Endgame: The Avengers Legacy Snaps To Conclusion

Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Avengers: Endgame opened in local theaters April 25, breaking box office records. A staggering earning of $1.2 billion worldwide was reported as of Sunday morning, as thousands of movie theater chains scrambled to add more showtimes to accommodate ticket demands. Leading into the highly anticipated opening weekend members of the cast including Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor) , Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)  and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), along with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, were honored with the placing of their handprints in cement in front of the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on April 23.

The world-wide red carpet premiere at the L.A. Convention Center, where thousands of fans from around the world camped out to catch a glimpse of the cast. The El Capitan theater kept the enthusiasm going by offering a 65 hour Marvel movie marathon, screening all 21 Marvel movies leading up to Avengers: Endgame.

The three-hour Marvel film did not disappoint. This movie is everything audiences hoped for and more. Rotten Tomatoes is giving it a 96 percent approval rating, and CinemaScore gave it an A+. On opening night, audience members could not keep quiet. They were gasping, yelling, sighing, and cheering at every turn. Fans nodded at every detail as Marvel tied up loose ends from previous storylines and filled in blanks that were left in each character's timeline. This film had the audience so engaged and connected that three hours passed in no time, and not one person in our sold-out mega-theatre left their seat for a bathroom break.

Without giving too many spoilers, the movie picks up after last year’s Avengers: Infinity War. Thanos, the supervillain, destroys half the population of the universe including several Avengers, using the "infinity stones" and the snap of his fingers. The superhero group is left defeated and grieving the loss of friends and family. For once it feels like there is no coming back.  'I keep telling everybody they should move on and grow. Some do. But not us.' says Steve Rogers early in the movie. Sadness, anger, and resentment fill the lives of the heroes as they try to move on with their lives amid what seems to be Thanos’s victory.

However, the story picks up a glimmer of hope amid the misery. In Infinity War's last scene we saw Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) disintegrating, as he sent a signal to Captain Marvel just before he turns to dust. In Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) answers his call and shows up to help the remaining defeated Avengers.

There are some truly hilarious scenes involving the lifestyle that one Avenger has adopted to cope with his loss. There are also reappearances of former key and beloved characters. As an audience member, to be surprised by this was a huge part of the experience. The twists will have you invested in this movie from the start (It does help if you see Avengers: Infinity War first). The impressive presence, camaraderie, and roles of the many female superheroes will also have you cheering. To quote the late Stan Lee, “Excelsior!” and thank you, Marvel!