Endgame in Reflection

I recently saw The Avengers: Endgame in theatres again.

Despite it being 7 years, I was surprised by how well it holds up as a whole. It’s suspenseful, funny, emotional and satisfying, sometimes all at once. It’s also really well-written, something you forget with all the memes and out-of-context clips. That’s a testament to how well it’s aged, especially given how all over the place The MCU has been lately. I say that begrudgingly.

There’s a lot I can discuss here. Narrative-wise, despite the third-act, this is a relatively-restrained time heist movie. Most of the action beats are tied into the plot, and much of the tension comes from character interactions and decisions. Arguably the most tense moment, when Captain America’s in the elevator with S.H.I.E.L.D’s Strike Squad, leads to a fight scene that never happens. We know these are really Hydra members, and the movie holds on the conversation, but the fight scene never happens because it’s deflated with two words. It’s funny and suspenseful, further accentuating the writing.

Another point is how somber this movie feels. Whether it’s dealing with the fallout of Thanos’s snap, which lasts 5 years in-film, or Thor’s slump into depression, the movie has several moments where I felt emotional. This is especially true with Clint and Natasha’s fight over who gets to become The Soul Stone. Considering their relationship, seeing them squabble like siblings was heartbreaking. It was more upsetting than witnessing Thanos toss Gamora over the cliff in The Avengers: Infinity War, as their relationship wasn’t one-sided.

The time heist section still has great action scenes. The crown jewel involves Captain America facing off against himself. He’s been falsely accused of being Loki, so the two face off over Loki’s scepter. Older Captain America wins, but not before a fistfight with lots of shattered glass. It also ends on one of the movie’s best jokes.

But the part that everyone remembers is the third-act, which is a battle in the ruins of the Stark complex. Initially a fight against Thanos, it turns into an all-out war when Thanos’s army appears and all the previously dusted Avengers return. There are many fantastic moments, including Captain America picking up and wielding Mjolnir. That’d been teased in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, so the pay-off was really satisfying. Wanda going full-on vengeance on Thanos was also fun to watch. It’s the only time we see Thanos concerned.

The entire third-act could be its own movie, complete with many great moments, which is why it bums me out that people have used The Boys to discredit it. Yes, this movie’s corporate popcorn fluff. But so is The Boys. And yes, “Don’t worry, she’s got help!” was an excuse to tease its superheroines. But who cares?! It was fun!

That’s really the crux here: it’s fun. Even the added scenes, which I won’t spoil, are enjoyable. Because The MCU might be a franchise of superhero action, but it’s well-made. There’s plenty of excellent writing for something that could’ve been phoned in, and that’s why it resonates. It also explains the box-office returns it’s generating still, showing how mass entertainment can be thought-provoking. You can’t deny that.

A lot has happened with this franchise since The Avengers: Endgame. The most-notable involves Kang being replaced by Doctor Doom, thanks to his actor destroying his career. And with previously-established actors, Jeremy Renner’s seen his favourability revive and Chris Pratt’s seen his plummet. This was also the end, at least at the time, of Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.’s tenures in The MCU. They’ve come back since, Downey as the new antagonist, but it seemed then like they were done. It made their goodbyes feel emotional, which is a sign of good writing.

There’s been talk recently about if The MCU has overstayed its welcome, which I don’t think it has. There’s also been talk about if the movies and shows since have been good, which I’d argue they (mostly) are. And there’s been talk about whether or not people are tired of Marvel content being released yearly, to which it depends on what you mean. Regardless, this particular movie’s largely remembered as a high-point, for many reasons. One can only hope The Avengers: Doomsday can live up to it.

Personally, I don’t think it matters, though. The Avengers: Endgame was a masterclass of popcorn entertainment, such that, even in the mostly-empty theatre I was in, people laughed and applauded at the appropriate times upon rewatch. They also got emotional at the appropriate times. You don’t have that if the movie isn’t enduring. That’s more important than whether or not another Avengers movie can surpass it.

It also serves as a counterargument to “superhero fatigue”. There’s lots of discussion about that lately with the diminished returns of new films, with some underperforming, but I think it ignores the sub-genre’s history. If Batman & Robin couldn’t destroy its reputation with moviegoers, then why would a string of better movies flopping do that? It doesn’t add up. And if Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s indication, I doubt it ever will.

However, that detracts from the main point. You can lament The MCU for being overly-silly and dragging on, and I can see the arguments for both claims. But if a 7 year-old movie still resonates like it did in 2019, despite audiences tastes changing, then guess what? It doesn’t matter. The MCU isn’t going anywhere, and this movie is proof of that. I think that speaks volumes more than any gripes with the 18 year-old franchise.