One of my work colleagues felt that there was little heroism to inspire her young children in Avengers Infinity War. In turn, my impressions echoed that of the girl behind me in the Moray Playhouse who flatly asked : "Is that it?"
Annoyingly, I have to borrow from the language of television. This is the season finale to a story arc that really began in Iron Man a decade ago - and won't be concluded for another year. That's the first unsatisfactory element of the film. It ends on a morose note of defeat but one we already sense can be reversed by Dr. Strange and the McGuffin of a magic gem.
I also felt it suffered from my over-familiarity with the source material- Starlin, Lim and Perez miniseries-crossover event Infinity Gauntlet. This film represents the action of perhaps the first two issues of the sextet.
Infinity War is a wearying cavalcade of punching and space explosions, woven through with the snarky teen humour of virtually every character- from ageing slacker Star-Lord to dyspeptic Iron Man, from bitchy Dr. Strange to the Aussie pomp of Thor.
" Dost thou even lift, Mine Bro?"
Brian Bendis has been criticised by commentators- including me- for the dominance of this tone but it's omnipresent in pop culture.
I liked the scenes of VizhWitch in Edinburgh- a fantasy super-hero landscape of mine since 1981- and the sight-gag about the Scottish diet. I would have loved a Capaldi-in -Day of the Doctor-style cameo by the Defenders, the Inhumans or the Agents of SHIELD. Instead a heavily-bearded Captain America returned, looking peevish and disinterested.
The numerous deaths of popular characters, from the increasingly steely and noble Loki to the affecting loss of the appealingly innocent Spider-Man, is a gloomy note on which to leave and walk out into spring sunshine. Maybe it should have been entitled Avengers: Age of Anxiety.
The obligatory end credits scene, featuring the symbol of Carol "Captain Marvel" Danvers, was a teaser whose significance might be lost to at least 2/3 of the audience, I would guess. Although, in the Youtube Era, it's possible that even the most casual cinema-goers have some idea of what to expect next from the Marvel movie factory.
Of course, Infinity War is a colossal financial success ( and more entertaining than the listless Justice League) but this bombastic theme park ride reminded me of the way small children-like my nephew did- bring you every toy they own and heap them in the middle of the floor.
Thanos in the film has a Malthusian motivation which is a bastardised version of his original death-urge. His creator Jim Starlin has returned to the Purple People-Beater for a "final" trilogy of original graphic novels, beginning with The Infinity Siblings. ( I've lived through two "final" Thanos sagas already)
This is a timey-wimey tale of plots and counter-plots of which Steven Moffat would be proud. Thanos is embroiled in schemes devised by Kang the Conqueror and Eros, the Mad Titan's brother.
Eros has been a long-neglected member of Starlin's cosmic pantheon. He was a short-lived Avenger in the early 80s. However, his pleasure-power was played up as sleazy and sinister in his more recent appearances.
Where did it all go wrong?
Here, without the influence of his father Mentor, the hedonist Titan becomes as manipulative and devious as his brother. It's the most interesting the former Starfox has probably ever been.
And what makes Thanos more interesting than his creator's inspirations, New Gods Darkseid and Metron, is that he always sows the seeds of his own undoing. The novel ends with Thanos trying to avert the future he has always longed for. The classy cartooning of Alan Davis has an epic sweep and effectively captures emotion in a blizzard of alien races .The story, head-scratching in its complexity, has ties to the 2004 Thanos series and continues in November. Oh for the days of "Done in One"!
Coming DC attractions: Ravenous, the Meddling Monk, Secret Warriors
All images are presumed copyright of their respective owners
No comments:
Post a Comment