in. Nebula never thought she could be anything else than what she was, but her future self was able to show her that she could break away from Thanos’ grasp, she could be something else, she could be better. I think that’s a vital lesson for anyone who feels stuck. You can always get unstuck.
I think I need to have a word with Tom Holland. He is forever making me cry! First in Infinity War when he begged to Stark that he didn’t wanna go when he was mid dust and then when Tony died. A big reason that Tony even joined back up with the Avengers was after thinking about Peter, so their reunion was incredibly special.
Thor. Man, what an unexpected storyline for Thor. But such as raw, real one. This man has lost EVERYTHING. He doesn’t have Jane, his parents are both dead, his best friend is dead, even Loki is dead. And then in Infinity War, he isn’t able to beat Thanos. Thor, the son of Odin, God of Thunder, besides defeating his evil sister, keep losing. So I love that they portrayed him as a Human with the same problems. He fell apart. This God, fell apart, as so many humans possibly would have too. It was a comedic relief opportunity but also a lesson on how life can affect even Gods. Eventually in the Film Thor joins the team and fights back and is incredibly helpful in winning this war against Thanos. At the end, he leaves with the Guardians, and that makes me hopeful that he’ll be in Guardian of the Galaxy 3 because his dynamic with them is incredible.
Let’s talk about Tony freaking Stark.
I was not the biggest Iron Man fan, and during Civil War, I was 100% Team Cap. But his sarcasm was always something that I loved. I loved seeing him get to marry Pepper and become a father. I loved his mind and all his technical stuff. As sad as it was I didn’t expect myself to cry so hard when he died but my god I was BALLING like a baby, not as hard as when Black Widow died, but damn, I was a mess. When pepper tells him that it’s okay to go, WOW, something so beautiful yet heartbreaking. It was also perfect though because Iron Man started everything and for him to sacrifice himself for everyone else, well it’s a bittersweet full circle moment. But Morgan? Precious Child. Pepper Pots in the suit at the end there? Badass. Tony Stark leaves behind an incredible legacy that I imagine will never, ever die. Thank You, Robert Downey Jr., for truly bringing this character to life.
Captain America. My Guy. Since Day One.
I was TERRIFIED that he was going to get killed in the battle. Everything in me told me that it was going to happen, that I needed to brace myself for it and I did. But what actually happened was so unexpected and so unbelievably perfect. Someone needed to go back in time and replace all the stones into the timeline so they wouldn’t mess up the future, so of course, Steve Rodgers takes up the task, except he does one better. When Bucky and Him are talking, and Cap says “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone, and Becky responds “How could I when you’re taking all the stupid with you” I didn’t realize how significant that was, as it’s a call back to the first Captain America Movie. Bucky knew exactly what his BFF was about to do. Steve went back to the 1940s and had the life with Peggy he always wanted. He never got over her, he never moved on, but a happy ending was something I never thought he’d get to have… but he did. While I’m sad, this is the last we’ll see of Rodgers because he’s super old now, but I couldn’t be happier that America’s ass got his happy ending. 😉
Dear Black Widow,
When you talk about compelling Female Characters, whether it be TV or Movies, Black Widow is usually the first that comes to mind. Scarlett Johanson’s portrayal is outstanding, and the character itself is so powerful. I’m always very drawn to that strong female character in whatever I’m watching, and so when I first truly paid attention to Black Widow was in The Avengers. It was amazing to see her with no powers, or fancy suits or gadgets, yet, her and all of her badassery would save the day. She wasn’t afraid to get right on in there, whether it be being thrown up in the air by cap to ride a chitauri or just whooping the bad guy’s ass. I looked up to this character because from the LITTLE we know about her past, it wasn’t easy. She was groomed to be something she didn’t want to be, but found a way to use it for good, and found herself the family she never had in the process, and it was proof that you can overcome what everyone else wants you to be, and just be you. I’m going to wholeheartedly miss her banter with Clint, the different side of her with Bruce, the way she was with Thor, Cap and Tony, and her overall powerful presence.
I read a few things online about how some weren’t happy about the small screen time of Captain Marvel, Okoye, Black Panther and so on. I can see that but I also 100% understand why. This movie was and absolutely should have been a love letter to the original six. There are a ton of other characters in the MCU, some brand new, they have plenty of time, but the original six held it down for years before any of them were introduced. I’m really excited about the future of the MCU. While mourning the originals that we lost, as well as Vision and Loki and anyone that couldn’t come back because they died before the dusting, the future of the MCU is so bright, with so many remarkable stories to tell.
Bring on Phase Four. I’m ready.
Miss Raee 