Breathtakingly epic and fueled by Marvel's near-perfected formula taken to new levels of scale and emotional stakes, 'Avengers: Infinity War' fulfills the promise and potential built up over a decade of Marvel films.

Yes, that sounds hyperbolic, but there's really no other way to say it. The film delivers in a way that should satisfy almost every fan, no matter how well-versed and invested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe they may already be, and should also leave audiences clamoring for more.

What's it about? 

“Avengers: Infinity War” brings Earth’s Mightiest Heroes at last up against the enemy who has been waiting in the wings since the original 2012 “Avengers” film.

Thanos (Josh Brolin), a megalomaniacal warlord driven to bring balance to the universe by culling half of its living beings, has long sought to harness the power of the six Infinity Stones in order to accomplish his goal.

Each one of the stones – Power, Space, Reality, Mind, Time, and Soul – can alter or warp an element of existence. Brought together, they can change all existence in the universe to the whims of whoever holds them.

Will Earth’s heroes, along with old friends and new allies, be enough to stop Thanos’s quest? How many will fall, and how much will be sacrificed to save trillions of lives across time and space?

Maybe or maybe not. But if we’ve learned anything over the past 18 Marvel films, it’s that they’re sure going to give it a spectacular try.

Breathtakingly epic

To say that “Avengers: Infinity War” unfolds on an epic scale is an epic understatement.

The cast of the film features 22 Marvel heroes introduced in the 18 films Marvel Studios has produced since the original “Iron Man” in 2008. The Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, almost all of them are here, and all of them have important roles to play in how the film’s action unfolds.

But remarkably, what makes it all work is the force all those performers are acting against. Often the lasting impact of a given superhero movie is determined entirely by how compelling the film’s villain turns out to be, and Brolin’s Thanos turns out to be the glue that holds the whole thing together.

Thanks to the compelling script by veteran Marvel screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFreely and directors Joe and Anthony Russo (“Captain America: Civil War”), “Avengers: Infinity War” never gets bogged down in exposition or scene chewing and never grows monotonous while executing its enormous action set pieces.

Instead, incredibly, it grants almost every member of the ensemble some sort of memorable moment while granting the Titan’s share of character weight and gravity to rest with Brolin. It’s an incredible balancing act – with so many moving parts, so many personalities and such high expectations, it just shouldn’t work.

But as Marvel has done time and again for years now, they make it work.

Lots of surprises

Needless to say, fans of the Marvel films and the comic books that spawned them have spent years speculating about just what audiences would get to see in “Avengers: Infinity War,” which along with next year’s yet-untitled “Avengers 4” are poised to be the final films featuring many of the franchise’s most memorable characters.

Whatever your level of knowledge about Marvel lore and whatever expectations you might bring into the movie based on what’s come before, it’s likely you won’t see many of the film’s surprises coming, nor should you even try.

Suffice to say, when the surprises come, they often come as gut-punches. Be prepared – the “war” in the film’s title is no joke, and no character, no matter how beloved, is safe.

Worth seeing?

“Avengers: Infinity War” has sold more presale tickets than the last nine Marvel films combined. To declare this film “event viewing” is almost another epic understatement.

If you’re a fan of this genre and the films this studio has given life to over the past decade, it’s not even a question – you’re going to see this movie, and probably more than once.

For those on the fence or for those who can take or leave superhero films, “Avengers: Infinity War” should be seen just for its sheer entertainment value, and the opportunity to see so much tremendous talent collected on screen, all having fun, all utilized for maximum effect.

Please note, casual movie goers: you may need to bring your best Marvel fanboy or fangirl friend with you to help you recognize everyone and pick up on all the references to past films.

If you don’t, well, you’re still quite likely to have a great time. Just don’t forget to stay through the end of the credits.

Avengers: Infinity War

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillen, Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Idris Elba, Danai Gurira, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benecio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, and Chris Pratt. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo.
Running time: 149 minutes
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, language and some crude references.