Avengers: Endgame will make tough guys weep and old girls giddy

Avengers: Endgame, the newest in an anthology of Marvel Studios films, reaches the pinnacle of character development, weaving together the back-stories of our favorite imperfect, fallible Marvel superheros in the ultimate intergalactic heist.

I was invited to attend an advance screening of Avengers: Endgame.  I love Marvel – count me in! The heroes and antiheroes are morally challenged and real – they are responsible for saving the human race, but their humanity parallels ours. That said, I’m a casual fan. I’ve watched and enjoyed most of the movies, but I’ve never dressed as a character (if that’s your thing, check out the review by my friends at Subculture Recall), I don’t study the films, and I can’t recollect the interplay throughout a sequel or among superheroes. In the screening, I was surrounded by superfans who quietly whispered loopholes and gotchas to each other and for whom the foreshadowing was as clear as day.

But Avengers: Endgame holds its weight on its own. Villanous Thanos wipes out half the universe and the Avengers have a plan to save the day. Will they? And though this final stand against Thanos brings together 22 separate Marvel films, the plot does not feel forced and the dialogues are extremely natural, and often times hilarious.

As the movie was about to start, one of the organizers let us know the film would be longer than three hours… Time out – I need to hit the snack back – I don’t believe I’ve ever gone 3 hours without food. Usually with films that long, there are parts that begin to drag. It’s my professional editorial background, fueled by ADD, to pinpoint parts I would cut that are not critical to the storyline, don’t develop characters, and could be done without. I couldn’t do this with Avengers: Endgame.

You care about the characters, to whom you’ve become endeared through the Marvel universe throughout time. You actually want quality screen-time with each of them. Not to throw shade, but the bodybuilder next to me was a little sobby. Have you ever heard the sound of 150 nerds crying? I have. There will be tears.

The self-deprecation reaches new levels in Endgame. And did I mention, hi-lari-ous? What’s more, even during the course of the movie, our heroes evolve and mature. Avengers: Endgame can make old kids like me feel 9 years old again. I can’t wait to watch it again with the hubs. Check it out this Friday, April 26 in theaters everywhere.