Photo: Film Frame. ©Marvel Studios 2018
Movies

First Reactions to Avengers: Infinity War Praise a Shocking, Gutsy Epic With an Incredible Villain & Ending

April 24, 2018
By Bryan Abrams

Do not fear—this is an Avengers: Infinity War spoiler free zone. The first reactions to the Russo Brothers epic are now pouring in, and they tout one of Marvel’s gutsiest, most gonzo efforts with possibly its best ending, ever. The studio didn’t hold the Infinity War press screenings until much later than usual, partly in an effort to make sure there were as few spoilers are possible. They even got the film’s villain, Thanos, in on the do not spoil this movie for others action. What we’ve done is gone through some of the first reactions from critics and embedded them below, making sure no beans are spilled.

There’s a lot of very, very good news here, for Marvel Studios, for Marvel fans, and for those of us who were so blown away by Black Panther that we were praying Infinity War would follow suit with something bold. We knew the film would be big—with this many superheroes, it had to be—but we’re heartened by these reactions that praise not only the film’s epic scope, but how surprising it is, how gusty it is, how great a villain Thanos is and how satisfyingly it ends. If you can nail those pieces, you’re in a great position to have delivered something meaningful. Having a great villain alone is a no-brainer, but its much harder to pull off than you might expect. We were once again reminded what a really good villain can do for a movie when Michael B. Jordan lit up the screen as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther. It seems Josh Brolin’s Thanos is about to join Killmonger in the ranks of Marvel’s greatest bad guys.

You’ll also note a lot of good stuff being said about Infinity War‘s wit. Marvel movies have long staked humor as one of their chief identifying characteristics. The binary has long been that Marvel cracks wise and DC does doom and gloom. Yet Infinity War‘s story—namely about Thanos coming to Earth to scoop up the remaining Infinity Stones and murder half the universe—hardly seems like the stuff of comedy gold. The thing is, when you get this many great performers together, with two first-rate writers in Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, you’re bound to have moments of wit, charm and levity. Infinity War doesn’t disappoint on this front.

So enjoy these early reactions, and prepare yourself for what sounds like a movie worth its hype. The most exciting thing of all is how many people have expressed surprise, even shock, at where the Russo Brothers, their cast and their crew have taken this film.

Featured image: Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. Thanos (Josh Brolin). Photo: Film Frame. ©Marvel Studios 2018

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bryan Abrams

Bryan Abrams is the Editor-in-chief of The Credits. He's run the site since its launch in 2012. He lives in New York.