Thank you! I absolutely detest Superhero movies. Sorry they have forced you out of criticism. Would have rather you stayed and they stopped. I totally agree with this. "The noisy, bloated spectacles of combat were surely the most expensive parts of the movie, but the money seems less like an imaginative tool than a substitute for genuine imagination."
hi there avenger's i biggest fan of peter parke and cliton and hawkeye so cool
Superhero stories can tap into ancient mythological potential. Audiences respond to the concept of a person mining exaggerated power from their misfortunes or character flaws, and that's always been the humanistic draw, especially for children. What the MCU has become - one-dimensional technocrats saving the planet - does not constitute this kind of humanism.
1
I have resisted watching these because I was embarrassed for the fine actors, some of our best actually, all rushing to join the comic book cash-in. Will we never see them in adult movies again? In many cases (Robert Downey as one example), probably not. But then a 25-year-old in my life told me I "had" to watch Avengers: Infinity War because it is free on streaming, the implication being I had no more excuses. I watched. I get and agree with the issues Mr. Scott's discusses, but there were moments of beauty and real emotion I wasn't expecting, perhaps because the actors are so fine. For better or worse, these are the myths of our time, and these are the stories that are connecting with young people I know. Resistance is indeed futile.
2
The reviewer mentioned Thor's repeatedly calling Rocket "rabbit". I don't think it was meant to be funny in the same way each time. That would really dilute the humor. What they were trying to show was that Rocket never corrected him, indicating his attraction to and respect for Thor. If Thor only referred to him as a rabbit once we wouldn't get that about Rocket's point of view.
1
Mr. A.O. Scott, I love you. LOL I wish I was able to hear your running commentary during the movie, Example: Doctor Strange and Tony Stark "stage a Sherlock Holmes meta-duel and compare goatees." I laughed on that one for a full 30 seconds, because what you say is absolutely true, and WAY funnier and funner than the movie.
4
This movie is a theme-park and literature combination. As theme-park, it is spectacle with lots of noise. As literature, or specifically comics, it adds drama tension metaphors comedy and more using cinematic devices.
And because it could be a never-ending series, it can also be glorified TV.
Maybe it should have a genre of its own, i.e. fantasy cinema? graphic novel cinema? cinematic television? teenage mutant serial films?
2
I both looked forward to this film and enjoyed it, but I can easily see how as a film, Black Panther worked so much better in terms of story, directorial vision, cohesion and villain character. Both entertained me but I only walked away from Black Panther with deeper thoughts and questions about the world we live in.
4
Once again, the Times's film critics prove just how increasingly out of touch they are progressively propulsing toward with the moviegoing public (as opposed to the filmgoing cognoscenti). It's one thing to criticize a film with eyes wide open; it's a another to be snarkily supercilious about how you as a person (not a critic) are above such plebian diversions. Mssr. Scott & Ms. Dargis need to revisit their humanity and realize that not everyone is seeking Truffaut-ian heights of impressionistic cinema. Some of us minions just want to be entertained.
I beg the editors-in-chief to instate a critic both well-versed in historical analysis, AND with some semblance of a perception of the pulse of the movie fans at-large, or the Times will continue to further attenuate its former grip as a go-to cinematic benchmark journalistically: RottenTomatoes already routinely fails to highlight the current Times' reviews in its typical masthead. Should anyone doubt such a specimen exists, I give you two names: Vincent Canby & Janet Maslin. So it can be done.
6
@TishTash
Well some of us minions also recognize there's something between Truffaut and Transformers -- the big dumb action movie that entertains and also changes what we expect out of such movies. These aren't elusive beasts only caught by the most discriminating of tastes, they are extremely popular movies, and widely acclaimed as being innovative:
Aliens, Terminator 2, Matrix, Dark Knight, and to some extent like mentioned in this article Guardians, Ragnarok, Black Panther, etc...
And so yes, there are a lot of us who enjoy the big explosions but can still call a dumb spade a dumb spade. It raises the question that Scott did in the article -- are some movies not meant to be critiqued?
4
there are no words that describe the emotion of this movie when you see it, the content is so good, the effects and every part of the movie is unique and special you could see it many times more and it deserves that and more.
