FILM REVIEW: AVENGERS: ENDGAME – ENCORE (12A) ESP RATING: 5/5
Even if you think this slightly altered cut of the last Avengers movie is a clever marketing ploy – there’s no denying this is a sensational superhero movie in its own right.
It’s arguably one of the best of all-time – even though the 1978 Christopher Reeve-led Superman and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight will be in the conversation – but at the very least the greatest ‘ensemble’ superhero film to grace the big screen.
There might be one or two minor niggles, but the Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) ‘Soul Stone’ sequence and re-emergence of Black Panther – made even more poignant with the late Chadwick Boseman – and co to help a depleted Avengers team during the final battle against Thanos, still evoke spine-tingles that will be everlasting highlights in the Marvel Cinematic Universe pantheon.
In fact, seven years later in an Infinity Vision (another Disney-certified gimmick) IMAX screen, it’s arguably even better. The three hours plus just breezed by. How the directors – the Russo Brothers – kept this all together with so many colliding elements is still pretty darn impressive in my opinion.
As we know this was 2019’s epic conclusion to the Infinity Saga after devastating events – involving Josh Brolin’s Thanos and a certain Infinity Gauntlet containing the six stones to control everything in the galaxy – wiped out half the world’s population, with Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and the rest of the gang struggling to move forwards.
But after Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man inadvertently (thank you Mr Rat) returns from the Quantum Realm it opens up an opportunity to reverse Thanos’ cataclysmic event, as the team must come together to try and restore order in the universe – and ultimately bring their loved ones back.
SPOILERS AHEAD: And while the three hours and three minutes or so remains unchanged right up until the very final scene, it’s the brand new extras that are truly vital for fanboys gearing up for the Christmas release of Avengers: Doomsday – including myself and son, Joshua.
Two post credits scenes involving Ruffalo’s Hulk after the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Owen Wilson’s Agent Mobius (from TV series Loki) in the TVA (Time Variance Authority), make for essential ‘bridging the gap’ viewing that hints at the horrific collapse of the multiverse as we know it.
Whether it’s worth sitting through Endgame for another three hours to get to that comes down to purely how much of a fan you are. It’s as simple as that.
But we now know that Endgame definitely wasn’t THE Endgame – as this still hits more magnificently than a Hulk smash.
ESP Rating: 5/5
Gavin Miller and Joshua Miller (Gavin’s 12-year-old son)
Odeon Luxe Peterborough & Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough, Out Now
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, Don Cheadle, Karen Gillan, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman & Josh Brolin
Running Time: 3 Hrs 5 Mins
Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo
Film Review Venue: Odeon Luxe Imax (In Infinity Vision) Peterborough
For all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Odeon Luxe & Showcase Cinema De Lux cinemas go to www.odeon.co.uk and www.showcasecinemas.co.uk
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