'Avengers: Endgame' review: A most satisfying finale but not the end

KARACHI: As Tony Stark puts it, in the trailer and in the movie, part of the journey is the end. And what a ride it has been.

Avengers: Endgame is somewhat unique when it comes to how one begins to review it. In so many ways, we have seen nothing like this before. Not in terms of anything visual it provides – as polished and exhilarating the superhero action sequences are, by themselves they don’t offer much over any other similar offering.

PHOTO: REDDIT

A key reason for the success of most of its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) predecessors has been their creative teams’ ability to make the action on display meaningful, both at a narrative level and a deeper emotional level.

No, what I’m talking about is something that still seems incredulous even after unfolding before our very eyes. In the most immediate sense, Endgame is the direct sequel to Avengers: Infinity War – the former picks up at the cliffhanger the latter left us with just a year ago. But you don’t have to dig much deeper to realise that it is the culmination of most if not all stories that have been introduced and explore in all previous MCU films. Provided that you have seen them of course.

PHOTO: MARVEL.COM

This is simultaneously the greatest strength and most glaring flaw of Avengers: Endgame. To best reap the many rewards sown by its creators for the most loyal fans, one should have already seen all previous MCU episodes, even the comparatively less enthusing ones.

This also is the main challenge of reviewing Endgame. Can one really judge it as a standalone piece or even as a sequel to a more contained franchise? Because when seen as the culmination of every MCU offering thus far, Endgame is as satisfying as a finale can possibly be. A few possible plotholes that may niggle at one’s mind towards the end are easily overshadowed by the emotional payoff to Marvel’s patient universe and narrative construction.

PHOTO: MARVEL UNIVERSE/TWITTER

As someone who has seen each MCU episode though, I wonder if someone who hasn’t would still experience the same satisfaction. Especially because some of the major throwbacks Endgame throws at us connect to some of the more forgettable members of the MCU stable.

Minor qualms aside though, it is important to recognise Endgame and the MCU as a whole as the first and hopefully not the last of their kind. Although cinematic universes are not entirely a new concept, only the MCU has so far treated it as a centrepiece rather than novelty. Looking back, it is best to see the universe as a silver screen counterpart to television series, rather than a collection of franchises strung together. In that respect, Endgame is perhaps best viewed as a season (I hope) finale than a penultimate sequel.

PHOTO: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Is this the end? All signs so far suggest not. There are at least two more MCU movies fully fleshed out with several more named and unnamed in the pipeline. Whether they bookend MCU as epilogues to Endgame or serve as building blocks to another grand story arc remains to be seen. With the return of the Fantastic Four and X-Men rights to Marvel following the Disney-Fox merger, there are many more exciting stories for the MCU to explore.

Till that happens or if it doesn’t, we shall always have Endgame.

Verdict: The emotional payoff of Avengers: Endgame is as satisfying as it comes and enough to overshadow any lingering plotholes that niggle at your mind. But only those that have seen all 21 MCU predecessors can reap all rewards that are sown in the movie.

Rating: 4/5

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