It took a long time to get here. 10 years, 18 films, and the war to end all wars arrives on Earth’s doorstep. The Marvel Cinematic Universe started with a risky bet on an unproven Robert Downey Jr, playing a hero no one had thought about in years. And now, it’s the biggest, most expansive, and most profitable franchise in cinematic history. Avengers: Infinity War is the culmination of this decade-long experiment. All the pieces are in their place, and the endgame has begun. At least, until next year. . .

Infinity War picks up a about two years after the events of Civil War. The Avengers are fractured, isolated. Asgard is destroyed. The Guardians are. . . still doing their thing. And Thanos (Josh Brolin) has an Infinity Stone once more. Soon, after a run in with Thor and Loki’s ship, he has two. And then his gaze is set on Earth. The Avengers have to scramble to prepare for an invasion, while Thor (Chris Hemsworth) needs to find something to even the odds against a Titan with the power of the cosmos literally in his hands.

“Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives.”

This Guy doesn’t gush, but Jesus Christ, this movie was really something. The Infinity War of Marvel Comics is one of, if the not the biggest, most epic, and significant event in the company’s entire run. And they just. Fucking. Did it. The Russos pulled it off, made it feel as big grand and weighty as it should be, and didn’t pull any punches on the necessary darkness of the story. Yes, people die. People suffer. And you will not see every turn coming. It’s quite refreshing from the standard formula a lot of modern superhero stories take. And a large part of that is thanks to a great villain. Probably the best the MCU has had.

We’ve known most of our heroes for some time now. You know what to expect from the performances. RDJ, Evans, and Pratt lead with a mix of gravitas and finesse that we’ve come to appreciate about the leaders of their crews. The rest of the Avengers and Guardians are perfectly solid, with Bautista’s Drax standing out with some hilarious moments, and Holland’s Spider-Man being enjoyable as ever. But the real star of Infinity War is Josh Brolin. Far from the cliche “Rawr! I’m gonna smash the world because rawr!” Thanos’ villainy is cold, dispassionate, but also incredibly focused and calculated. When he tells our heroes why his quest to eliminate half the universe is the only way, you listen. Not because you agree, but because he speaks it with such certainty and weariness behind his voice, you can’t help but wonder if he’s right. The MCU has had a problem with lacklustre villains since the beginning (with Loki and Kilmonger being the exception). But that trend was almost worth it for the terrifically terrifying nemesis they’ve finally brought to life in the Mad Titan.

Thanos’ supporting castin his Infinity War, the Black Order, also make an impression. While the members don’t get as much development as This Guy would’ve liked, they all present themselves with the requisite menace and malice to make intimidating foes for our heroes. Ebony Maw (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) and Proxima Midnight (Carrie Coon) are particularly engrossing, as we watch them battle the Avengers, seemingly with ease, knowing full well they have the weight of the most powerful being in the universe behind them.

“Dude, you’re embarrassing me in front of the wizards.”

As with any story with a cast this big, splitting up is inevitable. But the pairings work incredibly well, and lead to new interactions we didn’t know we needed until now. Thor and the Guardians hurtle through space in search of a new weapon. Stark and Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) compete for the biggest ego, and Cap gets to spend some quality time in Wakanda with some old friends. Each story does its job, without detracting from the others, and all three remain engaging and tense right to the last.

Where Infinity War does lose SOME points, is the scope of the story, and what it implies for the next Avengers film. When Infinity War was announced, it was as a two-parter. Eventually, Marvel opted to backpedal, calling this Infinity War, with Avengers 4 yet untitled. After seeing this film, it seems obvious that they should have just stuck to their guns. This still plays out like “Part 1,” in the grand scheme of things. Yes, the ending is unexpected, and hits you like a gut shot. But it is clearly setting up what comes next, where things will truly be decided.

That said, the post-credits stinger is simple, composed, and still absolute HYPE INCARNATE.

“When I’m done, half of humanity will still be alive. . . I hope they remember you.”

Overall, Infinity War is exactly what it should have been. It’s the spark for the most epic, intense, and consequential event in the Marvel Universe, and it lives up to that, and then some. Thanos steals the show every moment he’s on screen (longer than 20 seconds at a time, which is a first for the franchise), and makes the movie his. This truly is HIS story. As a Marvel film it is head and shoulders above most of the series, and as an action movie, it hits new heights on multiple fronts; mainly ambition. No other studio has attempted this kind of cinematic event before: 10 years of planning, 18 films, 20+ characters. And all of it has to come together into something enjoyable, impactful, and meaningful. Well, you did it Marvel. You did what no one else could. You stuffed Infinity War full of heroes and villains, and made it work. Perfectly balance, as all things should be. . . I hope they remember you.

This Guy Scores It: 8.5/10