[Movies] Avengers: Infinity War, Parts I & II [SPOILERS!!!]

[DD*]

Quick observation about a one-liner joke:

Spoiler:

I laughed out loud when StarLord called Thanos "Grimace." Nobody else did. Then I realized I was in a theater full of millennials who had no clue who Grimace is. Damn I'm old.

I thought that was hilarious myself, and had the same thought - it went right over my kids' heads.

[Sectoid]

Quick observation about a one-liner joke:

Spoiler:

I laughed out loud when StarLord called Thanos "Grimace." Nobody else did. Then I realized I was in a theater full of millennials who had no clue who Grimace is. Damn I'm old.

Spoiler:

[Zaxxon]

I largely agree with Scalzi. (Spoilers, ho!)

Spoiler:

I mean, not that there's a lot that I think Marvel could have done about this. But I had the same 'lolz, ok, dudes' reaction to much of the ending, simply because nope.

[Fireball]

Spoiler:

To me, the point of the second part isn't whether the characters who turned to dust at the end of the Part 1 come back, but what will it take to bring them back, and what will the price be?

[hepcat]

Spoiler:

I would agree with Scalzi only if

1) I felt that Marvel was planning on just performing one huge ass, cheap deus ex machina in part 2 in order to bring folks back from the dead. As Fireball writes, there's going to be sacrifices most likely. And I think they're going to be world changing for many of the characters.

2) The stakes hadn't been mentioned throughout the entire film (and in previous films in the franchise to boot). This wasn't some cheap stunt. We were told all along what would happen if Thanos succeeded.

3) I detected even the slightest whiff of insincerity in any of the deaths.

I can see where he's coming from, but I feel like he's unfairly judging it based on his own cynicism (which was most likely gained over years of bad hollywood scriptwriting).

[Zaxxon]

Oh, I agree. I'm not suggesting that this means it was bad by any means, or won't eventually pay off. Just that

Spoiler:

the impact ain't what it 'should' be, since they may as well have put 'most or all of those dudes will return' at the end. Because, like, they star in future already-announced movies.

For something like this to really have been pulled off, it'd have to have been the end of a 'phase' without pre-announcing half a dozen related movies.

[Kelric]

Spoiler:

Some thoughts: The Avengers (and rabbit) who survived Thanos' cull are Iron-Man, Thor, Rocket, Black Widow, Captain America, Hulk and War Machine. Other than Rocket, who, in theory, is the only one of his species, the rest are all long-time Avengers whose movie contracts may or may not be running out. We'll probably be seeing the majority of them sacrificing themselves to save the universe and actually dying or losing their powers in the next movie. Maybe they discover that Strange did something with the Time Stone, or maybe the Soul Stone simply stores people rather than destroying them, who knows, but they'll need to die to beat Thanos.

Alternatively, there is now a new universe that has splintered off from this one and those who were dusted exist there and the survivors exist here. In order to combine the life of those universes back into one, or to save one or the other or both, etc., there are sacrifices made by the Avengers.

To paraphrase Braveheart: not everybody really dies, but not everybody really lives.

[gameoverman]

Oh, I agree. I'm not suggesting that this means it was bad by any means, or won't eventually pay off. Just that

Spoiler:

the impact ain't what it 'should' be

I agree with this for one reason and that's because

Spoiler:

Peter Parker's last scene was fantastic in providing that impact. So that proves that it was possible for this movie to play out like it did and still have a heavy emotional impact even though we all know this isn't the end for these characters. It didn't though, which is why Parker's scene stands out so much. Maybe that scene works so well because the actor delivered and the others didn't, or maybe the filmmakers intended that scene to be the sole provider of the emotional impact. I don't know, but for me it wasn't enough. I like the movie but I wouldn't say it delivered on the feels, outside that one scene.

[hepcat]

I think the Spider-Man scene was always intended to be the only one they focused on amidst all the others.

[Jag]

Can we just put spoilers in the title? It would be much easier to discuss.

Anyway, something I read about Spidey..

Spoiler:

Supposedly his freak out about dying had to do with his spider sense just amping up his sense of doooom.

Also, found this on Reddit and thought it was pretty good.

