‘Avengers: Endgame’ Critics Review: Story With Grand Emotion

Here’s what the critics have to say.

Robert Downey Jr in a still from Avengers: Endgame.

(Photo Courtesy: Youtube screengrab)

Film: Avengers: Endgame
Director: Anthony and Joe Russo

The wait is finally here and here’s what critics have to say about Avengers: Endgame:

There’s a sense of finality to it that feels wholly unprecedented in the MCU. The Russos are probably operating at their most mature here, examining themes of parenthood and patriarchy, loss and legacy - and of power; how it switches forms as it moves from one hand to another (literally). The only way to confront radical terrorism, the film asserts - and Thanos is a radical terrorist, make no mistake about that - is through unity and bravery.

Rohan Naahar, Hindustan Times

The narrative is messy and this time the Russos do struggle to render the balance they showcased so wonderfully in Civil War and Infinity War. And the imbalance is not just because of the sheer number of characters in Endgame, but because of an overall lack of focus on anything else but two of the central characters whose identities are best kept secret for now.

Mihir Fadnavis, Firstpost

It helps, too, that “Endgame” isn’t overly violent. There’s far less action than expected, which gave my eyes and ears a much-deserved rest. Instead, it’s a fairly thoughtful saga about the toils of heroism, what it means to risk your life for a greater good, and how the leadership torch gets passed from one generation to another. Downey is especially good at capturing these struggles; after years on the front lines, he wears exhaustion all over his body. Hemsworth, too, gives a bravura performance, though his is built more on comic tension: Thor has let himself go, looking more like Jeffrey Lebowski than a Norse god.

Matthew Jacobs, Huffpost

The narrative device that allows the surviving Avengers to take on Thanos is barely convincing, and conveniently takes the movie into the meta-realm. (Had one of the Avengers who was vapourised in the previous production survived, this movie would have been wrapped up in no time.) The hat-tips and self-referencing allow beloved characters to make unexpected comebacks, while links are made with the Marvel franchises that will survive this final installment in the Avengers adventure. There is more sentimentality than the franchise usually allows for, and some of it is purely mawkish.

Nandini Ramnath, Scroll

<em>Avengers: Endgame</em> is a better movie than <em>Avengers: Infinity War</em> in one important sense: It relies less on milking tears out of us (for characters who have “died” but who we know will come back again—they’re too valuable to the franchise to be gone for good) than on focusing on what each of these characters might mean to us, given our history with them.

Stephanie Zacherek, Time Magazine<a href="https://twitter.com/szacharek"></a>

Despite the constraints of commerce that weigh down gigantic event movies, directors Anthony and Joe Russo tell a story that has layers, quietude, scale and above all, grand emotion.&nbsp; There is earnestness here and euphoria. I wept, not once but many times.&nbsp; And I exited the theatre feeling like I had said goodbye to a friend after a long and satisfying relationship.

Anupama Chopra, Film Companion

Watching Endgame is an exhilarating experience. It’s a real adrenaline rush. The writers, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have plotted a shrewd screenplay that contains thrilling moments cleverly linked to events from previous films. These are unquestionably some of the best portions of Endgame.

Rajeev Masand, News18