1
Meh, I disagree. Yes, the Gamora/Thanos relationship packed emotional punch, but very little else did, and that includes the playing out of Peter Quill's forced promise to Gamora. Every other moment of potential pathos was undercut by the incessant need to either spout bravura or engage in superhero bantering ("Hey, here in the Marvel Universe, we have a sense of humor, unlike those morose folks over at D.C. Comics.") Some of the banter was quite funny: I particularly liked the "Who is Gamora" routine, as well as Peter Quill having his manhood threatened by the mere presence of Thor. Still, a little goes a long way, and most of the banter was simply tiresome or took away from the pathos of what was otherwise going on. And while Thanos, who, unlike Peter Quill's father, only wanted to destroy half the universe's population instead of all of it, brought a seriousness to the super villain role one does not normally see, the cult worship blatherings of his minions simply did not fit. As for the effects, just how many times do we need to see super heroes and super villains engaging in what amount to CGI barroom brawls? And as for the finale, it is hard to get too emotionally invested in anything shown, when with the right Infinity Stone, one can simply alter the past. If it is emotion you want, and real consequences, go see "A Quiet Place" instead.
3
Why is he acting like he can't tell spoilers to actually review the plot? Just give a warning and let loose. Without that, just seems like you're bitter toward the movie for no good reason and using the "weaponized mob" as your excuse and petty jab at the audience.
1
Do you still live in Marvel's universe if you think those movies are stupid light shows for dumb people to spend their money on?
3
No, you exist in "I'm so superior to my fellow human beings that I can't even stand myself"-ville.
2
I first read Mr. Scott's review prior to seeing "Infinity Wars," and my impression was that he was pulling his punches, resigned to the fact that the film was going to be a commercial juggernaut regardless of anything he might write. So why antagonize us, the "obedient, weaponized minions" (otherwise known as moviegoers)? That is never good, whether one agrees or disagrees with a particular critic's review. However, having now seen "Infinity Wars," I have a better appreciation for Mr. Scott's review. I am still disappointed by his figurative "what's the point" shrugging of his critic's shoulders that comprises the first half of his review. In the second half of his review, however, Mr. Scott bucks up and offers a spot on dissection of "Infinity Wars," both the good and the bad. There, was that really all that hard, Mr. Scott?
3
I would almost argue that this misses the point. I am a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I will admit, and that probably shadowed my judgement of the movie but I enjoyed it all the same.
The point of these movies is not to have some deep insight into our world; it's to have fun. I don't watch comic book movies to develop a deeper understanding of race relations or oppression. I walk into a movie theater and expect to be entertained, to like the characters, have a chuckle and walk out.
Not everything has to be profound to be considered "good". (And I think that this is something that DC misses too) Some people enjoy trap music or dubstep for the same reason that others like Marvel movies. I personally don't but they each have their place.
5
Wrong on just about everything. I see this a lot from people who think they know the Marvel Universe history just because they watched all of the movies.
The movies have borrowed heavily from material in the comics from like 20 and 30 years ago. The Civil War happened 10 years ago in the Comics. The Infinity War was 20 years ago. Stormbreaker, Thor's new hammer, is borrowed from a storyline from 30 years ago where Odin gave a survivor of an alien race the weapon so he can have the same powers as Thor. Technically Ragnarok hasn't happened, unless you count Thor #300. The infinity stones, or gems as they were called in the Comics were discussed in detail. The first gem, the Soul Gem was in the possession of Warlock for decades, until a writer decided to build a story about five other gems, when combined gives one the power of a god.
There was a trilogy to be exact: Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War and then Infinity Crusade.
7
The major reason for the Warner Brothers’ lack of success with their post- Nolan franchise is humor. Marvel Studios gets it. Give us a good time, while dropping in human emotional stuff with a strong dash of humor.
Zach Snyder doesn’t understand that. For him it’s just dark, dark and more muddled dark visual stuff. Clever with his slo-mo action stuff? Ok.
It’s a pattern with his films and, I think, Warner has backed the wrong horse.
