The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been a miraculous journey, encompassing 19 films over the course of 10 long years.

  From the beginning, starting with 2008’s Iron Man to Marvel’s most recent outing, Avengers: Infinity War, audiences have been taken on globe-trotting adventures across the galaxy.

  Whereas The Avengers united the first wave of Marvel super heroes to stop the enslavement of Earth, Infinity War unites nearly every single character previously introduced in the MCU in one jam-packed movie.

  The foe this time around? None other than the ultimate super villain Thanos, an 8 foot tall purple titan played by Academy Award nominated actor Josh Brolin. Unlike the absurd motivations of other villains, Thanos’s rationale is sensible. He is hellbent to his actions, which come across as a sympathetic twist to anticipating viewers.

  The beauty of Infinity War is in its divergence from Marvel’s past films. Thanos appears unstoppable, and watching our beloved heroes formulate any possible plan to stop him is fascinatingly frantic fun.

  Death is an occurrence in the film, and the dreadful ramifications permeate the two and a half hours. Audiences will be left shaken and disturbed like no superhero film has ever attempted to convey.

  One problem I expected to occur was the nearly impossible feat of featuring so many developed characters. How could each character possibly have enough screen time to adequately do something?

  Thankfully, directors Anthony and Joe Russo masterfully succeeded. By wisely placing our heroes in diverging, concurring storylines throughout the movie, nearly every character gets their moment to shine.

  Perhaps the most impressive element of the film is its emotional subject matter. Thanos’s appeal is entirely understandable, which makes his relentless path to destruction all the more heartbreaking.

  Shockingly, being one of the most anticipated and highest grossing superhero films ever, it is also one of the bleakest. Fans expecting any form of an easy win for our cherished heroes will be left stunned.

  It’s not all depressing however.  Portions of the film consist of more comical tones, allowing a separation of humor between the dreary bits. The first interactions of long-established solo characters also continues to be one of the most compelling segment of these team-up movies.

  While visually impressive and captivatingly resonant, delivering everything the MCU has to offer in a single package, Infinity War can’t quite shed that overwhelming sense of bloatedness due to its sheer gargantuan ambitions.

  Regardless, Avengers: Infinity War remains an unpredictable, well-made blockbuster designed to shock even the most passionate of superhero fans.