Before we begin, please note that I wrote this review with NO SPOILERS INVOLVED. If you haven’t seen the film yet, this won’t ruin it for you! However, if you are one who has seen the film, and you would like me to post a spoiler-inclusive review so we can absorb, discuss, and lose our minds together, please let me know below and I’ll do so! Okay? Okay. :) On with the show!
Oh my god, you guys. Infinity War. The most talked-about, hyped-up, biggest film I think the cinema has seen in years, if not ever before. All that hype, that exhaustive world tour, the commercials and the secrecy and the anticipation…believe me, it is well-deserved. Marvel has one-upped itself yet again. This movie is brilliant. The few (tiny) complaints I have are spoiler-esque, so I legitimately cannot give them to you, but suffice it to say that they do NOT detract from the film at all. Just…AGH. SO GOOD.
I wrote bullet points down for what to cover in this review, and I still don’t know where to start. Apologies if this is all over the place. The film has stuck in my mind for days—I saw it on Thursday night—and I still can’t quite articulate how it made me feel and how well it was done. I’m gonna try, though, and attempt to keep my own personal, incoherent emotions out of it until the end (yeah, that’s not gonna fully happen, but it’s a good thought!).
Firstly, the writing. The screenwriters for this movie were Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely: I would argue that they did a wonderful job. Some critics have been saying that, if not a hardcore fan, the interconnecting storylines (between twenty-three different characters!) are a little hard to follow. Sure, if you aren’t familiar with the characters, it’ll be a little confusing while introductions are being made, but that won’t ultimately distract you. I went with some friends who aren’t Marvel die-hards, and they still were fully invested and understood everything that was going on.
In fact, I think the interwoven storylines are done incredibly well. Speaking from my own writing experience, ensuring that different storylines all make sense, wrap up together, and relate to one another well is no easy feat. In this one, especially, you’re following four or five different groupings at a time, all with their own points of view, back stories, and relationships. That’s hard to accomplish. Markus and McFeely never once confused the audience, though. Kept us on the edge of our seat? Yeah. Made us gasp, laugh, yell (literally), and cry (again, literally)? Oh, yeah. But there was never a moment of confusion. You always knew who related to who and why, what the point of view was, the complexities of the characters (props to the amazing actors, whom I’ll get to later), and how all twenty-three fit together. Applause for you, writers. Lovely, heart-wrenching job. I simultaneously want to learn from you and hit you for the amount of heartbreak you caused Thursday night. *insert quivering smile here*
(Note, as well, that the pain was balanced out with Marvel’s always-well-done humor. I don’t know how they manage to write comedy and tragedy equally well. Rude. ;))
Next: the cinematography, all aspects. I’m certainly no expert on this subject—I’ve had way more experience in the theatre than in film—but I can still point out that the visuals were, as usual, stunning. With no visible difference between CGI and live-action, the movie is perfectly fluid, even during sharp, hard-hitting action sequences. The use of colors was brilliant, too. The creators were very intentional with what coloring was to be used in what world: you get an immediate atmospheric feel to the next place you’re introduced to. Used in tandem with the different lighting styles, the emotions are heavy in visuals. Oh my god, those subliminal messages, in retrospect, are genius and add to the beautiful pain of the whole piece. Also, as a semi-side note, the costumes are gorgeous. They are so representative of character and world, too, and I am so appreciative of what the costume designers did with all of them. Hello, visionaries. Praise you. I want and need to learn more about your craft.
Now, you guys: the actors. I just…I can’t even begin to describe how well this cast works. It’s worth noting, first, that many of these actors are people that I have looked up to—both as an artist and as a person—for quite some time. I already adore them from their other work; that either makes me a bit biased or harder on them, you decide. Either way, my god, the genius radiating from this cast. They have most of the heavy-hitters of our generation, and there was not a weak link to be found. Unfortunately, I can’t fully rave about their brilliance without giving you spoilers, so that can’t happen on this review. Just let it be known that these actors kept fantastical characters grounded, human, and so beautifully complex that it was riveting. Absolutely riveting. Personally, I find the stand-out performers here to be Tom Holland (I’d agree with the people saying he is the best Spider-Man the cinema has seen), Paul Bettany, Zoe Saldana, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, and Danai Gurira. Though, again, there is no weak link to be found, those eight had moments that stuck with me. Even now, five days after seeing the movie, I can see those moments as clear as day in my mind. Whether it be a line, a full arc, a quick flick of the eyes, or what have you, they stuck with me. There is so much beautiful work going on in this film: it is a true study on how to ground what seems unbelievable. Actors, go watch it. Everyone, go watch it. These people are already masters of their craft, and I can’t wait to continue watching them grow, especially the younger ones.
Finally, to finish this out with a totally subjective view: my own emotional response to this film. I went, rather spontaneously, with a group of friends after conservatory classes last Thursday. We saw one of the first showings happening in the city that day, so we hadn’t had a chance to encounter many spoilers yet, thank god. Within the group, we had equal amounts Marvel die-hards and those who weren’t overly familiar, but still felt they’d enjoy the movie. Of note: my friend Gabby and I (Marvel die-hards) sat next to each other with our other friend, Olivia; behind us were Samantha and TJ; and two rows in front us were Jessica and Jake. At the beginning of the film, Gabby and I were gripping hands with suspense and excitement; by the end, we were literally hugging and dry-sobbing (we had cried so much that we couldn’t produce tears anymore). Behind us, TJ and Samantha were in tears, as well, white-knuckled grips on each other’s hands. The people sitting beside us had to ask if we were okay.
This sounds like a melodramatic exaggeration. Sadly (maybe?), it’s not. I don’t cry often, and I avoid crying in public at all costs. I’m one of those people that hates showing too much negative emotion in public at all, unless I’m onstage, in a character. So, this: this was a big deal for me. This film was so well-done, and it hit me so, so hard. My hands were shaking, leg anxiously bouncing, the entire time. Whether that was from suspense, laughter, or tears, the physical effect was as it should have been. Granted, I hold these characters very close to my heart, and these actors are, again, some of my favorites. That likely had something to do with it. Even so, our friends who aren’t Marvel die-hards were in tears, too. This movie hits right in the heart. It addresses family, love, justice, fighting for what’s right, and human vulnerability, strength, and struggle. My god, you guys, it’s so good. I couldn’t fall asleep until two a.m., still thinking about it. Even today, I keep hitting on new nuances, or remembering certain scenes, or having a new realization dawn on me. Please go see it. Bring tissues. Bring your friends. Be prepared to have your minds blown.
(Side note: since my friends and I were definitely all playing off each other’s emotions—though the rest of the theater was yelling, clapping, and crying, as well, I assure you—I’m not sure if that means we can’t ever go see Marvel movies together, or if we should always see Marvel movies together. Thoughts? :))
As always, thanks for reading! Have a great day!
~Rhiannon~
DISCLAIMER: none of the images used within this post are my own. All credit goes to Marvel Studios. For the fan-made poster, the artist is hyperlinked within.