❉ Marvel-ous or Infinity Bore? Ben Peyton gives us the rundown on the superhero showdown.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away a Big Bang created six Infinity Stones. When combined, these stones provide unimaginable power to whom ever possesses them. Enter big, bad baddy Thanos as he stops at nothing to get his giant purple hands on them. The only people in his way are Marvel’s collection of heroes; some super, some furry and one a tree.
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo were pretty much given carte blanche to use the Avengers characters as they saw fit and it doesn’t take long to realise that none of them are safe from having their Asgardians kicked.
Coming in at about two and a half hours long the Russo brothers do their best to accommodate the massive cast and they do so with style, wit and action-a-plenty. Yes, some have more to do than others, but all of them have their moments and seeing them as a collective confirms just how perfectly cast they are and their chemistry is simply electric.
Breaking off into smaller groups the heroes go their separate ways to try and thwart Thanos’s evil plan. Sacrifices are made and relationships tested as we learn more about some of the main character’s pasts. Emotions run high particularly as some decisions have devastating consequences.
All these mini-groups have their own dynamic and it’s credit to the brilliant writers, Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus, as they skilfully weave between them and strike the perfect balance between drama and comedy and they create some very funny moments along the way, particularly between the Guardians of the Galaxy and Chris Hemsworth’s “Pirate-Angel” Thor. Most of this is at the expense of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord and his excess baggage.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man again impresses as does Mark Ruffalo as Hulk and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange. Indeed, the doctor’s verbal sparring with Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man is a highlight. There’s a welcome return to Wakanda and the recent Black Panther gang, whilst it’s more of the same from the other Marvel veterans.
Avengers: Infinity War is as spectacular as it is entertaining and whilst the ending is slightly ambiguous, it’s certainly intriguing enough to wish that the next instalment wasn’t a whole year away.
DC World, I hope you were watching and taking notes, because this is how you make a superhero ensemble film.
Stick around for one extra scene after the credits.
❉ ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (12A) opens in cinemas nationwide 27 April 2018. Running time: 149 mins. Directors: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo. Cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira . Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
❉ Ben Peyton is an actor, voiceover artist, husband and dad. Credits include Band Of Brothers, Holby City, Emmerdale and he was a regular in The Bill. You can find Ben on Twitter – @BenPeyton007 or at his website – www.benpeytonreviews.com.
