Overnight the review embargo for Avengers: Infinity War finally lifted. Now we know what the critics think of Marvel’s latest epic. Does it live up to expectations? Or has the bubble burst on the MCU?
At the time of writing the film holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It looks as though Marvel has another hit on its hands. Critically the film may not live up to Black Panther but there are certainly no major causes for concern.
Here are some of the headline responses:
“Avengers: Infinity War” can, at times, make it feel like you’re at a birthday party where you got so many presents that you start to grow tired of opening them. But taken on its own piñata-of-fun terms, it’s sharp, fast-moving, and elegantly staged. It also has what any superhero movie worth its salt requires: a sense that there’s something at stake.
SOURCE: Variety
No question about it, barely two months after the release of Black Panther, Marvel (and Disney, of course) has returned with another of the most expensive films ever made that will pull off another of the biggest commercial hauls of all time. This franchise isn’t going away anytime soon.
SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter
If you’re a viewer who binges TV dramas because you can’t wait a week to find out what happens, the implied “to be continued” at the end of “Infinity War” may drive you batty. But if you’ve been solidly along for the Marvel ride up to this point, you’ll enjoy this leg of the journey even if it hasn’t yet reached the terminal.
SOURCE: The Wrap
It’s both arresting plot development and efficient solution; like so much in the Avengers series, Infinity War is really a feat of good management above anything else. As Marvel nears the end of this particular saga—or, at least, this particular lineup of actors—it’s a mild, partly begrudging thrill to see them pull it off. Insanely, exhaustingly we’ve two more side films to go—July’s Ant-Man and the Wasp and next March’s Captain Marvel—before Thanos’s last stand. (Presumably, he’ll take some big heroes with him.) But Infinity War is an intermittently rousing reminder that we’ll get there eventually. What lies beyond it, I’m sure we’ll know soon enough. For now, I’m enjoying Marvel’s version of denouement—excessive and inevitable.
SOURCE: Vanity Fair
Avengers: Infinity War may be the biggest Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far, it is nowhere near the best. It is essentially set-up for whatever comes next year. But it works as big-scale entertainment. And, come what may, I’m willing to presume that is merely table-setting a finale for the ages.
SOURCE: Forbes
Coming back to the question of whether Avengers: Infinity War lives up to the hype and anticipation, the movie doesn’t exceed expectations even though it does meet those expectations. What happens when a movie that many are hoping to exceed expectations only manages to meet those expectations – even if those expectations mark a massive achievement for a Hollywood franchise? Well, in the case of Avengers: Infinity War, we get a solidly entertaining event film that still may leave viewers wanting more, even if they’re unsure what more the writers and directors could have done. Thankfully, Marvel Studios, the Russos, and Markus and McFeely will be back next year with Avengers 4 to bring the first three phases of the MCU truly to completion. [3/5]
SOURCE: Screen Rant
Using the strength of its powerful and interesting villain to set the stakes higher than ever, Avengers: Infinity War successfully brings together the past 10 years of Marvel movies into a largely effective cocktail of super-heroic dramatics. The fact that it manages to give nearly every member of its admittedly overstuffed cast at least a moment to shine is its greatest feat. Sure, it ends on a cliffhanger, but those final moments elevate the entire series in a poetic, if horrific, coup de grace.
SOURCE: IGN
While it’s hard to beat the wonder of that original Avengers film — remember when superhero team-ups were still a novelty? — Infinity War does its best to change the game again. There are unexpected returns, true surprises, real sacrifices and a cliffhanger ending that’s going to freak fans to their superhero-loving core, yet is, quite simply, marvelous.
SOURCE: USA Today
Well, that was a night out. It’s after midnight on 4/24/18, and I’m sitting across from my 15-year-old daughter, who claims not to like movies much but is an exuberant Marvel fan, and who rocked and laughed and gasped throughout the long running time of Avengers: Infinity War. Before the film, she couldn’t believe she was seeing it days ahead of the rest of the world, which made me feel like Super Dad. Now, I feel extra puny. She is curled up in a chair, repeating, “What the f— just happened?” over and over. Her eyes are still red from crying. She begs me to do the movie justice.
SOURCE: Vulture
An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time. The Avengers and their Super Hero 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.
Anthony and Joe Russo direct the film, which is produced by Kevin Feige. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo and Stan Lee are the executive producers. Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay. “Avengers: Infinity War” releases in U.S. theaters on May 4, 2018.
Starring in Avengers: Infinity War is BAFTA Award nominee Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Academy Award nominee Josh Brolin as Thanos, Saturn Award Winner Chris Pratt as Star Lord / Peter Quill, Teen Choice Awards nominee Sebastian Stan as Bucky, four-time Golden Globe Award nominee Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, Academy Award winner Brie Larson as Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel, ALMA Award winner Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Empire Award winner Karen Gillan as Nebula, two-time Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye, two-time Saturn Award nominee Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America, BAFTA Awards nominee Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet, four-time Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee Vin Diesel as Groot, Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man, British Independent Film Awards nominee Benedict Wong as Wong, Action on Film Award winner Dave Bautista as Drax, BAFTA Film Award nominee Paul Bettany as Vision, Santa Barbara International Film Festival Virtuoso Award winner Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther, three-time Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / The Hulk, and two-time Academy Award nominee Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man.
Avengers: Infinity War hits cinemas on April 27, 2019 and is direct by Joe and Anthony Russo from a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
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