1
Good points. However, it is also important to recognize that the source materials from the comics differed greatly between the DC and Marvel franchises. Over their respective comic universes, DC always cast the heroic archetype against some mega-villain or a catastrophic act of nature. DC heroes inhabited a world of metaphor where characters' actions were distinctly motivated either by purely good or bad intentions. The heroic acts were realized through powerful mission-driven misfits who always looked like leading men or ladies with amazing talents from alien worlds or mystically hidden lands on Earth. In the DCU, even the cities were metaphoric simulacrums of real cities for their heroes characters: futuristic and sun-filled Metropolis for Superman vs. gothic and lugubrious Gotham City for Batman. The MCU advanced a different message: life ain't simple and it ain't easy. In Marvel's reality, heroic powers came not only with responsibility, but also at a price. In some cases, Marvel heroes might even look like monsters. Moreover, Marvel heroes--even their pinup variety--often created the very havoc through their own human failings that they or their super-colleagues then had to mitigate, again sometimes at a truly great price. And they did it all in real American cities that we could recognized in the storytelling. So fifty years later, guess which franchise had better confected source material for cinematic success?
3
Reading this review was almost as fun as watching Marvel films.
I love my low-brow-schlock and no studio does it better than Marvel.
12
The one thing I was looking for that I am always disappointed in Marvel movies is the fact that no one was "safe". You know the formula. That each marvel character gets three movies, so characters like Spiderman, GoTG and Dr. Strange, who are still working on their first or second movie, would never die because Marvel needs to squeeze one or two more movie out of them.
Having said that, the end of this movie was very unsatisfying, in the way that Luke's Death in The Last Jedi was so unsatisfying. I like much of the movie, but when it matter, it did nothing but let me down.
3
There are some great thought nuggets in this piece, but yikes, it's so weirdly dismissive and pretentious. The section about the taboo against spoilers could be removed if Scott just put a "Spoilers: All" tag at the top. And while I appreciate the recognition that Infinity War isn't a stand-alone movie but "a chunk of matter in the Marvel Universe," a review on Infinity War doesn't need to be a critique on the MCU or the superhero genre as a whole. Those are valuable insights, but warrant their own piece. This article doesn't really get into the review until the final two grafs — again, lots of interesting commentary, but not exactly the right stage and certainly too snarky.
10
My dad was a big Star Wars/ Indiana Jones fan, so my childhood was filled with supernatural movies and I’ve been a big fan of fantasy ever since. What Disney/Marvel has done with this franchise is truly incredible. They’ve continued to work with some of the biggest names in Hollywood while still keeping the films relevant for decades. There is a joy that these films bring me that the real world cannot always give. At the end of every Marvel movie, viewers leave feeling excited, hopeful, and maybe even a little more inclined to do the right thing (Although I did not leave this movie feeling hopeful). Marvel has learned how to lean into the corniness of its characters in order for viewers to accept these movies for what they are and thoroughly enjoy them.
The great thing about this film was that they stayed true to the characters I have come to fall in love with. Each heroe’s personality shone threw so much that you got to have a good laugh while you rooted for each one both individually and collectively. Marvel’s mistake was that, while for years we’ve seen Thanos and know he’s coming, we don’t know enough about Thanos to truly understand his motive. I’m interested to see how they pick up the next movie. I’m sure it will be creative, maybe even a little corny, but I know that I’ll still have a great time watching it.
12
At 2 hours and 40 minutes, not including 20 minutes of trailers and 15 minutes of pre-tailer commercials, I will wait until I can watch from the comfort of home with a pause button and proximity to the bathroom.
4
Maybe it's a mid-life crisis, but I've become pretty attached to these characters and have found myself just as moved in many Marvel movies as I have been by "serious" films that garner a "Critic's Choice."
21
Whatever one thinks of this movie, this was really an enjoyable review to read. Really. Loved it. Got your view of the movie (whether one agrees with it or not) and it was terrific to read. Great break in the workday reading this.
7
About an hour into Infinity War, I walked out. It felt like a Gilligan's Island reunion, except without some willing substitute actor slipped in to play the Professor. I've been a big fan of comic book movies over the years, including recent ones like Thor: Ragnorak, Dead Pool, and Dr. Strange -- each of which show that the genre can still be clever and interesting. This one, however, felt like the inevitable destination for a decades-long project that spanned a dozen or more movies and ultimately died at the hands of a very real villain, the infamous Dr. Giant Profit Machine. If for some reason you want to be reminded of what it really feels like to waste your time, go.
11
I went, didn't waste my time.
9
I disagree. I found the movie a lot more engaging and interesting enough than its previous iterations.
