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The best of 2018: Avengers: Infinity War
A review by Chris Lee

10-year-old me would like to report that Avengers: Infinity War (2018, directed by the Russo Brothers and starring Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, and Scarlett Johannsson and MANY others) is one of the greatest cinematic achievements in human history. The crowning measure of focused human artistic capability and effort. Unlike anything anyone has ever seen or had the pleasure to experience.
26-year-old me would like to report that Avengers: Infinity War is a fantastic movie that respectably delivers on a promise made in 2010 with the first Avengers: that a unique group of individuals with cool (mostly punching) powers could unite to be something better than themselves, and defend the world from threats far beyond the rest of humanities capabilities – mostly for our entertainment.
No one can honestly stand and say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not the most comprehensively impressive production of the last 10 years. The coordination of dozens of actors across film, general promotion, and television is something never attempted. The fact that we have some 20 films ranging from “okay” to “excellent” on a cohesive, narrative through-line with different directors, composers, effects teams, and visionaries is just simply, genuinely incredible.
Coming in at 2.5 hours, Infinity War brings together most of these actors for a space-faring, war-waging adventure romp that fires on all cylinders and passes by faster than it has any right to. You will not be bored. There is no time to be bored. There are things to do, places to see, and people to punch.
Intense action, spectacular visual effects, better acting than a film like this has any right to, and sincere emotional stakes help elevate Disney/Marvel’s most ambitious project to-date to something more than popcorn entertainment, and to a realization of pop-culture we all can be proud of.
As nearly every human being on Earth has seen or will see this movie eventually, there isn’t much for me to say other than: Disney spent a lot of money very well and justified us spending ours. Here’s looking forward to the next one!

5/5


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