Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Infinity War" (out now on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital) is a tough movie to write about, because it's not really a movie. It's more like an extended trailer that ends in a cliffhanger for the upcoming "Avengers 4" (title still a secret) that's due in May of next year.
I had a chance to see a preview before any spoilers leaked, so the movie's ending came as a surprise. It's a film that would make zero sense to anyone who hasn't seen most of the previous Marvel titles from the elaborate interconnected story that dates back to 2008's "Iron Man."
As Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) announces as everything is coming unraveled in the last reel, "We're in the endgame now."
Everyone who cares about Marvel movies has an opinion about how this one ends. I was pissed for all the 8-year-old kids who made huge emotional investments in their favorite characters only to see how this one ends. Not many little kids can process the idea that [REDACTED] may not really be dead and we'll have to wait a year to find out.
Yeah, Marvel movies are really made by (and for) middle-age comic book fans who can trade conspiracy theories and amp up anticipation for what will most certainly be the biggest opening weekend of all time next spring. Marvel movies wouldn't make nearly as much money if parents didn't take young children to see everyone one and this cliffhanger feels like a betrayal of the youngest fans.
"Infinity War" is jammed with almost every Marvel hero from the past dozen years and everyone gets a moment. The whole thing is shockingly incoherent after "Black Panther," which is both by far the best Marvel picture and maybe the best movie of the year so far.
We're all invested here. There's a tease at the end of "Ant-Man and the Wasp" that suggests a way out after the whole Thanos thing in "Infinity War." Maybe there's another clue in the "Captain Marvel" movie due in March 2019. It's hard to imagine that the intricate Infinity Stone story is going to have a resolution that will appeal to all the fans but everyone will be there next May when the real movie opens.
Marvel usually delivers on the bonus material for home video release and there's plenty here.
- Strange Alchemy (5:08)– Share the thrill of characters from across the MCU meeting for the first time—and discover why some were teamed up together.
- The Mad Titan (6:34) – Explore the MCU’s biggest, baddest villain, his trail of influence through the stories, and the existential threat he represents.
- Beyond the Battle: Titan (9:36) – Dive into the climactic struggle on Thanos’ ruined world, including the epic stunts and VFX, to uncover the source of its power.
- Beyond the Battle: Wakanda (10:58) – Go behind the scenes to find out how the filmmakers pulled off the most massive and challenging battle Marvel had ever attempted.
- Deleted and Extended Scenes (10:07)
- Happy Knows Best (1:23) – Tony and Pepper spar over the details of their upcoming wedding—until a hassled Happy Hogan pulls up with an urgent request.
- Hunt for the Mind Stone (1:24) – On a darkened street, Wanda Maximoff and the wounded Vision attempt to hide from Thanos’ brutal allies.
- The Guardians Get Their Groove Back (3:20) – As Peter Quill and Drax quarrel over their failed mission to Knowhere, Mantis interrupts with news.
- A Father’s Choice (4:00) – Thanos confronts Gamora with a vision from her past—and with lying to him about the Soul Stone.
- Gag Reel (2:05)– Watch your favorite Super Heroes make super gaffes in this lighthearted collection of on-set antics.
- Audio Commentary (approx. 149 min.) by Anthony and Joe Russo, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
Digital Exclusive:
- A Directors’ Roundtable (approx. 32 min.) – Eight amazing directors reflect on how their movies contribute to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s larger storytelling adventure.