Spoiler:

[Major Spoilers] AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR COMPLETE SUMMARYspoiler

--AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR COMPLETE SUMMARY--

MISSABLE DETAILS AND FACTS

Peter Panicked because of his SpiderSense (Yes i Cried.. Like a 2 year old kid) and Mantis, with her empathic abilities, felt that something was going wrong too.
The move where Groot stabbed three outriders was the same one his Dad used in the first GOTG when he took out a bunch of Ronan’s goons aboard his ship.
5 Characters dies before the snap.. 12 after the snap
The animation of those disappearing from the Snappening looked almost exactly like Kacelius and his disciples getting “taken” into the Dormammu dimension. Chances are they didn't die but taken into another dimension.
The Guardians arriving song The Rubber man
Rocket’s foreshadowing when he decided to comfort Thor. “Time to be the captain now..” literally the captain since he’s the last remaining Guardian.
Rocket says he has many things to lose and he looses everything in the end!
Glaive Stabs Vision first and Vision kills him by stabbing him in the back with the same weapon
Proxima attacks Wanda first and Wanda kills her at last
T'challa wasn't lying when he said that after the battle, there will be nothing left but "dust, and blood"
Thanos uses the soul stone to track the real Strange and finds out which has a soul to break the spell in their fight scene.
Thanos saying "Cursed with knowlege" and knowing Stark is because the Soul Stone gives him that knowledge.
Thor's eyes have different colors now and Thor can now summon the Bifrost on his own, and his new eye is orange like Heimdall's. Well done Rabbit.
Strange lost on Purpose
The Marvel Studios logo changes the "io " in the word Studios to the numbers "10" to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The final snap did kill exactly half the people still alive in the finale. 10 Alive: Cap, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Widow, War Machine, Rocket, Nebula, Okoye, M'Baku 10 Dead: Black Panther, Spider-Man, Dr Strange, Bucky, Wanda, Falcon, Star Lord, Drax, Mantis, Groot
The Wakandan war cry "Yibambe" is Xhosa for "hold strong."
In Age of Ultron, Tony Stark says "We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live-long day, but…that up there? That's the endgame". Then in Infinity War, when Doctor Strange literally says we're in the end game. You could just sense that "this is it". This is what we have been building up for, what we have all waited for.
When Dr. Strange gave Thanos the time stone you could see the scars on Dr. Strange’s hands and his hands still trembled due to his injury.
When Drax is eating whilst watching Peter and Gamora, the snack he is eating has Skrull lettering on it.

OTHER AWESOME THINGS AND OPINIONS

Thor and Star-Lord recapping all of their respective movies to each other, counting all of the family members each of them have lost was a nice touch
For the first time Hulk didn't want to smash
in the French-dubbed version, Tony calls Maw "Voldemort" instead of Squidward.
In the post credits scene Fury and Hill were riding in an Infiniti.
Gamora would still be alive if she went right

Food mentions in Infinity War: Tuna melt sandwich by Wong. Bowl of soup for Thor. Bunch of foil packaged rations, stolen by Thor. We will deep fry your kebab, by Scotland. Kragnuts by Drax. Bowl of soup for Gamora.

Good guy Thanos, solves climate change and all he gets as a thank you is an axe to the chest.

I’m a little disappointed we didn’t get to see Thanos obliterating Xandar.

This movie is now Officially the best Superhero movie ever made. Makes Dark knight look like a Squidworm.

The Bubbles were awesome

Hawkeye leaves for two years: half the universe dies.

[hepcat]

That list reminded me that I laughed out loud at Drax's slow motion scene.

Bautista just nails it as Drax.

[AWS260]

I think I want to see this again. There's just so much movie crammed into it.

[GuidoTKP]

I largely agree with Scalzi. (Spoilers, ho!)

Spoiler:

I mean, not that there's a lot that I think Marvel could have done about this. But I had the same 'lolz, ok, dudes' reaction to much of the ending, simply because nope.

Scalzi nails it exactly.

Spoiler:

When I read that people left the theater crying, I'm just thinking "Are you stupid?" "Are you five?" That whole movie is written, structured and presented as if the last act matters. As if there was real gravitas to the moment where Thanos ends half of creation. For that to work, you the audience have to believe that half the people in the universe died and will stay dead. Anyone half paying attention knows that's not the case. Spiderman isn't dead. Black Panther isn't dead. Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Gru, and Mants aren't dead. There's a time stone. There was a plan when Dr. Strange handed off the time stone. None of this is going to stick. And that's a problem. Because that left me feeling like I only saw half a movie with no consequences. I had no emotional response to Peter saying he doesn't want to go, because immediately, in the back of my mind, I answered him. Don't worry kid, this is only temporary. They kind of jumped the shark structurally. Thanos is too close to omnipotent. It kind of makes the whole thing boring and you're just sort of waiting for the cleverness to arrive and unwind the plot. I think you can get away with that trick if the movie is self contained and the whole thing resolves by the end. But being asked to believe what I'm seeing and then to hold that thought for a year before Part 2 comes out, when I know the whole thing was bullshit, was pretty unsatisfying.

