Movie Review: “Avengers: Endgame” Is So Inflated It Almost Explodes

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe.

Prior to the fervently-anticipated release of Anthony and Joe Russos’ apocalyptic wrap-up to MCU’s Phase Three, “Avengers: Endgame” (though rumors have it the upcoming “Spider-Man: Far From Home” will be THE actual conclusion to the “saga”), Marvel issued a letter, asking both critics and fans not to reveal spoilers “until a couple of weeks after the movie’s release.” Not only will every detail – every death and resurrection of every main and supporting character – be scrutinized the very moment “Endgame” hits theaters, rendering the plea futile – to be honest, there’s not that much to fuss over.

Having reportedly sold five times as many tickets as its infinitely superior predecessor “Infinity War,” “Endgame” will likely please ardent Marvel Universe and sci-fi action enthusiasts, while leaving the rest of us scratching our heads. “Infinity War” combined a joyful aesthetic with some relatively profound existential themes and a slew of well-interspersed disparate storylines, all supplemented by a truly grandiose, epic feel. It ended on a shocking (for a blockbuster of that scale) downer of a note, yet we all knew that loose ends would be tied up, and we all knew that at least most of the beloved “vanished” heroes would end up coming back. Yet it also held the grim promise of deaths to come, sacrifices to be made, deeper thematic elements to unravel.

All of that comes true to a certain extent in “Endgame” but it does so much more clumsily, with a ton of expository dialogue and gargantuan gaps in logic. Now, I would never expect scientific accuracy from a film involving a talking raccoon, inter-dimensional travel and a shrunk Ant-Man being trapped in a quantum realm. Yet within the rules established by said universe, things still have to make sense, to a point. I, for one, was deeply unsatisfied and confused by how “Endgame” resolved/reversed the tragedy that befell our heroes, mostly due to the nonsensical logic – the nonsensicality of which the characters themselves admit to and discuss, on numerous occasions, throughout the narrative. Unfortunately, I cannot delve into the chief tactic screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely employ to solve plot holes, nor can I reveal much of the story per Marvel’s aforementioned letter, but let’s just say plot holes lead to bigger plot holes, which you will either enthusiastically disregard, blinded by all the action, SFX and colors – or be moderately offended by.

Aside from the principal, lunatic quest, there are moments to enjoy, most of them involving a beer-bellied Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who’s become one of my favorite MCU characters, alongside the “Guardians of the Galaxy” bunch. “Endgame” could have used more of the charm and hilarity he brings to his scenes, to counterbalance all the pomposity, solemnity and grimness in a film that, not to beat a dead horse, contains Spider-Man riding a pegasus. The film’s colossal revisiting of all the “ghosts of MCU’s past” is also cleverly incorporated; this is a fan-service machine. Robert Downey Jr. takes center stage as Tony Stark and, as usual, showcases a knack for both zingers and pathos. Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow also gets some touching scenes that add depth to a previously-way-underserved character.

The rest of the cast is a smorgasbord of heightened and subtle acting, extended cameos and odd choices. The latter refers to Mark Ruffalo’s normally-dependable Bruce Banner, who here is literally stuck in an in-between zone, with the actor looking lost. You can’t be both Jekyll and Hyde. Chris Evans remains flat, delivering another heroic/patriotic, one-note performance. Brolin’s Thanos isn’t nearly as menacing as he was before, picking alien eggplant in one odd garden-set sequence. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) is treated (with good reason) as a dummy for most of the plot. Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel flies in and out based on the film’s ex-Machina requirements (of which there are plenty). There’s not enough space to list all the others: let’s just say that, out of the 30+ cast of A-listers, about five say or do anything truly memorable.

Yes, there is a prolonged death sequence that made the auditorium fill up with sniffles and another “passing of the torch” scene that didn’t have quite the same effect. All the messages are proclaimed LOUDLY, with triple exclamation points – most evident when Captain Marvel, challenged by Thanos, is within a second joined by all the women of the MCU in a commendable but frustratingly obvious feminist statement, which by the way also has the opposite effect, showcasing how underdeveloped women still are in the Marvel canon.

I watched the film at an early press screening with a massive Marvel fan who adored “Infinity War.” He must’ve seen it over a dozen times. His expectations were tremendously high. After the screening, I wanted to walk around and show him the Disney lot, as it was his first time there. “Let’s go home,” he intoned flatly. “I’m too deep dwelling in my disappointment to enjoy this.” He may be one of the only ones who feels that way about “Avengers: Endgame” but he knows his MCU, and I happen to agree.

In theaters Friday, April 26th