Graphic by Maggie Winters
Eitan Sengupta
Pro Procrastinator
Avengers: Endgame, the movie event of the year (and probably the next few years if we’re being honest) has received rave reviews from both audiences and critics, a rarity in this day and age. So us here at Procrastinate decided to throw our Infinity Gauntlet into the ring and give our thoughts on this “once in a generation event” (Ross Fischer, BIRTH.MOVIES.DEATH).
The first thing one notices when watching Endgame is its truly mind-blowing CGI work. The fact that you can pick out each one of Thanos’s individual pores and nose hairs is a real testament to how far technology has come. Combine that with imagery of space that makes you really feel like you’re floating in an airless void, and you’ve got the best special effects we’ve seen in a while. I even saw some people in the theater grasping at their throats as if they were suffocating! It was that lifelike! But obviously a good movie is much more than just shiny effects- it needs to have an equally compelling story as well. Lucky for us- Endgame does this perfectly. NOTE: SPOILERS INCOMING!
The saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a long one, but Endgame wraps up its many hanging plot threads excellently. The long-standing rivalry between Gandalf and Darth Vader, first introduced in Captain America and the Sorcerer’s TARDIS, is brought to a satisfying conclusion as the two reconcile their differences at the top of Mount Everest. It was a truly touching moment that left many in the audience in tears. We are also given finality to Superman’s long quest to find who destroyed his home world, and his epic showdown with the evil Peter Griffin is not to be missed. However, by far the best scene in the movie is its climactic twist, that nobody could have possibly seen coming. In a stunning change of fate, Thanos uses the One Ring to merge himself with Shrek, becoming the all-powerful elder god Shreknos. The final battle, with the Avengers fighting Shreknos, is edge-of-your-seat stuff, and the fact that it is Donkey himself who deals the finishing blow to Shreknos is incredibly satisfying. But that satisfaction may well be short lived- a post credits scene ended with the words “Shreknos will return.” I can’t wait to see what this truly means.
Overall, Avengers: Endgame far exceeded my expectations and is a fitting conclusion to the Marvel saga (even if it isn’t actually the last movie). Astonishing VFX and a story packed chock-full of revelations and twists combine to form the most entertaining film I’ve seen in awhile. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it, and if you have seen it, why are you reading this?
FINAL SCORE: Shreknos/10
Look out for our review of Batman: The Return of Mewtwo soon!