I'm looking forward to Deadpool 2. I think it will deliver what its fans want.

[gameoverman]

For me Peter's scene works because Peter, or the actor really, makes me believe he believes it. That's all it takes. The problem for me is none of the other ones are convincing. I think I know why.

Spoiler:

It's because we see the other ones from the point of view of the ones who are left behind. In Peter's scene we get Peter's point of view, we see it from the point of view of the one leaving. That's a much more powerful way to play it. I guess you can chalk it up to his Spidey sense, but that still leaves me remembering that when it was happening, I got the impression that the others didn't even know it was happening. As far as deaths go, it wasn't a bad way to die, not knowing you were dying. And it seemed painless too. That's not emotional at all.

[JCC]

Wife and I saw this today and loved it. Awesome movie, with lots of action, but with a surprising amount of slower paced scenes to give you breaks between the action.

Spoiler:

Of course once Dr Strange said he saw the "one" way they could win, and he offered Thanos the time stone - it became (more) obvious that Thanos was going to win, and that some, most, or all deaths were going to be undone in the next movie. So yes, that diminishes the emotional element of the deaths a bit, but it's obvious that no matter how many heroes are resurrected, some are going to be killed off in the sequel. It wouldn't surprise me if most or all of the core original heroes (Thor, Cap, Iron Man) don't ultimately survive in the end.

It will be a LONG wait for next year's sequel. It would be torture if they had only filmed part 1 and made us wait the usual amount of time for the next one.

[Punisher]

That list reminded me that I laughed out loud at Drax's slow motion scene.

Bautista just nails it as Drax.

What slow motion scene? I must not have seen that...

[Grifman]

Saw it tonight at a packed house. Absolutely loved it. They did a great job giving most characters their moments, thought they blended all the characters very well. It was interesting to see who did and did not get along. Loved the hint in the closing credits. I need to go see this again.

[Fretmute]

Spoiler:

To me, the point of the second part isn't whether the characters who turned to dust at the end of the Part 1 come back, but what will it take to bring them back, and what will the price be?

Spoiler:

You already know the answer to that. It’ll be the heroes whose actor’s contacts have expired. All things considered, ending with a reality altering macguffin is brilliant.

[GargoyleBoy]

I largely agree with Scalzi. (Spoilers, ho!)

Spoiler:

I mean, not that there's a lot that I think Marvel could have done about this. But I had the same 'lolz, ok, dudes' reaction to much of the ending, simply because nope.

Scalzi's take is cynical, but not wrong.

Spoiler:

For those who haven't read the comics, and who don't follow the studio press, these deaths had the SAME impact as Han's freezing at the end of Empire Strikes Back. Yes - we all knew he wasn't "dead." But No - it didn't matter.

[Zaxxon]

Somehow I missed this awesome moment last year...

Spoiler:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A0UeT38CLo&t=2m5s

[noxiousdog]

I largely agree with Scalzi. (Spoilers, ho!)

Spoiler:

I mean, not that there's a lot that I think Marvel could have done about this. But I had the same 'lolz, ok, dudes' reaction to much of the ending, simply because nope.

Scalzi nails it exactly.

Spoiler:

When I read that people left the theater crying, I'm just thinking "Are you stupid?" "Are you five?" That whole movie is written, structured and presented as if the last act matters. As if there was real gravitas to the moment where Thanos ends half of creation. For that to work, you the audience have to believe that half the people in the universe died and will stay dead. Anyone half paying attention knows that's not the case. Spiderman isn't dead. Black Panther isn't dead. Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Gru, and Mants aren't dead. There's a time stone. There was a plan when Dr. Strange handed off the time stone. None of this is going to stick. And that's a problem. Because that left me feeling like I only saw half a movie with no consequences. I had no emotional response to Peter saying he doesn't want to go, because immediately, in the back of my mind, I answered him. Don't worry kid, this is only temporary. They kind of jumped the shark structurally. Thanos is too close to omnipotent. It kind of makes the whole thing boring and you're just sort of waiting for the cleverness to arrive and unwind the plot. I think you can get away with that trick if the movie is self contained and the whole thing resolves by the end. But being asked to believe what I'm seeing and then to hold that thought for a year before Part 2 comes out, when I know the whole thing was bullshit, was pretty unsatisfying.

I'm looking forward to Deadpool 2. I think it will deliver what its fans want.

I find that ridiculous. Everyone knew Galdalf eventually defeats the Balrog, but it was still awesome.

[Chrisoc13]

I largely agree with Scalzi. (Spoilers, ho!)

Spoiler:

I mean, not that there's a lot that I think Marvel could have done about this. But I had the same 'lolz, ok, dudes' reaction to much of the ending, simply because nope.

