While I hope superheroes don’t become as hegemonic in film as they did in comic books, Anthony and Joe Russo’s Avengers: Endgame is further proof that this genre can make for great cinema that is both fun to watch and interesting to dissect. The latest blockbuster is the phenomenal movie I wanted, complete with kickass action set-pieces, grandiose adventure, and clever engagement with otherworldly logic, not to mention the fan-rewarding self-reflexivity that is a staple of this kind of stories. Yet there is more to it… Surprisingly – although perhaps appropriately enough for an installment that aims to give us a temporary sense of closure – Endgame is also an emotional drama about grief and nostalgia for the recent past. Plus, at one point it turns into a laugh-out-loud sci-fi comedy, both mocking and mimicking Back to the Future – part II. Finally, as usual with the MCU, you can go for more political readings, including of the post-apocalyptic imagery, of the sight of Captain America fighting himself, of Thanos’ very attempt to remake the world (and control its memory), of that fist-pumping ensemble shot of female heroes taking charge (more effective than anything in Anna Boden’s and Ryan Flek’s heavy-handed Captain Marvel), or of the final passing of the torches.
You know what else is awesome? Comics.