I have watched it once and I intend to watch it again coming weekend. ; )
9
Oh you're one of those. Only read the "classics", only watch public television sparingly, listens exclusively to "serious" music ("The Beatles? Who?) and whose idea of a good time to have riveting discussion about fluctuations in the Belgium cheese prices over a nice glass of merlot (domestic).
Life can be just enjoyed.
8
Ho hum. How boring is this type of film that has to rely on CGI to generate any kind of thrill?
I outgrew cartoons when I passed the age of 10. It's a sad commentary that films like this have an audience that considers them to be great entertainment.
I'll pass, thank you.
2
May I honestly ask why you feel compelled to read an article about, and comment upon, a superhero movie if you have outgrown such things? If you are so mature why feel the need to show your supposed superiority to such juvenile fare?
For clarification, these aren't cartoons nor are they based on cartoons. If you are interested in experiencing animation I recommend Hayao Mizaki's Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.
18
I realize the film is not a cartoon Paul, but with CGI used to such an extent it might as well be. I read the article because I love film and wanted to get Scott’s take on this one.
But I agree with you that I came off as pretentious.
3
Fair question, Paul. You’re right.
3
"‘Let the Sunshine In’ Shows the Complex Radiance of Juliette Binoche"
What do you expect after reading a headline like that ? Are you kidding ?
In the SAME paper that reviews the Marvel Avengers ?
You mean the absolutely BORING, completely uninteresting radiance of Juliette Binoche ?
Sure , Infinity war is just a super hero Pastiche, but it it sure is a good one.No, it's not art, but it sure is fun. Can you say the same for such half - baked fare ? Of course A.O. - you would, but most would not - ever
3
Mr. Scott seems to have forgotten that this is a COMIC BOOK movie. Instead of trying to apply some twisted, high brow, philosophical logic he would be better off debating if Captain America is stronger than Spider Man. The word verbose does not even do it justice. If it is pointless to complain (which it is), why does he then proceed to do exactly that, in spades? Why would a reviewer ever possibly wonder why the plot is kept top secret and he shouldn't reveal details? Mr. Scott, that's why it's called a 'spoiler'. Yes, I am a fan and enjoyed the film, but I have never felt so irked or annoyed by a !@#* movie review! And did he really imply that Marvel 'shrewdly' crafted this to be a statement on our society? Now I am laughing.
8
Infinity War movie was insipid. How's that for succinct?
4
Movies should be fun and this one achieves and excels. Critics have a job to do and it is unfortunate many are disconnected from the tastes of film audiences. People go to the moves to escape the drama of daily life. This movie was fun and entertaining and I was happy to spend money to see it.
7
Fun? That was the furthest thing from my mind as I sat through an hour's worth of a movie that made me feel acutely that I was wasting precious time. I consider myself lucky for having walked out early.
3
If these movies are so hard to criticize why does Mr. Scott continue to bother himself with them? There were, at last count, approximately 60 film reviewers on The Times' staff with each of the two "chief critics" authoring no more than three reviews per week. Last I looked they passed up opportunities for reviewing movies by Fassbinder, Ozon, Assayas, Wenders and Bruno Dumont in order to not tell us what they think about the individual episodes of the Marvel Comic Books series. Thanks for nothing.
10
We get it, you don't like Mr. Scott, you're a broken record.
Criticizing him will not land you a job at the NYT.
11
Seems like Scott's criticism isn't so much for the movie itself, but the IDEA of why this movie exists at all. If you've never been on the Marvel train, you aren't going to like the movie that brings a decade worth of universe-building into one film.
15
The movie is great! Who goes to an Avengers movie expecting more than comic book fun??
8
I found the first hour very entertaining, mainly because of the great humor in the Guardians of the Galaxy scenes. Why couldn't their second movie have been written like that? The action and urgency kept my attention, too, keeping me from noticing the lack of a main character arc -- or any character's arc, really. But then came the rest of the movie, and it just got really slow and sagged. Then I started getting major Marvel fatigue. There were some bright spots along the way, but the rest of the movie was pretty dull, and here I really noticed the lack of any character arc to give some emotional substance to all the explosions.