Scalzi nails it exactly.

Spoiler:

When I read that people left the theater crying, I'm just thinking "Are you stupid?" "Are you five?" That whole movie is written, structured and presented as if the last act matters. As if there was real gravitas to the moment where Thanos ends half of creation. For that to work, you the audience have to believe that half the people in the universe died and will stay dead. Anyone half paying attention knows that's not the case. Spiderman isn't dead. Black Panther isn't dead. Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Gru, and Mants aren't dead. There's a time stone. There was a plan when Dr. Strange handed off the time stone. None of this is going to stick. And that's a problem. Because that left me feeling like I only saw half a movie with no consequences. I had no emotional response to Peter saying he doesn't want to go, because immediately, in the back of my mind, I answered him. Don't worry kid, this is only temporary. They kind of jumped the shark structurally. Thanos is too close to omnipotent. It kind of makes the whole thing boring and you're just sort of waiting for the cleverness to arrive and unwind the plot. I think you can get away with that trick if the movie is self contained and the whole thing resolves by the end. But being asked to believe what I'm seeing and then to hold that thought for a year before Part 2 comes out, when I know the whole thing was bullshit, was pretty unsatisfying.

I'm looking forward to Deadpool 2. I think it will deliver what its fans want.

I find that ridiculous. Everyone knew Galdalf eventually defeats the Balrog, but it was still awesome.

This.

I knew near the end of rogue one everyone was going to die. Still an incredible moment. Having an idea of what is coming doesn't change the emotion of what just happened.

Saw infinity war opening weekend and wow, it blew me away. I'm not really a big superhero fan and I see every marvel movie as they come out but usually just once and then I move on. But this movie... Wow incredible. It really pulled me in. Yes I know many of the dead will be back. So what, it was an amazing gut punch at the end of the movie. Silence in our theater and gasps. An incredible cinematic moment. Sorry I just don't see how scalzi nails it at all.

[msteelers]

I hear what you guys are saying, but when I was sitting in the theater none of the deaths held any emotional impact, because I knew that all/most of them would be reversed. That is literally what was going through my mind.

My sense as an audience member was that I was supposed to be shocked and saddened by the deaths. With a few exceptions, I just wasn’t. I wish I was. The MCU are my favorite films. I’ve seen them countless times.

I still loved Infinity War though, and I’m going to see it at least one more time in the theaters.

[gameoverman]

I didn't think I was supposed to be shocked, or saddened by what happened. I do think I was supposed to be sad for them, which I wasn't with one exception. If I read a story, the story can make me sad, or it can make me sad for the character in the story. In that second case I myself am not sad, but I feel bad for the character. That's what I think they were going for here.

[Zaxxon]

I hear what you guys are saying, but when I was sitting in the theater none of the deaths held any emotional impact, because I knew that all/most of them would be reversed. That is literally what was going through my mind.

My sense as an audience member was that I was supposed to be shocked and saddened by the deaths. With a few exceptions, I just wasn’t. I wish I was.

This.

I knew near the end of rogue one everyone was going to die. Still an incredible moment. Having an idea of what is coming doesn't change the emotion of what just happened.

First, way to spoil Rogue One for us all, man!

Just kidding. Having an idea of what is coming doesn't necessarily change the emotion--I agree that even though I was pretty sure the Rogue One crew was going to have a bad day, the ending was a solid moment. But that's largely because it was a real moment (within the story). Those folks died, and they are still dead. Their death had an impact. The Gandalf example is similar. Sure, he 'wins.' But that event changes him permanently.

The MCU crew may or may not earn that impact in part two of Infinity War. Maybe they'll come back with significant baggage from Thanos' finger-snap. I don't know. But in the here and now, we know that at minimum many of those that died at the end of part one are going to be back in short order. That blunts the power of the ending for me.

Maybe it doesn't for you, and that's cool.

[Chrisoc13]

I just think it's a bit premature to assume there won't be real consequences. Sure most of those who died will almost surely be back. But... The real price they pay for reversing the snap won't be known until we see part 2. If Ironman and Captain America die in the fight to reverse the snap does that have real consequences? Does that make this moment matter more? I think yes. It's a bit premature to assume we have any idea what the real consequences are. The deaths for me drastically upped the stakes for the next movie, and really caught me off guard.

If next movie everything ends happy and everyone is brought back and nobody is lost... Sure. But I'm guessing (and I mean literally just guessing I don't follow this stuff closely) that there will be a very real price to reverse the snap. Sure this is temporary deaths but so was Han in Carbonite. The price to undo the snap will likely be very real.

