'Avengers Endgame: Encore' Review

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7 years ago, audiences around the world got to experience the Endgame. Avengers: Endgame (the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) was an unprecedented event in terms of all the things it had to be at once. Not only what was it the 4th Avengers movie and a highly anticipated sequel to 2018’s equally successful Infinity War, it was the long-awaited culmination of an entire saga of films that had been going since Jon Favreau’s Iron Man. The combined powers of directors Joe and Anthony Russo, producer Kevin Feige, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, composer Alan Silvestri, and the immensely talented cast and crew helped make Endgame become one of the biggest films in the history of the medium. The film received critical acclaim for its performances, direction, musical score, emotional depth, and mostly satisfying wrap-up of character arcs and storylines from the MCU’s 11-year history. While the film had very loud (and often very bitter) detractors both at the time of its release and the seven years since, the film briefly dethroning James Cameron’s Avatar as the highest-grossing film ever made (a record it’s expected to reclaim tomorrow) speaks for itself.

Over the last 7 years, the MCU has gone through peaks and valleys. For every WandaVision, Loki, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Moon Knight there was an Eternals, Secret Invasion, Quantumania, and What If…? not far behind. In my eyes, the MCU has always been this way. After Iron Man, the only film to be as equally good as it in Phase 1 was The Avengers. We had to sit through Thor: The Dark World before we got to Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy. Just recently we’ve had multiple winners in Agatha All Along, Daredevil: Born Again, Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so any accusations that the MCU has “died” are clearly exaggerated. With the Avengers returning this holiday season and the future MCU debuts of the X-Men and Ghost Rider on the horizon, why not take a moment to go back and revisit one of the MCU’s greatest films? With an additional 4 minutes of footage leading into Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers Endgame: Encore is more a reminder of what the Russo Brothers can do in this universe than anything else. The price of admission was worth it not for the bonus footage (we’ll get to that later) but to experience Endgame in theaters one more time before Doctor Doom emotionally wrecks us in December.

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It’d be easy for filmmakers to be given films like Infinity War and Endgame and completely drop the ball. Zack Snyder, Marc Webb, Bryan Singer, and Peyton Reed are just a few examples of filmmakers who faltered when handed the reins of big event superhero films, sinking under the weight of misguided creative choices, studio meddling, or—in Singer's case—reprehensible and erratic behavior. That’s where Joe and Anthony Russo come in. In contrast, the Russos manage to navigate these same high-pressure environments with an ease that makes the entire process seem deceptively simple. Yes, it’s not unfair to say that their three films since Endgame have ranged from forgettable to just straight up horrible. And yet, their work in the MCU is a resume that few franchise directors can match. Whether it's the gritty reimagining of Captain America in The Winter Soldier, the intimate intensity of Civil War, the monumental balancing act of Infinity War, or even Joe Russo’s stylish turn in the second episode of Agent Carter, the Russos clearly feel right at home within the MCU. While the clout-brained peanut gallery known as Film Twitter will continue to disparage the Russos because they “don’t have their own style”, anyone who proudly treats MCU films like films know what the Russos can accomplish with these movies. Even Barry Jenkins (the Oscar winning director of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk) has given props to the Emmy winning duo. The biggest win of this re-release isn’t the extra footage, but rather the film’s improved color grading. Even the most affectionate of Endgame enjoyers have made note that the film’s insanely gray visuals were the worst part. Aside from Infinity War, the Russos’ MCU work aren’t known for beautiful cinematography, but Endgame Encore fixes this problem. The film looks much closer to Infinity War than the initial release, while still looking slightly more dim due to the film’s more somber tone. Should Endgame Encore find its way to home media or Disney+, I will make it my definitive version of Endgame on future rewatches.

For an Avengers film that has to reunite the original 6, conclude the storylines of at least 3 of them, include a time travel plot, be a satisfying conclusion to a 22-film saga, set the stage for the future, and still be easy enough for casual audiences to follow, Endgame is brisk without feeling rushed, emotional without feeling corny, and action packed without being overwhelming. The Russos have always been good at action scenes and Endgame is no exception. While The Winter Soldier remains their opus in terms of action, Endgame still includes memorable sequences, my personal favorite arrives early in the film: an impressive long take featuring Hawkeye battling the Yakuza in Tokyo. The clear geography of the third act, which involves nearly 40 named heroes in a chaotic battlefield of lasers and CGI aliens, is also a testament to the Russos’ knack for action. A highlight that was also worth revisiting this movie in theaters for is the musical score by Alan Silvestri. His 4th MCU, Silvestri earns his place as the MCU’s 3rd most prolific composer (under Michael Giacchino and Christophe Beck). His score for Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, and Infinity War are amongst the best MCU scores and Endgame is no exception. The score isn’t just great when it’s time to get pumped or time to burst into tears, it’s also a tribute to all the major themes and leitmotifs created by Silvestri across 4 movies. His reprisals of The Avengers theme, Thanos’ themes, his go-to action cues, and the Vormir sacrifice theme all hit the right notes, but it’s his new heroic material for Tony Stark (which culminates in the 6 minute track The Real Hero) that shines brightest.

