Dread it. Run from it. Endgame still arrives. And with that arrival comes the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it.
BE WARNED! SPOILERS FOLLOW FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME
What Happened After The Snappening?
Following Thanos’ victory at the end of Infinity War, The remaining members of the Avengers on Earth have regrouped in an attempt to figure out their next move. Meanwhile, the survivors of the battle on Titan, Tony and Nebula, have been stranded in space, and are running desperately low on supplies. As Tony’s last sparks of hope begin to dwindle, none other than Captain Marvel arrives to escort Earth’s best defender back home. Unfortunately for the other Avengers, Tony’s near-death experience has led him to abandon any hope that Thanos can be defeated. Refusing to give up hope, Steve, Natasha, Banner, Rhodey, Thor, Rocket, Nebula, and the newly arrived Captain Marvel decide to hunt down Thanos and avenge their fallen friends.
5 Years pass, and each of the Avengers tries to move on in their own way. Rocket and Nebula return to space and work towards keeping peace with Captain Marvel, while Okoye, Natasha, and Rhodey work around the world to stop any criminals from getting out of hand. Steve leads a support group for people trying to cope with the Decimation, as the events of Infinity War have come to be known. Tony has finally retired with his beloved Pepper, and after building her a lovely house as he promised, the two have a daughter, Morgan Stark. Thor has reunited with the survivors of Asgard and has led his people to a new home in Norway.
While everyone is trying their best to move on over 5 years, Scott Lang has been trapped in the Quantum Realm. After his van’s Quantum Tunnel is accidentally reactivated, Scott escapes and heads to New York to seek help from the Avengers. Scott ends up realizing that the best way to get everyone back who perished in the Decimation is to travel through the Quantum Realm to different points in time to obtain the Infinity Stones, and use them to revive everyone.
How did everything work out?
The Greatest Final Battle in the History of film
The CGI
In a movie as expansive as Endgame, there is very little room for error when it comes to special effects. Fortunately, the CGI and effects for Endgame are nearly flawless. Apart from a few awkward shots of Thanos grimacing and one moment towards the climax where Rhodey’s head seems to float just a bit too far from his armor, the CGI is nearly indistinguishable from real life.
References and Cameos
As with any marvel movie, References and Cameos are found in excess. The cast of the TV show Community, which the directors of Endgame, Joe and Anthony Russo, worked extensively on, have been slowly having cameo roles in the MCU. For Endgame, Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong make appearances as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent and a security guard respectively. Director Joe Russo has a cameo in Steve’s support group, and Stan Lee makes his final cameo as a man in the 1970’s with a bumper sticker proudly declaring ” ‘Nuff Said!”
As far as References to the comics go, there are more than can be counted in a single viewing. Steve utters the words “Hail Hydra,” in a nod towards the recent Secret Empire event, in which Steve Rogers became a Hydra double-agent. Tony’s daughter Morgan is named after Tony’s cousin in the comics. Captain Marvel sports a new haircut in Endgame, which fans will no doubt recognize as the shorter hair Carol Danvers sports in the comics.
Where do we go from here?
Like any great conclusion, Endgame asks more questions than it answers. The most prominent question of all is no doubt “What happens now?” Apart from Spider-Man: Far From Home and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there aren’t any movies announced for the future of the MCU. Fortunately, Endgame does leave fans with a few hints.
Post-Credits
Endgame breaks the mold by being the first film ever in the MCU to not feature a post-credits teaser, and it works incredibly well for the theme of the film. Endgame isn’t meant to setup the future of the MCU, it’s meant to end this era. Even though there isn’t a teaser after the credits roll, there is something for fans who hold out till the end. When the final Marvel logo rolls, there is the faint sound of a hammer banging on metal. The same hammer that Tony Stark used to build the Mark 1 suit over a decade ago. The same hammer that began this universe closes out what could be its final chapter.
Final Verdict
Endgame is a film unlike anything that has ever come before it. No movie in history has been built up like Endgame, and it is likely that no movie ever will be again. Endgame does everything a comic book movie does, and does not hold back. There are cameos, references, and fanservice throughout the movie, and not once does it feel forced or gratuitous. Endgame manages to be both a celebration of the MCU, and a farewell to it. If this is how the MCU ends, there isn’t a soul who can be disappointed with it.
Pros
- Fantastic Story
- Incredible Action
- Heartbreaking Characters
- Flawless CGI
- Scientific Time Travel Mechanics
Cons
- Very Little knowledge of what comes after