[Zaxxon]

Hopefully.

[msteelers]

I firmly believe that there will be real consequences next movie. Infinity War was all about sacrifices. Thanos sacrificed everything, and won. The Avengers wouldn’t, and lost.

I fully expect that theme to continue in Avengers 4. And hopefully when taken as a whole Avengers 3 and 4 will be considered a masterpiece. Unfortunate it’s kind of like we have half a movie right now. (And I do really like this film).

Side note: Captain America was willing to sacrifice his life several times in The First Avenger. It’s largely why he got the super soldier serum. Then in The Avengers he pushes Stark saying he’ll never be the guy to sacrifice himself. Stark responded by saying he’ll find a way to do it without a sacrifice. In Infinity War, their views have switched. Captain America won’t let the team make the sacrifice that (they believe) would guarantee them a win. Meanwhile Stark goes on what he feels is a one way mission, sacrificing himself.

I definitely need to see this movie again.

[hentzau]

I missed Cap's round shield. I hope he gets it back in the next one.

[Bakhtosh]

Spoiler:

I don't think the point was the emotional impact the deaths were supposed to have on us, but the impact they had on the ones left behind (and our empathy for them as a result). They can't just sit around eating popcorn while they wait for the next movie to resolve everything. This is the most catastrophic event anyone in that universe can even comprehend. Loved ones literally fell to dust because Grimace snapped his fingers. Half of the galaxy is dead. Their motivation to reverse it will know no bounds.

[gameoverman]

I don't think the point was the emotional impact the deaths were supposed to have on us, but the impact they had on the ones left behind (and our empathy for them as a result). They can't just sit around eating popcorn while they wait for the next movie to resolve everything. This is the most catastrophic event anyone in that universe can even comprehend. Loved ones literally fell to dust because Grimace snapped his fingers. Half of the galaxy is dead. Their motivation to reverse it will know no bounds.

And that's why it didn't work for me for the most part. In the face of

Spoiler:

the losses, half of everyone in the universe, I'm supposed to feel bad for someone who didn't die? I don't think so. They are still alive and their loss is not even a drop in the bucket compared to what was lost by everyone everywhere. On the other hand, I'm supposed to feel for the person who is themselves dying? Yes I can, my empathy allows me to feel it as if it were me in their place.

[Chrisoc13]

I missed Cap's round shield. I hope he gets it back in the next one.

This is what I keep saying too,I hope he gets his round shield back. I don't love his look in this movie.

[msteelers]

I missed Cap's round shield. I hope he gets it back in the next one.

This is what I keep saying too,I hope he gets his round shield back. I don't love his look in this movie.

I didn't love it, but it was all part of his character arc. After Civil War he is in a bad and dark place, and his look reflected that. It's also a nod to Steve Rodgers' time as Nomad in the comics, when he becomes disgusted with the US government. I expect/hope for a moment in the next movie where he gets his old costume and shield and starts kicking names and taking ass.

My wife however, loved the new look. She's been Team Stark this entire time, but I think she got a little weak in the knees when Captain America was on screen this time. She told me multiple times that she was digging his long hair and beard look. Of course, I'm completely incapable of growing a beard. I've tried, and it's bad.

[DD*]

I missed Cap's round shield. I hope he gets it back in the next one.

This is what I keep saying too,I hope he gets his round shield back. I don't love his look in this movie.

Agreed. I was waiting for him to kind of connect the two gauntlets and they form into a round shield (which would be pretty cool). Maybe next movie...

[rshetts2]

Yep, Cap just isnt the same without his+5 Frisbee of Asskicking

[Kelric]

Guys, we're getting into spoiler territory here. Can an admin amend the thread title to acknowledge that so we don't ruin it for anyone else, please?

[YellowKing]

Between the three Chris leads, my wife couldn't stop drooling. She says she hates beards, but I think she only hates beards on me. When they're attached to a muscle bound celebrity hunk she suddenly has no problem with them.

[DD*]

Guys, we're getting into spoiler territory here. Can an admin amend the thread title to acknowledge that so we don't ruin it for anyone else, please?

Valid point, though this particular point was pretty well documented in all of the promotional pics/trailers/etc that preceded the movie.

[hentzau]

Guys, we're getting into spoiler territory here. Can an admin amend the thread title to acknowledge that so we don't ruin it for anyone else, please?

Valid point, though this particular point was pretty well documented in all of the promotional pics/trailers/etc that preceded the movie.

I assume he was talking about the discussion going on preceding my post about losses...

[hepcat]

I know I would've been pissed if I was reading this thread and came across the giant spoiler that Captain America died not in battle, but in a home accident after slipping in the tub.