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Avengers: Infinity War review – surprisingly nimble Marvel franchise fantasy

Anthony and Joe Russo juggle a galaxy of superheroes in interesting and dramatic ways

Technically speaking, Avengers: Infinity War is the third in a series of four planned Avengers films, and part of an ever-expanding universe of Marvel films that’s seemingly… infinite. Call it the Marvel industrial complex. It’s easy to be cynical about the mechanics of the cash-cow franchise, which trades on cliffhangers – and the knowledge that its ticket-buying (and merchandise-buying) audience is guaranteed, even if the quality of its films isn’t.

This chaotic but surprisingly nimble instalment, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, brings together an eye-popping ensemble cast of A-listers (imagine the table read!) and pushes them into playful new configurations. Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), is paired with Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland); Thor (Chris Hemsworth) buddies up with the Guardians of the Galaxy (including a teenage Groot); Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America (Chris Evans), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) pick up Vision (Paul Bettany) and Wanda Maximoff, AKA Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and seek refuge in Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman’s Wakanda). Gamora (Zoe Saldana, who receives the film’s fullest emotional arc) goes it alone.

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from Culture | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2jhKVdg
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