Avengers: Infinity War

Each of the Avengers films seems to up the ante.  Always a worse villain.  Always a more apocalyptic impending disaster.  Avengers: Infinity War (2018; dirs. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo) does up the ante.  Not only are the stakes higher (the survival of all life in the universe), but also the film ties together characters and plot lines from previous films in the Marvel series: Antman, the Black Panther, Thor, the Hulk, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman, and others. In a lot of films like this one, these characters who have their own personalities in their own films lose their distinctiveness and blend into the mélange of rampaging and crusading super heroes.  Here, surprisingly, the screenwriter and director allow them all to retain much of their distinctive personalities.  Rivalries and minor plotlines in their films briefly emerge.  Of course, the length of this film, two and a half hours, allows sufficient space for this all to happen. 

The evil villain in this film (Xandar) is searching for seven “Power Stones,” created during the Big Bang.  If he succeeds, he will have total power over everything.  He intends for reasons never quite clearly explained to eliminate at least half the life in the universe.  (He says he wants to give life room to expand—that the universe is too crowded).  Various plot twists ensue.  The villain feels obliged to carry out his plan.  He convinces himself that he’s doing good.  In fact, he wants ultimate power.  Isn’t that what most super villains want?

At any rate, the film is entertaining, with seemingly endless battle scenes.

A lot of actors appear in the film who might know better.  But these days what options do they have?  These Avenger films (and the DC-based comics films that compete with them) remind me of the biblical epics of the 1950s and 1960s.  They too brimmed over with famous actors of the day.  Had they not appeared in those films, audience members would have wondered where they were.  Maybe the same applies here. This is what films are today.  Massive overblown DGI epics.  Is there any room left for something different?