Blu-ray Review: Avengers: Endgame

Synopsis: Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the remaining Avengers -- Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Bruce Banner -- must figure out a way to bring back their vanquished allies for an epic showdown with Thanos -- the evil demigod who decimated the planet and the universe.

Main Feature: let it be known--one year ago today, I posted my lukewarm review to "Avengers: Infinity War." It needed a desperate snap of Thanos' fingers to rid it of the bad. So there was no rush into "Endgame." My emotional investment in the characters had dwindled. Concurrently, there was a lowering of the bar. That being said, "Endgame" is a definitive swan song for this batch of Earth's mightiest heroes. Considering my adverse reaction to "Infinity War," I was surprised by the emotional impact it would have. I was not crying, but the heart strings were tugged at. The entirety of select characters ' arcs were the film's most satisfying. One specifically I particularly found bothersome back around "Civil War" was RDJ's Tony Stark/Iron Man--I grew tired of the character. There was a certain despicable aura that he stunk of. In the back of my mind, though, I pondered, "I wonder if that is the point." Given the outcome of "Endgame," my intuition back then was confirmed: redemption and peace.

Special Features: Given his godfather status of the MCU, RDJ gets a wonderful albeit too-short featurette about his casting and status in the MCU and comic book film lore, in general. Also being fondly remembered is the late Stan Lee, who passed before this film was released. If RDJ was the godfather of this whole thing, then Lee was the deity of every comic film ever, and he gets a proper sendoff in his extra. Chris Evans' Captain America also gets proper salute, focusing in on his stature as the moral compass of the superhero group. Count me as those he won over--I saw him in the abysmal "The Losers" the day after his casting was announced and could not imagine it was a good choice, but Marvel proved me very much wrong. With Black Widow, Thor, the MCU women and the directors Russo getting a focus of the bulk of the extra features, this release gives a spotlight on those who made the series what it has evolved into. 

Final Call: "Avengers: Endgame" was an inevitable outcome that cracked my iron armor more than expected.

Grade: A-