Marvel in their latest, biggest and in all probability the most philosophical rendition of the Avengers series, capitalizes on what is arguably the most poignant, abhorrent, and inescapable emotion permeating the mental make-up of humans, super humans and supernatural forces alike – vulnerability. When a pantheon of Gods, super heroes, mystiques and intellectual geniuses are reduced to a shambolic coterie of helpless and hapless puppets in the hands of an unstoppable force of evil, the assured sheath of invulnerability is pierced to its innermost recesses.
“Infinity War” boasting a phalanx of characters begins where “Thor Ragnarok” ends. The ship ferrying a group of Asgaardians through space (and sheltering Thor as well as Loki) is subjected to a fierce and brutal assault by Thanos, the formidable face of doom and perdition. Thanos is in the quest of obtaining the six Infinity Stones, a feat which will make him the unparalleled master of the universe. The pursuit of such an objective, leads to Thanos engaging in a merciless plunder and ravaging of many Planets. The only people capable of stopping Thanos in his tracks represent a smorgasbord of courageous individuals who in their armoury possess a blend of guile, strength, super powers and arts of mystique.
The primordial battle between good and evil, that is the cornerstone of all the Avengers series reaches its pinnacle in “Infinity Wars”. As the ultimate war reaches a boiling point, it is time to count casualties, rue over losses and ponder the thought of finding oneself in a point of no return. While in the normal parlance and in adhering to natural laws, the sum of parts is greater than the whole, there are circumstances posing a daunting exception to this rule. As is to be expected, with a power packed cast, there is a cramped balance of visibility and prominence for all involved. Robert Downey Jr is the tried and tested blend of arrogance and innate rationality; Mark Ruffalo however is reduced to a dithering, blabbering joke as Hulk shorn of his usual prowess; Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange sizzles, justifying every minute of his suave, refined and sophisticated presence; Chris Pratt is his urbane, cool and irascible self; Chris Hemsworth as Thor has a very vital role to execute which he does with effortless aplomb; Zoe Saldana as Gomora offers some heartbreaking moments; Dave Bautista is refreshingly engaging. However, Infinity Wars is all about Thanos a.k.a Josh Brolin. Towering over the rest, literally, symbolically and metaphorically, Brolin steals the show as an antagonist par excellence! Fueled by a dark and devastating ambition that tries to be unsuccessfully tempered with an ingrained emotion,
The movie also has its usual quota of gallows humour and laugh inducing punch lines interspersed with moments of introspection. The fight sequences are elaborate and enthusiastic, especially the one that takes place in the lush plains of Wakanda. The movie is quite lengthy running over a length of 140 minutes.
All in all, Infinity Wars is a dizzying concoction of hate, heartbreak, humour and hope.
GO WATCH IT!
