^{Image: Don Cheadle, Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, and Karen Gillan assemble © Property of Marvel Studios [Source: IMDB]}

★★★★★

After the devastating events of Infinity War. The Universe is still grieving their loss. But a decade ago Tony Stark made it clear “If they can’t save this world, you’ll be damn sure they will avenge it”. So with the goal to avenge Thanos’s actions and restore order to the universe the Avengers assemble once more. A year ago I called Infinity War one half of the greatest blockbuster there has ever been. Now we’re in the end game…

_{Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo. Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Brie Larson, Benedict Wong, Evangeline Lilly, Pom Klementieff, Paul Rudd, Zoe Saldana [12A]}

I had a weird sensation leaving Endgame. It wasn’t the gobsmacked adrenaline of Infinity War. No, this was something different it was a sombre celebration. I’ve been wondering why I didn’t feel as explosive as I did when leaving Infinity War. Does that mean I thought Infinity War was better or this was not good? Hell no. Endgame feels different because it is, it carries through the serious and weighty tone of infinity War and it comes out in spades.

For a large part of the movie, this felt akin to a well-plotted drama with one of the most sensational, tremoring action movies tacked on at the end. What stood out fundamentally from Endgame was the character development and seeing a decade worth of storytelling coming to fruition. Even in just this film on its own the development of stories carrying from Infinity War alone are utterly compelling and gratifying every desire you want from a story of this scale. It doesn’t lose itself into large creative fights and instead focuses in on what is important – the bond between these characters that we have but also that they have. The film often harkening back to all the events that have come before this and moulded the shape of our characters and this story. Which is the masterstroke in Endgame.

It’s through this that not only have the Russos proven that this isn’t the churning out of kinetic characters firing missiles, punching bad guys and slinging webs. These are characters and they weigh them with emotional cores that merit the impact of the narrative. The direction taken is not only admirable but wonderfully challenging to the directors themselves, the studio and at least for this moviegoer – the audience. This does hinder the battle sequences somewhat that lose some of their staggering creativeness and instead seem to blur into the background. Is this a critique of mine? I’m not sure, part of me wanting a repeat of the awesome factor of the Battle on Titan from Infinity War. But I’m reminded then of how the characters still took the forefront in these moments and carried the emotional weight through the grand scale. Which is absolutely cosmic this time around. I cannot fathom how they could even top this.

Something that feels like its been said without saying but I want it in words none the less. The performances – are irrefutably perfect. Everyone conveys so much of their characters from the silly to the absolutely serious, the impact of Thanos’s actions are not just seen, they are felt. But while I do have negative points to make that I cannot go into in fear of spoiling the experience. I feel that this stands tall as not just another superhero movie. It’s part of Infinity War and perhaps that has slightly influenced the rating of this film as part of me prefers Infinity but they are one experience regardless. Together they are a testament to the love we have of these characters, of the writing, the cinematography (which rarely is exceptional this time around), the scale, the story and the journey we have taken with them. This stands as a monumental feat to Marvel at.