Avengers: Infinity War (5 Stars)

This is the 19th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, released in April 2018. It's the big film that Marvel has been working up to, ever since "Iron Man" in May 2008. The ten years of planning have  paid off. Despite the big differences from the comics it's an exciting film with the atmosphere of a mega-crossover-event.

I'll only talk about one difference between Thanos in the comics and Thanos in the films. It's a matter of his motivation. In the comics Thanos was in love with Mistress Death, the personification of Death, and he was prepared to do anything to win her love. This led to him killing half of the sentient beings in the universe. In the film Thanos has noble motives. He wants to solve the problem of overpopulation and the resulting poverty by removing half of the universe's population. It might sound twisted, but it's logical. If there isn't enough food to go round the problem can be solved immediately by killing half of the people.

In the comics it's Thanos' love for death that causes him to fail in his ambitions. This makes him a tragic character. In contrast, Thanos in the films is an eco-warrior.

Captain America returns with a beard. It doesn't suit him. He's a traditional old-fashioned sort of guy. The beard makes him look sort of cool. He's not cool.

Black Widow has changed her hair colour. Does this have any significance?

Iron Man looks the same as he always does.

Bruce Banner is unable to turn into the Hulk. That's possibly a mental block, because he was traumatised by spending two years as the Hulk in "Thor: Ragnarok". I would have liked to see the Hulk. If anything, Bruce Banner's futile attempts to become the Hulk are annoying.

Part of the battle is fought in Wakanda, so we see the Black Panther again.

We also see Okoye. Did I ever mention that I find her sexy?

But the film is all about Thanos. By the end of the film we're almost sympathising with him. He gives up the person he loves the most in order to save the universe. He's not quite the same Thanos that we know from the comics, but he's still a fascinating character.

I'll say something about Stan Lee's appearance before you think I've forgotten him. He's the driver of a New York school bus. The children start to panic when they see one of Thanos' space ships hovering over the city. Stan takes it in his stride, saying "Have you never seen a space ship before?"

Success Rate:  + 4.5

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