Marvel’s 2018 slate steps up a gear (or several) with the massive Avengers: Infinity War following February’s Black Panther into cinemas. Our Bertie scored Infinity War the full five stars, finding it “a masterstroke in screenwriting“, “a triumph for Marvel, Disney, and blockbuster filmmaking“, with “each of the 150 minutes feeling essential and fast paced“.

High praise indeed. Now that the rest of the ORWAV team have seen the long-awaited Infinity War, will they agree that Marvel have done it justice?

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Courtesy of: Disney

Alice – 5/5

Infinity War is excellent as both a standalone film, and as a follow on from Civil War and other films in the MCU. It incorporates references to popular culture, which balances the fantasy with relevant contemporary ideas. Despite containing a vast number of worlds and characters, even for a first time viewer it is easy to grasp, the characters have a lot of depth and the fight scenes are well crafted. Not to mention that from the outset, it is clear that a lot of time and money has been spent on making this the Marvel film of the decade.

Carmen – 3/5

This film is a blast from start to finish. The 140-minute run time can’t fit in much character development but the entire cast get ample time to demonstrate their known strengths. The action pieces are excellent. Infinity War feels like it should be Marvel’s Empire Strikes Back in terms of the stakes that must be set before the final Avengers film, or at least another Winter Soldier in terms of its universe re-shaping. However, it doesn’t reach the emotional trauma or permanent world-shaking of either preceding film – perhaps partly due to the publicity of Marvel’s upcoming slate. The result is a romp with little substance.

Jack – 5/5

My first instinct for my 100 words is just to write ‘holy shit!’ 50 times and slap a 5 star rating on. Infinity War is a blockbuster that renders all other non-MCU blockbusters redundant. There is so much story, scale, and genuine emotional weight here that I’m still yet to fully process it, and I think I need to see it at least twice more. If you’re not sold on the new breed of serialised superhero mega-movies that Kevin Feige has invented, this is not the film to change your mind, but for everyone else, it’s the ultimate big-screen experience.

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Courtesy of: Disney

Joni – 4/5

Once the dust settles we can talk about Infinity War’s missteps. We can pick apart its politics, crack open the cast list and criticise who got the most screen time – but right now, who gives a damn? It’s taken a decade to make and runs almost as long, it’s got a cast of thirty and that’s just those named Chris – but it’s somehow coherent, and incredibly entertaining. It doesn’t feel overly calculated, it manages to be surprising and emotive, and even Thanos feels worth the wait. After all the build up, Infinity War works – who cares if it’s a good movie?

Kam – 4/5

Given its scale, it’s a miracle that Infinity War (mostly) works, the Russos somehow finding pathos among all the spectacle and plots taking place across the Marvel universe. Thanos, played with terrifying calmness by Josh Brolin, makes for an intriguing villain – one that seems impervious to regular methods of Avenging. There’s a still lot of fun in witnessing these eclectic characters bounce off of one another; but the threat is serious from the off, culminating in an ending that’s as insane as it is dark. This may be the first of a two-parter, but it’s satisfying nonetheless.

Matt – 5/5

Once again the Russos prove themselves the masters of juggling huge ensemble casts – like in Civil War, everyone gets a moment to shine but the focus and emotional heft is wisely relegated to a few key players. Thanos has already dethroned Killmonger to become the best villain of the series and finished what Snoke started – a fully realised, intimidating and emotionally complex CGI villain. Superhero spectacle simply doesn’t get better than this- and the best part is, we still have one last chapter to go next year…

Oh, and Chris Evans’ mullet-beard combo is the sexiest thing of all time.

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Courtesy of: Disney

Rhys – 3/5

Making the most consequential Marvel movie is like writing the edgiest Coldplay song – the bar was already set pretty low. Infinity War has the guts to play with its sandbox of characters, colliding them with synergistic verve and allowing some to bite the dust effectively, creating a sense of jeopardy. But ultimately, the snarky one-liners, fan-servicing throwaway banter and recurring jokes about erectile dysfunction (you’ll see) cannot fill up this hollow shell. It’s thrilling in the moment, and Marvel devotees will love it, but I couldn’t escape the cold feeling that it’s all just groundwork for yet another sequel.

Steph – 4/5

It’s all been leading to this, and the payoff of the long-awaited biggest superhero crossover film in history is certainly a huge one. Infinity War never stops moving, entwining the stories of its enormous cast and resulting in a third act that truly feels like nothing we’ve seen before. Thanos is a central character, surprisingly tragic, and remarkably realistic despite slightly suspect CGI at points. Get ready to pump your fist, laugh and cry in more extreme measures than you ever have before at a Marvel movie. Now, time to find something to pass the time until the next installment…

Tom – 5/5

Marvel have achieved the impossible. Conventional wisdom and a rash of botched rival efforts said that putting so many major characters in the same film would lead to chaos. Instead, it has led to the best blockbuster of the year.

Many still turn their noses up at superhero films, but there’s nothing else in cinema that matches their combination of wit, heart, visual inventiveness and pure exhilaration. Nothing embodies that mix better than Chris Hemsworth’s performance as Thor, a bruised but indomitable fighter who doesn’t understand how to give up, or how to do anything else but be a hero.