The Long Plot, Sans Spoilers
It's a post-Snap world and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) rescues Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) from space and brings them back to Earth. With the help of Nebula, the remaining Avengers try and track down Thanos to reverse the Snap. They succeed in finding him, but they were too late and he's already destroyed the Infinity Stones. Defeated, the Avengers go back to Earth and try and move on with their lives.
It's five years later and the Avengers have gone their separate ways, with Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) the only one left trying to monitor the world's safety after Thanos succeeded in erasing half of life. Elsewhere, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) emerges from the back of a van, having been stuck in the quantum realm, surviving the Snap. This gives him an idea to reverse what Thanos has done. He finds Captain America (Chris Evans) and the other Avengers, and with them, they ask for The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Tony's help in carrying out their plan.
They decide on a plan: travel back to their own timelines to find the Infinity Stones and create their own gauntlet to reverse Thanos' Snap. They round up the remaining Avengers and we see how their lives look in the aftermath of Thanos. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has locked himself from the rest of the world and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has turned into a vigilante assassin. Eventually, the original Avengers get back together, along with Nebula, Scott, and Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and travel to designated moments in their past.
Taking the Infinity Stones from past moments doesn't go as smoothly as they planned, and an epic battle to save the present and the future ensue with all of our favorite superheroes making sacrifices for the good of the universe.
The Short, Honest Plot
It's a three-hour space/time adventure that is every bit the culmination of 10 years and 22 movies. It's a thrilling thank you to MCU fans—a conclusion to Marvel's three-phase saga while teasing the possibilities of what comes next.
The Actors And Where You Last Saw Them:
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man
The MCU has kept its Iron Man very busy, and Robert Downey Jr. has rarely done work outside of Marvel in the last couple of years. He starred in Jon Favreau's (he plays Happy in the Marvel movies) Chef in 2014, a drama entitled The Judge, and played Sherlock Holmes in the franchise directed by Guy Ritchie.
Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
While not kicking butt as Black Widow for the MCU, Scarlett Johansson is a prolific actress. In 2017, she starred in the comedy Rough Night and the thriller Ghost In The Shell. You may also recognize her voice, lending them to roles in movies like Isle Of Dogs, The Jungle Book, and the Oscar-nominated film, Her.
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America
Before Captain America, Chris Evans played another Marvel superhero: Johnny Storm of Fantastic Four in the pre-MCU movies in 2005 and 2007. He was also in romantic comedies like What's Your Number? opposite Anna Faris, Before We Go opposite Alice Eve, and Playing It Cool opposite Michelle Monaghan. You may have also seen him in the 2013 thriller Snowpiercer.
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Chris Hemsworth last played Thor in Infinity War and the hilarious Thor: Ragnarok. Other than playing this Asgardian god, he showed his comedic chops in the Ghostbusters reboot in 2016. He also starred in other franchises like Star Trek (he was Captain Kirk's dad in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness) and The Huntsman in Snow White And The Huntsman (2012) and The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016).
Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye
When not playing a badass SHIELD agent, Jeremy Renner usually stars in Oscar-nominated movies like Arrival and American Hustle. He's a two-time Oscar nominee himself for his work in The Town (2010) and The Hurt Locker (2008). His other action movie blockbusters include two Mission Impossible movies, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013), and The Bourne Legacy (2012).
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk
Before he made The Hulk loveable, Mark Ruffalo starred in iconic romcoms like 13 Going On 30 in 2004 and Just Like Heaven in 2005. Most recently, you may have seen him in Now You See Me 2 and critically-acclaimed movies like 2015's Spotlight and 2014's The Normal Heart.
Did You Know:
1. This is the first film in the MCU that acknowledges the existence of the TV universe. James D'Arcy, who plays Howard Stark's driver Edwin Jarvis, reprises the role he originated in ABC's short-lived Agent Carter TV series.
2. Endgame may be the end of an era for some of these iconic characters, but they will live on in new TV shows for Disney's newest streaming platform, Disney+. Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes) and Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson) will reprise their roles in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Vision (Paul Bettany) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) will reunite in WandaVision, and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) will star in a Loki TV show.
3. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo kept the plot of the movie tightly under wraps, even to the cast. Only Robert Downey Jr. got to read the full script, and cast members like Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange) only getting scripts for scenes they're part of. Even Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) said she would be called to set without a script for guidance.
4. The Philippines was one of 12 lucky countries that got to see Avengers: Endgame two days ahead of the rest of the world. It opened in 970 cinemas on April 24, with screenings as early as 6:00 a.m.!
5. Brie Larson shot her scenes for Avengers: Endgame before filming Captain Marvel. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly (Hope van Dyne/The Wasp) were filming Ant-Man And The Wasp the same time they filmed their scenes for Endgame.
What I Think:
Who could forget the ending to Infinity War? We watched as our newer faves literally vanished in front of our eyes. Endgame picks up where Infinity War left off, with half of all life gone and the rest left to pick up the pieces. The grief and struggle after the Snap isn't the main focus of Endgame. Instead, it focuses on the last embers of the fight inside our broken heroes and their hope that they'll be able to make things right again.
Of course, that makes for a more thrilling adventure movie than watching how Steve processes his grief in group therapy, or how Thor slowly lets himself go, or how Natasha seems alone in making sure whoever's left keeps Avenging. We also don't see how Bruce manages to bring together his dual personas in a human-Hulk hybrid that bears Bruce's brains and the Hulk's brawn, how Clint turns into a mad vigilante, or even how Tony, with Pepper, start again.
Even when we only get glimpses of what happened to the original Avengers after Thanos did what he did, it's clear that the movie will focus primarily on the first six Avengers. They come together as they always have, and go off on their own adventures that are very rewarding if you've been watching for the last 10 years. They prove their bravery and growth and even show their vulnerability in these adventures and we see how well they come together, but also how great they are individually.
Marvel's humorous tone is still present, even with the very serious events in the movie. There are plenty of moments where you will laugh, or maybe even cry. It culminates in an epic fight scene that will make you cheer and clap and whoop, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo knowing exactly how to bring the heroes together to create unforgettable showdowns and hero moments and interactions among characters from different movies.
The movie is largely plot-driven, and one of those sorts of movies that require suspension of disbelief. It involves time travel, so there's definitely going to be moments and choices that will make you scratch your head. Of course, if you're a fan and you've been around this long, it's easy to forgive even the gaping plot holes.
Overall, Endgame was a satisfying high-stakes adventure that was at times even unpredictable. You never know what will happen until it finally does, and that's saying something for a franchise with devoted fans who have seen it all across 22 movies.
I'd Recommend It To:
The bad news is, this movie is 100 percent for Marvel fans. If this is your first-ever Marvel movie, following the plot isn't too difficult, but a lot of the callbacks to previous movies and stories will go over your head. There are also plenty of emotional beats that may be hard to appreciate if you haven't been in this ride with the characters for the past decade.
The great news is, this movie is 100 percent for Marvel fans and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys these films. It doesn't matter if you haven't seen all of them, or you're not a diehard fan. It's big and enjoyable and doesn't feel like three hours at all. I haven't seen all 21 movies that came before this one but enjoyed this immensely.
While you'll have fun watching this movie even if you're by yourself, watching with a packed cinema is highly recommended. The crowd will definitely hype you up for moments you didn't even think you'd "get" or enjoy.