3
It's odd. I agree with almost everything Mr. Scott wrote about Infinity War, but I loved it. I thought it was terrific, the absolute best Avengers movie made yet, and by a considerable margin. Part of the reason why is the formula Marvel has found for presenting its stories. A generous bit of self mocking fun, a little character development, conflict and pathos, big brawling fights and a twist at the end that's both a surprise and a lead in for the next movie works for me. Those elements have been burnished to a high gloss in Marvel's best movies, which for me are almost all the ones produced since 2016 - Thor 3, Homecoming, Dr. Strange, Black Panther and Infinity War - as well as the first Guardians of the Galaxy and the first Iron Man shows. Sure, it's all formula with a twist, but what's wrong with that? After all, Casablanca was suppose to be just a standard studio movie built around a standard love story. None of Marvel's movies is a Casablanca by a long shot, but success in art depends on establishing a common language and set of expectations without becoming boring. Marvel has succeeded in doing this with their best movies. So Wakanda forever, continue assembling Avengers, and hurrah for our friendly neighborhood Spider-man.
28
It was one of the most insufferably boring films I've ever walked out of after an hour. It was painful.
1
Yes, the movie was barely a movie. Just a collection of characters interacting. The characters felt like committee-designed facsimiles. The big purple guy’s motivations were unrelatable. Then the movie just ends on an emotionless note. I walked out as soon as I saw the credits roll. It was kind of fun, of course.
5
Waiting for the first fanboy to weigh in and explain how we all just don't get it, or how silly we are that we didn't catch the Jungian metaphors of Thanos or the classic Marvelian mythologies of blah blah blah...
I quite like some of the Marvel output so far. But listening to the fawning, uncritical fans is like listening to a college freshman blather about Kant halfway through his 101 course...you know they don't know jack, but they'll happily talk your ear off, anyway.
27
"...his (Thanos') malevolence is laced with melancholy, and there is a ghastly grandeur to his ambition."
Yeah, sort of like a nine-foot tall, purple-skinned, ripped-on-steroids version of Paul "The Population Bomb" Ehrlich.
3
Wow this reviewer is so clever, cool, and above it all. I feel bad for him that he can't process the capstone nature of these movies that rely on the many predecessor movies and build on them...maybe just confine your reviews to stand-alone movies until you figure it out. Complaining about superhuman battles and people shooting energy rays at each other in a super hero movie is a bit like complaining about horses in a western. But I guess it fills column-inches.
Complaining about not being able to give away spoilers because people who haven't seen a movie yet might be angry about that, was just icing on the cake.
27
It was very good, but not necessarily the best. It was much darker and ending had an unexpected twist. If anything, it was like going to a Chinese Buffet, where one is overwhelmed with the sheer variety and volume of food. There is a lot going on in this movie, but the 2 hours and 40 minutes go by pretty fast.
5
I’m inclined to think that this is not a film for adults - and, likely, adults are not the mammals meant to review it. Certainly not at the length you gave it. I start skimming about chapter 17.
1
I saw Infinity war last night and found it immensely enjoyable. I'm a fan of the franchise and this film will be debated in the nerd kingdom for the next year. One thing you know when you follow Marvel or DC is superheroes never die. Looking forward to Avengers 4 next May.
13
I agree with you A.O. Scott. I saw this movie last night, and while it's not a perfect movie by any means, it is a darn good time and one of the better installments in the Marvel Universe.
But I agree with you in the fact that there is no use in voicing complaints. They have a formula, they nail it here. Who doesn't love giant action sequences, rooting for your favorite hero? (Mine happens to be Hawkeye, so no cheering for me in this one.)
Everyone has something to root for, take what it is at face value, applaud them for pulling off a feat as large as this as well as they did, and simply enjoy it. There's no use in arguing.
9
I thought Infinity War had everything I wanted in a superhero movie. Stellar cast, jam packed with action, well-timed jokes, and some heart-breaking scenes (Tom Holland, omg).
There is something very formulaic about this movies, but by god, I am a sucker for them on opening weekend. There's just nothing like watching a movie in a full theater, laughing with the audience and hearing gasps. It's fun!
33
A.O. Scott, You are an artist, a craftsman, a comedian and I thank you for the privilege of reading your reviews and for the pride you take in your work. A visceral pleasure to read -- much more fun than the movie.
32
He's so cool and above it all! Does he complain about horses in western movies too?
8
We saw the movie tonight and A.O. Scott nailed this review.
"So cool and above it all"? You're mistaking him with Dargis.
2