The Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008 with the introduction of Iron Man, where the focus of the film was building their universe with the cornerstone quote, “I am Iron Man.”

Today, for the 10-year anniversary of the MCU, Avengers: Infinity War tackles a far more complex theme as it pits the universe’s greatest heroes against their most feared villain. The latest installment packs more superheroes in its 24 frames per second, than any other superhero movie to date, and promises to tie together 10 years of storytelling. The heartbreak begins with Loki’s (Tom Hiddleston) foreboding sentiment, “I assure you, brother, the sun will shine on us again.”

With such a star-studded cast of larger-than-life heroes with egos to match, Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr. Strange, Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Chris Evans’ Captain America, and many more, the question is posed, can the movie really give its hungry fans the rich storyline that can be guaranteed, when each hero has his own franchise? The answer is an absolute and resounding, ‘Yes!’ Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely crafts a screenplay that expertly delivers a compelling journey for every superhero while directors Anthony and Joe Russo marry the anticipated Marvel humor with the darkness and tragedy the trailers allude to.

Their craft shines most brilliantly when our heroes come together to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) from collecting all six Infinity Stones. Egomanics trying to complete derring-dos is a perfect recipe for humor, and they encapsulate it best when our heroes are meeting. Tony Stark and Dr. Strange meet in the Sanctum Sanctorum and, surprising to no one, their all too similar larger-than-life personalities clash. Tony asks Dr. Strange what his job is since it seems that he just makes balloon animals and Dr. Strange quickly and dryly responds with, “protecting your reality, douchebag.” Later, Star Lord meets Thanos on Knowhere and as he comes to help Gamora he yells, “let her go, Grimace!” This is the humor we have come to love and a magnificent way to cushion the catastrophe that lies ahead.

Tragedy is the backbone of each hero’s storyline as their journey to defeat the villainous Thanos has each of them answer one essential question: What does it cost to be a hero in a world where there are no easy answers? The dreadful foreboding from Thanos at the film’s open sets the tone and foreshadows the loss that each hero will have to endure as they fail to balance their personal persona with their heroic one.

The climax will catch any Marvel fan off guard and leave them with far more questions than answers in this beautifully devastating precursor to the final ‘Avengers’ movie, set to come out in April 2019.

We are finally introduced to Thanos (Josh Brolin), who until this movie has been a mysterious figure, who we knew meant trouble but were not aware the extent his power would have on the entire MCU. Thanos believes that his actions are intended to be merciful, and that, in order to sustain life, there must be balance which can only be achieved through sacrifice. That sacrifice is viewed as randomly having half of the population in the galaxy cease to exist so that the limited natural resources may renew, and the population can better themselves– an ideology reminiscent of Sir Francis Galton’s theory of eugenics where people with “fit” traits were encouraged to reproduce while those with “undesirable” traits faced forced sterilization. So begins Thanos’ journey with the Infinity Gauntlet to collect all six Infinity Stones and thus bring balance to the universe on a grand and cosmic scale. As he continues to collect one after the other, our superheroes are hit with a grim realization that evil not only may, but could, win.

Along with Thano’s determination and brute force, he brings a philosophical intelligence that we haven’t seen in a Marvel villain to date. It brings into question if Thanos is truly a villain or an anti-hero, as we see him struggle to choose between the one thing he loves and ultimate power. Brolin’s masterful depiction of the character shows this conquering beast with an unexpectedly tangible emotional dimension, making him much more than just a villain.

Gamora (Zoe Saldana) is the adopted daughter of Thanos. Since he murdered her family and species when she was little, Gamora has cultivated a deep loathing and hatred for her adoptive father, and his constant, almost incessant, desire to “bring balance to the universe by wiping out half of all life.” Their relationship plays a pivotal part in Infinity War’s plot and actualization of the tragic theme set by Thanos at the beginning. We see that theirs is a relationship of constant disappointment, heartbreak, and inevitable suffering. Without giving too much away, their bond and relationship are put to the test as Thanos contemplates what he is willing to sacrifice, and in the blink of an eye we are no longer in the campy, familiar nature of a Marvel movie but fully enveloped in a classic tragedy tale. Saldana’s expert characterization of a daughter who’s torn between what is right and familial love gives us a hero who is as broken as the world she is trying to save.

Tony Stark struggles with his dual desire to defeat the menace that is Thanos and truly begin his life and family with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Tony has been plagued by Thanos since the first Avengers film, as he tried to rebuild himself into the hero that would stop Thanos and keep Earth safe from all alien threats. After failed attempts to protect Earth in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man 3, and Captain America: Civil War, we now see Tony promise Pepper that there will be no more surprises in their life. Just then Dr. Strange and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) appear to recruit him against his ultimate plaguer, Thanos. Tony joins them without hesitation and it isn’t until he’s on Ebony Maw’s (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) ship that he has contact with Pepper one last time, where she tells him to come back, come home, and he tells her that he can’t. This is his chance to end the reign of terror that Thanos has had on them, mainly him, for years and he can’t let that chance slip through his hands. Later, when he is on Titan and facing Thanos with the Guardians and Spider-Man (Tom Holland), he is willing to do whatever it takes to stop Thanos, even if it means his life. In those moments, Downey embodies a man torn and broken as well as a hero who wants to protect and serve. He gives us a hero who knows that defeating evil comes at a cost and that even a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist may be asked to give the ultimate sacrifice in order for good to stand a chance against evil.

The climax will catch any Marvel fan off guard and leave them with far more questions than answers in this beautifully devastating precursor to the final Avengers movie, set to come out in April 2019. You can bet that every viewer will watch this film over and over to find clues and hidden Easter Eggs, in order to see what could be in store for our champions. Be sure to stay through the credits as there is a scene that doesn’t give too many answers but offers some insight into possibilities for the MCU that will have fans debating what it all means…until the next installment. 

149 minutes. ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is rated PG-13. Opened Friday, April 27th and is playing everywhere.