Ten years. Ten years of buildup in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has all led to this moment. Marvel Studios has dominated the market for superhero films since the release of “Iron Man” in 2008. In 2012, they solidified their dominance with the wildly successful release of “The Avengers,” the team-up movie of all their heroes, making it their first shared-universe saga. However, since 2012, we as fans knew something was coming, and awaited the day for our heroes to finally face him. Of course, I am referring to none other than The Mad Titan Thanos. This film is the beginning of a two-part culmination of individual character arcs, as well as the finite reason for why “The Avengers” was created. Oh my, did it deliver.

The film’s plot is exactly what you would expect it to be, and that is not a bad thing at all. Essentially, as we know from the trailer, Thanos has two of the Infinity Stones and is seeking the other four to complete his collection and end his quest of destruction throughout the universe. The Avengers get word of this as Thanos makes his presence felt on Earth, and finally all the major characters in the MCU meet, as they come together to try to stop Thanos before he finds all the stones.

There is a ton packed into this movie. First, it has a massive assortment of Marvel’s major characters. From the very first character Iron Man, to the more recent characters like Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, they all play pivotal roles in this film. No one is overshadowed. Every character is given their time to shine, so don’t worry, you will get to see your favorite hero be awesome. However, make no mistake about it, the main character of this film is Thanos. Thanos makes his presence felt throughout Infinity War, even when he’s not on screen—although he is on screen a lot. All the buildup to Thanos set the standards pretty high, and all those standards are met as Thanos is easily one of the deepest and formidable villains Marvel Studios has ever churned out.

What makes this movie so great is that it keeps the classic Marvel light-hearted nature, while also finally giving the audience a display of real stakes. Many fans, like myself, had felt that too many MCU films were being wrapped up in a happy bow when the credits rolled, with no ramifications or consequences to their jobs of being Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. However, this installment pleases everyone. You get that patented wit and humor we have come to love in this universe, but throughout the entire movie you, as an audience member, will know that this film is dark, and there is a real sense of dread amongst the characters. Everything that happens in this movie will have major, costly, and impactful consequences on the characters involved, especially with the ones who have had huge character arcs leading up to it.

Overall, this movie is everything we dreamt it would be. With so many characters established over the span of 10 years, there was no need for talk. We knew who they were, and what they were about, allowing the Russo Brothers to focus on Thanos, and it works perfectly. The movie is littered with awesome surprises throughout, as well as after the credits roll—there’s only one post-credit scene in this one, and it is amazing. In short, be prepared for a non-stop emotional rollercoaster and thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat, begging for 2019 when it’s all over.

Rating: 9.2/10