Marvel Studios and Walt Disney’s Avengers: Endgame (dubbed from the Hollywood film of the same name; UA) is the last in the Avengers series and is an action-emotional adventure fare.
At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, with one snap of his fingers, Thanos wiped out half the beings of the universe and as for Earth’s mightiÂest heroes, some of them helplessly watched as the others turned to ash. Avengers: Endgame begins with Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) aboard a spaceship, on their way to Earth. The ship is heavily damaged and as Tony’s health deteriorates, he waits for his imminent death. Captain MarÂvel/Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) miraÂculously shows up at the right time and brings the ship back to Earth in time. The audience is expected to fill in the gaps here and understand that Captain Marvel got Nick Fury’s messÂage at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, reached Earth, learned of Thanos’ destruction and then set out to bring back Tony and Nebula. Tony is reuniÂted with Captain America/Steve RogÂers (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris HemsÂworth), The Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Pepper Potts (Gwyneth PaltÂrow), James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). They set out in search of Thanos to retrieve the stones and undo the carnage that he unleashed. They find him on a distant planet but they’re too late – Thanos has already used the power of the stones to desÂtroy the very stones. Thor, in anger and frustration, chops off Thanos’ head, knowing that there’s nothing that any of them can do to repair the damage.
The story then moves five years ahead where the world is trying to move on but the remaining Avengers are still struggling to come to terms with the fact that they had lost and that nothing they do can bring back their fallen friends. The only one who looks like he has truly moved on is Tony Stark, who is now living in a reÂmote countryside house with Pepper and their daughter, Morgan. One day, a freak occurrence activates the Quantum tunnel and Ant-Man/Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) emerges from the Quantum Realm. Once he reaches the Avengers’ headquarters, Steve Rogers and Natasha fill him in on what happened to the world. It turns out that he was in the Quantum Realm when the Snap happened and since Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lily) vanished in the Snap, Scott was left stranded in the Quantum Realm. Scott is convinÂced that the Quantum Realm might be the solution to their problem. They take the proposition to Tony Stark and after his initial reluctance, he comes around and they start working on a time travel machine. They divide themselves into teams and go after the six Infinity Stones, but not everything goes as planned. Do the Avengers manage to get their hands on all the Infinity Stones or do the Stones fall into the wrong hands? Are Tony Stark and Steve Rogers able to bring back all their fallen friends? And which of the Avengers pays the ultimate price to help save the world?
Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely’s story was already burdenÂed with too many expectations after the release of Avengers: Infinity War because for almost a year, fans acÂross the world had been trying to preÂdict this film’s storyline. The solution to the Avengers’ problem might seem obvious but the writers have done a good job of making that solution seem organic and believable. The writers also had the mammoth task of wrapÂping up a saga spanning 11 years, 21 films and way too many characters, and it must be said that they have done a fantastic job. The opening reels that deal with the aftermath of the Snap could easily have been borÂing but they provide a solid base on which the film rests and which makes the audience realise what is at stake for the superheroes. Although the film does slow down at places, the fact that it never gets boring is to the credit of the writers, among others. Even in a film that deals with the aftermath of such a horrible tragedy, humour is woven into the film and it does not seem out of place or insensitive. The story takes the viewers into the past, and fans, who have been with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will have a great time revisiting pivotal momÂents that they have witnessed in the past decade. But most of all, the writÂers deserve praise for the way they have built such a strong emotional core into a superhero-action film. Even though the action scenes are brilliantÂly choreographed and executed, the audience will remember this film for the emotional moments. Hardcore fans of the MCU will most definitely be reduced to tears at various points in the film, especially towards the end. The Hindi dialogues are entertaining.
The performances are great across the board. Some of the actors have been playing these characters for alÂmost a decade and they have becoÂme so comfortable that the audiences barely see the actors anymore, only the characters. Robert Downey Jr., as Tony Stark, is superb, once again. Stark is a man with much to lose and yet someone who wants to make the world a better place – it is this dichoÂtomy that drives the character in the film, and Downey excellently portrays this struggle. The humour is still spot-on but he really shines in the emotioÂnal moments, especially when he is reunited with Peter Parker/Spider Man (Tom Holland). Chris Evans, as Steve Rogers, is also fantastic. The anguish on his face speaks volumes and the sinceriÂty that he brings to the role is really laudable. There is one moment during the final battle involving him and a certain weapon, that will have audiences cheering and clapping. Chris HemsÂworth, as Thor, is very good. In the last two films, Thor’s character had seen a noticeable change, espeÂcially the humour he brought. In this film too, he dons a slightly different avatar and elicits quite a few laughs. Mark Ruffalo, as Bruce Banner/Hulk, is deÂpendable as ever, whether it’s the emotional moments or the comical ones. Josh Brolin, as Thanos, does a great job, considering the fact that he can only rely on his voice to portray the part. He is truly menacing. Brie Larson, as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, is also quite good. Scarlett Johansson, as Natasha RoÂmanoff, and Jeremy Renner, as Clint Barton, lend solid support. They get considerable screen time and they are an imporÂtant part of the emotional core of the film. Paul Rudd, as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, who was missing from Infinity War, gets a sizeable role here and is also integral to the story of the film. He delivers a good performance and offers humorous moments throuÂghout the film. Karen Gillan makes her presence felt with a fine performance as NebuÂla. Don CheaÂdle, in the role of James Rhodes, lends good support. Rene Russo (as Frigga, Thor’s mother) makes a brief appearance in an emotional scene. John Slattery (as Howard Stark) and Tilda Swinton (as The Ancient One) have small but impactful cameos. Tom Holland is endearing as Spider-Man. There are just too many impÂortant characters and even though they bring so much to the table, it would be difficult to mention all the actors playing them, here. Suffice it to say that all the Marvel Superheroes make an appearance in the film and just seeing them on screen will have the fans screaming and shouting with joy.
Directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo have done a spectacular job with the final instalment of this phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Carrying on from Infinity War, they have made sure that the fans’ patient wait for the film is fully rewarded. Whether it is action, emotion, drama or comedy, they have delivered just too wonderfully. The film is three hours long and yet it doesn’t feel long. The audience is fully invested in the film from the start to finish, and the payoff at the end is huge. The final battle of the film is a thing of beauty and will be discussed for many years to come. The climax will have people applaudÂing and crying at the same time. They have taken some of the most beloved characters in movies today and given them the best possible send-off one could have imagined. All technical aspects of the film are top-notch, from the camerawork (Trent Opaloch) to the editing (Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt) and the special effects to action. A special mention must be made of Alan Silvestri’s background score, especially the Avengers theme, the same that has been around since the first Avengers film in 2012. Charles Wood’s production designing is outstanding. DubÂbing is fantastic.
All in all, Avengers: Endgame is everything that an entertaining blockÂbuster should be. It is a superb final chapter in a long and brilliant saga, that will be a benchmark not just for superhero films but for all film franchiÂses to come. The anticipation for the film is unparalleled and the reception that it will get from the audience will make sure that records will be demoÂlished almost on a daily basis. The film will prove to be one of the highest grossers of all time, if not the highest grosser.
Released on 26-4-’19 at Maratha Mandir (daily 3 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay by UTV Motion Pictures. Publicity & opening: mind-boggling. …….Also released all over. Opening was earth-shattering everywhere. The original English version has also opened and its business will also be simply monumental.