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However, it is in the character work that the Russos truly excel. The Russos are well-versed in grounding a large ensemble cast within complex, multi-layered narratives. After all, they broke out on critically acclaimed comedies such as Arrested Development and Community. Kevin Feige even credited their work on Community specifically as to why he considered them for The Winter Soldier. The seemingly endless character pairings, the engaging dynamics, emotional arcs, and often playful humor are what make Endgame so entertaining. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, Natasha Romanoff, Nebula, and even Scott Lang are best served by the film’s narrative, with each of these characters being our “way in” to the epic scope. The Russos and the writers have a clear love and affection for these characters, which is also why Infinity War works as well as it does. Among the highlights is Thor. Since its release, Fat Thor has generated a lot of discourse amongst fans, whether it’s justifiable criticisms of Marvel seemingly resorting to fatphobic humor to less serious criticisms of Thor “not being as cool as he was in Infinity War.” As a big Thor fangirl, I believe he’s never been portrayed better than in Infinity War, though his depiction in Endgame is equally stellar. It is sadly true to life that when you gain weight due to declining mental health, the people in your life will make fun of you. You will feel like a failure who has never and will never accomplish anything. Seeing Thor gain weight, become scared of confronting Thanos, and become reliant on alcohol may be jarring to some, but to see the strongest Avenger have to regain his bravery and strength amidst the most challenging mission of their lives is a sight to behold. Chris Hemsworth (who nearly stole Infinity War from Josh Brolin and Zöe Saldaña) nearly steals Endgame thanks to his expert skills in comedic timing and emotional empathy. Scenes with Thor and his mother Frigga function both as a reminder that our heroes are indeed human and as a way to make Thor: The Dark World (which I feel is still the worst MCU film) actually matter.

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, Josh Brolin as Thanos, and Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff deliver stellar performances, with Evans, Rudd, and Johansson arguably reaching their MCU peaks. Unsurprisingly, Robert Downey Jr. reaffirms his MCU dominance here. RDJ has consistently excelled as Tony Stark, regardless of a film's overall quality. While Joss Whedon sometimes leaned too heavily into Stark’s ego, the Russos and the writers embraced Tony as a nuanced character. Although he took a backseat in Infinity War to Thanos, Gamora, and Thor, Endgame places Tony back at the center of the story, which benefits the film. We spend a large chunk of the beginning seeing the weight of Thanos’ victory crush Tony’s body, mind, and spirit. While he married Pepper Potts and had their daughter Morgan in the 5 years since Thanos snapped his fingers, Tony is still the most shaken by what happened. Tony Stark is at his best when the filmmakers remember he’s a non-superpowered man who has to solve a problem. Yes, Tony has his trademarks quips, sarcastic comments, and pop culture references ready to go, but it’s the character’s representation of human will, ingenuity, and courage that makes him so compelling. This also applies to Steve Rogers, who truly represents the best humanity has to offer. The shot of a bloody-faced Steve facing down Thanos’ entire army in what he believes are the last few seconds of his life is a beautiful way to showcase why superhero stories still resonate with people. Even beyond being our modern equivalents of Greek myths and urban legends, the Avengers remind us what we can accomplish if we simply put aside petty squabbles and work together to save those we love. As Downey and Evans make their MCU returns in 2 months, their initial conclusions were as poetic as they were emotional.

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Avengers Endgame: Encore isn’t worth a trip to the theater just for 4 extra scenes that set up Doomsday, it’s worth a trip to the theater to relive one of Marvel’s classics on the big screen. The fact that both Infinity War and Endgame are as heartfelt, well-made, and coherent as they are is a testament to the immense talents of the Russo Brothers, the writers, Alan Silvestri, the cast, and all the other talented artists at Marvel Studios. Endgame isn’t just an immensely entertaining film that serves as a large scale reward for following the MCU since Iron Man, it’s a heartfelt epic that proves what superhero movies can be at their best. From the Russos’ confident direction, the winning performances (especially from Downey, Hemsworth, Evans, Gillan, and Rudd), a beautiful score, thrilling action, and now-improved visuals, Endgame continues to earn its legacy amongst the best installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and one of the greatest blockbuster films of the 21st century. There is truly no blockbuster more worthy to wear the title as the most successful movie ever made.

The new footage is brief, but they get the job done to set up excitement for what's to come. Should the Russos bring the same level of confidence, energy, and humanity to Doomsday that they did for Infinity War and Endgame, we are good to go. The third added post-credit scene hints that the Russos are much more active with the camera this time around, almost J.J. Abrams-esque in a way. I only pray and hope they accomplish the impossible again not just with Doomsday but Secret Wars as well. Regardless of the peaks and valleys the MCU has gone through over the last 7 years, when they hit the bullseye, they hit the bullseye. I have no reason to believe that Doctor Doom’s long-awaited arrival in the MCU will be any different. To quote Tony Stark himself, “Everything's gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to.”

Rating: 10/10

Avengers Endgame: Encore is now playing in theaters everywhere! Rated PG-13

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