I have been generally disappointed with the recent Marvel projects in the theatres and on television. Most of them have not been terrible but not great either.
Inspired a recent sermon I preached, I decided to return to some of the best of Marvel: Infinity War and Endgame. I had not watched them in a while and so I was curious how I would enjoy them.
While technically Avengers movies, these are really just major crossover events featuring most of the current Marvel characters. Sounds like they are doing something similar with the next Avengers movies.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching both of them. But why do they work? It is more than the CGI, the action sequences, or even the novelty of seeing so many characters on the screen.
I am a firm believer that superhero movies are only as good as their villain. This is one of the areas in which those recent Marvel projects have missed the mark.
Thanos is an excellent villain. Not only is he frighteningly powerful, he is complex with complicated motivations. He is not just an excuse for superheroes to do superhero stuff. His screen time is important and his presence improves the story.
There is also some heart to the story. While Thor’s troubles are used for a laugh, Iron Man and Captain America (and to a lesser extent Hawkeye) draw us in to their struggles and the decisions they make tug on our heartstrings.
The battle against Thanos is an epic one, one that seems hopeless almost right up to the end. The ramifications of Thanos’s actions are shown on both the cosmic and personal levels. The movies examine how the snap impacts people from numerous angles.
I would also suggest that there are some biblical themes to these stories. We find such things as a sacrificial death, as well as death and resurrection. This is story is not just about who has the edge when it comes to sheer power.
The biggest problem with Infinity War and Endgame is that they set the bar so high for subsequent movies. In fact, I would say only Spider-Man: Homecoming has met that standard.
Sadly, many of the Marvel projects have struggled since then. Part of it was the use of Kang as the next Thanos. While a somewhat interesting character, the execution and the fact that the villain is not enough to carry the next epic has created problems. Will see if Dr. Doom can succeed where Kang has failed.
The bottom line is that both Infinity War and Endgame are excellent superhero movies and they still hold up very well. I do not expect that to change.
