This is a week where I am in a conundrum. I didn’t see many movies – only two in the AVENGERS series – so that’s not the issue. I know this will be shorter than usual for that reason, but due to the nature of both of the two films, I feel like I can’t say much of anything since (A) the final one was just released, (B) most fans are trying desperately to avoid spoilers and (C) I’m just not into ruining a theatrical experience for anybody.
So I am going to keep this week’s #MovieMondays movie review blog uncharacteristically short and sweet. I will still offer my opinions just without any possibility of spoiling your own trip to the movies which is shaping up to be a historical box office event.
As always, thanks for reading! ~ Chris K.
Action, Adventure, Fantasy (2018)
Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana
I saw and reviewed in my personal movie ratings book this film last year when it was released, and enjoyed it immensely then, but I felt it would be helpful to see it again before attending the big premiere of the blockbuster finale to conclude an impressive and diverse array of 22 films by Marvel Studios. The film series spans 11 years starting with the 2008 release of IRON MAN (which I must confess, I didn’t like). But I loved many others to follow (particularly the three-part CAPTAIN AMERICA film series) for the entire Marvel movie collection captures the eclectic mix of superheroes with super intriguing and occasionally, colorful personalities to match. So I watched this third installment of THE AVENGERS series again — and I highly recommend this to anyone who like me takes in so much pop culture input on a daily basis that they find it difficult to retain much of it. I not only found it helpful to see this right before heading to the new film for its 3 hours of rocking action but it put me in the mood and brought me right back to the same emotional plane I was left on the first time I saw this film and looked over at my husband, jaw dropped nearly in my lap as we both gasped aloud at one of the most unbelievably unpredictable endings either of us had ever seen.
What can I say about the first one, because if you still haven’t seen THIS film, I’m not ruining it for you either. Let’s just say that the trek is one of grand scale and wonderful interaction between Marvel characters you’ve never seen on the screen together before including the hard-fighting women of BLACK PANTHER‘s team of skilled fighters battling alongside The Scarlet Witch and Black Widow, and Thor and Star-Lord trading barbs and insults over the helm of a starship. These new inter-linked sets of Marvel teams set out to stop one very frightening and ever creepy villain Thanos (played brilliantly by Josh Brolin) from acquiring every powerful stone needed to take over the world and engage a master plan that would leave a world devastated by the results. And that’s all I can say about that.
The ride is a thriller, the action is heart-stopping and the final scene will probably leave you on the end of your seat until you’ve fallen off and landed in the land of shock and confusion, just like me and my husband, and pretty much everybody else in the theater that day.
That is until the sequel and final chapter to THE AVENGERS when you get some answers … well, maybe…
Score: 88
Action, Adventure, Fantasy (2019)
Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana
Okay, yes, you will get some answers. Quite a few of them actually. And you’ll get a chance to see if some favorites of yours can rise to the occasion to make what has gone wrong right again. But at what cost? Aah, you will have to wait for that ultimate answer.
The storyline, pace, characters — richer than ever. The scenes are beautifully set — wonderful use of the characters to capture the plethora of feelings we fans are experiencing from our seats as we seek answers from the moment the film begins. But we must be patient. Three hours’ patient but let me tell you: it is worth every single minute, make that millisecond of the film.
Kudos to the filmmakers for the variety of red herrings they hurled out there since last year’s part three release. I certainly ran into a number of different theories and possible endings across the social media rumor mill. They did a wonderful job at keeping some very big moments under wraps and I encourage anyone reading this who has even an inkling of an urge to blurt out something now to ruin it for others…
What more can I say? Most sequels lack something of the original. I certainly felt that way about the second Avengers film, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. I loved the first one, THE AVENGERS, and obviously found plenty to enjoy even if I was also lost in sadness, anger and despair in the third one, but the fourth one should have the hardest job of all, right? After all, how do you follow such an act of 21 other films, many of which were truly entertaining stories that captured the unique aspects of that character or group of characters being spotlighted. How do you take all of that rich storytelling and wrap it up in a fine bow? I don’t know the secret to doing it, but I can tell you that the Russo Brothers do and came up with what I can only describe as THE single most perfect ending to a film that I’ve seen probably in the last 20 or 30 years. Truly took my breath away and left me feeling completely satisfied.
I hope you will feel that way, too. So go run, flee Facebook. And stay away from all other social media until you’ve seen it. Don’t let those out to ruin your experience do so. #SpoilersSuck
Score: 92
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