By Rylie Harrison | Contributor
The long-anticipated final chapter of Marvel's Phase Three hit theaters last weekend. But does it live up to the hype?
"Avengers: Infinity War" is the third Avengers film. It is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and stars more people than I have space here to mention. Basically, almost every Marvel hero, sidekick, anti-hero and even some villains appear in this movie.
This Avengers film was to be the culmination of the last 10 years of Marvel films, beginning with "Iron Man" back in 2008. It is one of the most ambitious films ever made, boasting a massive cast and even grander scale. While many fans were excited about the prospect of such a movie, some had their doubts. How does the film hold up?
First and foremost, "Infinity War" is a movie for fans. It meets its goal of bringing 10 years' worth of characters and story arcs to a head. Fans who have followed the movies and have become invested in the characters will feel the grandness of the writing and the action and will appreciate seeing so many of their heroes interact.
However, it probably will not appeal to a general audience that is unfamiliar with the past Marvel films. "Infinity War" banks on the audience already loving the characters and the world. It does very little as far as character development for the heroes and a large portion of the movie is devoted to battles. As a fan, I was impressed by how much development the filmmakers were able to give to some characters, but it certainly was not enough for a general audience coming in with no background. If you are uncertain on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it may or may not live up to expectations.
It is important to note that at its core, the film the story of the villain Thanos. While some characters get some development here and there (again, more than I expected), "Infinity War" focuses a great deal of time on developing the character of Thanos. When viewed as his story, the movie becomes one narrative that fits together, rather than several mini stories.
At the end of the day, I thoroughly enjoyed "Avengers: Infinity War." As someone who has followed the Marvel Universe for several years now, I found it an enjoyable ride and loved getting to see my heroes face their greatest threat. However, I do understand that not everyone is invested in Marvel's films and therefore may find the movie to be too cluttered or lacking in character depth.
