Review: 'Avengers: Infinity War' offers a marvelous take on Shakespearean tragedy

Marvel has pulled off all sorts of cinematic flavors in its 10-year legacy, from heist films and political thrillers to space operas and fantasy epics. Now it boasts a full-fledged Shakespearean tragedy.

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Avengers: Infinity War (★★★½ out of four; rated PG-13; officially opens nationwide Friday, though theaters will show it Thursday night) brings its many superheroes — and there are many, from all over the galaxy — to face a dangerous threat, as well as their own complicated pasts and hard choices. It could have been an unholy mess, but with directors Anthony and Joe Russo at the helm, Infinity War is instead a glorious, multilayered and clever comic-book adventure with loads of emotional stakes and a perfect foe for Earth’s mightiest heroes.

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The film pays off previous Marvel movies in a multitude of ways, none more with the coming of Thanos (played via performance capture by Josh Brolin). Part tyrant and part cult leader, the massive villain trade fisticuffs with the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), no sweat, and offers balance and “salvation” to the universe by wiping out half of existence. (Without saying too much, the dude knows finite resources are a thing and, in his own way, is worried about overpopulation.) To pull off this genocidal act, he needs to collect six Infinity Stones that hold ultimate power when used together.

Enter, well, almost everybody who’s been in the 18 Marvel Cinematic Universe films so far. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) hold down the fort in New York when Thanos’ minions show up. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) meets Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and his Guardians of the Galaxy, who try to nab some cosmic gems before it’s too late. And Captain America (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) team up with Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) when Wakanda becomes a war zone between good guys and vicious monster aliens.

It’s kind of a miracle but every personality in this super-smorgasbord gets at least one meaningful character moment — nobody gets left behind in the storytelling. Downey and Cumberbatch are great playing off each other as quippy egotists, Hemsworth and Evans are just a blast to watch as original Avengers, and the Guardians especially are essential to the core narrative. The Russos do a monumental job of juggling everything, but at two hours and 40 minutes, there’s just a lot to process. (Also, if you’ve never seen a Marvel film, maybe don't start with this one.) 

Infinity War also doesn’t disappoint in letting a bunch of folks get their licks in on Thanos, an outstanding antagonist and the best computer-generated baddie to date of any superhero film. Like Michael B. Jordan’s exceptional Killmonger in Black Panther, Thanos offers a level of human depth (thanks to Brolin) that elevates the entire movie: Instead of being a crazy fanatic killing everything in sight, there’s pathos and understanding to his mission, though you still want him to get punched really hard in the face.

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While it’s hard to beat the wonder of that original Avengers film — remember when superhero team-ups were still a novelty? — Infinity War does its best to change the game again. There are unexpected returns, true surprises, real sacrifices and a cliffhanger ending that’s going to freak fans to their superhero-loving core, yet is, quite simply, marvelous.