Avengers: Infinity War vs. Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Infinity War vs. Avengers: Endgame

Just when you thought “Infinity War” was the ultimate MCU movie, “Endgame” stepped up and said, “Hold my gauntlet.” Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be pitting “Avengers: Infinity War” against “Avengers: Endgame.”

Both films marked the culmination of everything the Infinity Saga has been building towards, but which functioned as the more satisfying standalone film? Let’s find out… oh, and a spoiler alert goes without saying.

Round 1: Action

From its opening scene where Thanos attacks Thor’s spaceship, “Avengers: Infinity War” hits the ground running without ever stopping. Thanos’ brawl with the Hulk is short but sweet, but the stakes are raised when the Mad Titan is nearly bested by Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and most of the Guardians. The inventively choreographed fight on Titan throws everything at us, including a moon. Yet, the best has yet to come, as Thanos and his forces invade Wakanda for a final battle against an army of Avengers. The fact that our heroes lose all three of these battles only makes the action more dramatic.

Where “Infinity War” is all about impending doom, “Endgame” is about the tragic aftermath. Once Thanos is removed from the picture, albeit temporarily, the action takes a backseat to the plot and characters. The action sequences we do get, like Cap fighting his 2012 self, feel smaller in scale compared to what came before. The film more than compensates in its climax, however, in which 2014 Thanos travels to the future and blows up the Avengers Compound. The final fight starts off with just Cap, Iron Man, and Thor facing Thanos, but the thrills escalate to an all-time high when several portals open up.

In terms of action, “Infinity War” is the more consistently fun film, but the epic finale of “Endgame” eclipses everything from the past 21 MCU movies. There are too many stellar moments from this sequence to count and we could watch it on repeat without ever growing bored. That’s a point for “Endgame.”

WINNER: Endgame

SCORE: Infinity War 0 / Endgame 1

Round 2: Pacing

With so many ongoing storylines and character arcs, it’s no wonder why “Infinity War” clocked in at 149 minutes. Against all the odds, however, the film never comes off as overstuffed or overly long. The screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely immediately creates a sense of dread with Thanos’ long-awaited arrival. That dread continues to build with each Infinity Stone he collects, practically leaving us gasping for air by the time Thanos snaps is fingers. Even if you haven’t been keeping up with the past MCU movies, the story flows at such a brisk pace that the audience never find themselves checking their watches.

At just over three hours, “Endgame” almost plays out like three episodes of a TV show stitched together. The first episode carries a dreary tone as our heroes deal with their grief and failures. The second episode is a clever throwback as our heroes revisit their past adventures to change the present. The third episode is the rousing final battle we’ve been waiting for and it doesn’t disappoint. While it’s never dull, “Endgame” doesn’t flow quite as naturally as “Infinity War.” Plus, if you need to take a bathroom break, you can afford to miss one of the drawn-out conversations about how time travel works.

“Infinity War” is not only shorter than “Endgame,” but also tighter and more consistent. “Endgame” is at times too familiar and unfocused, making “Infinity War” this round’s victor.

WINNER: Infinity War

SCORE: Infinity War 1 / Endgame 1

Round 3: Ensemble

If you went nuts when six heroes got together in the original “Avengers,” then “Infinity War” blew your mind. “Infinity War” was Marvel’s most ambitious crossover event yet, finally having the Guardians of the Galaxy cross paths with the Avengers. That being said, our heroes are largely overshadowed by the villainous Thanos. This makes sense since Marvel had been hyping Thanos as the ultimate big bad for many years. Thanos’ presence also makes room for more development from Gamora and Nebula, although the spotlight is stolen from key Avengers like Captain America. Hawkeye and Ant-Man, meanwhile, are only mentioned in passing.

While Thanos is still well utilized in “Endgame,” his screen time is significantly reduced. This is for the best, as it allows the Avengers to reclaim center stage. Since the film’s first two acts are slower, “Endgame” rests on the shoulders of its ensemble to inject excitement. Fortunately, the cast has mastered their roles at this point and every actor plays off one another to perfection. Most crucially, all the major MCU characters make an appearance, exceeding “Infinity War’s” hero count. Even if some fan favorites don’t come in until the final act, everybody walks away with at least one unforgettable moment.

“Infinity War” is essentially “Thanos: The Movie” and although the Mad Titan is certainly complex enough to carry a film, “Endgame” is more of an ensemble piece. That’s what we look for in an “Avengers” movie, giving “Endgame” the upper hand here.

WINNER: Endgame

Score: Infinity War 1 / Endgame 2

Round 4: Team-Ups

Thanos may overshadow everyone else, but “Infinity War” does inject several new character dynamics into the equation. Although we’ve seen them cross paths with other characters before, this is first “Avengers” movie for Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Black Panther. It’s the Guardians of the Galaxy who really shake things up, though. Who knew that Thor, Rocket, and Groot would make for such a winning trio? In addition to new team-ups, the film continues to develop established relationships, most notably Tony and Peter’s. Every character has such a well-defined personality that the dialogue practically writes itself, making for some enormously entertaining interactions.

Following the Snap, Thanos wipes several prominent players out of existence, which mostly leaves the original Avengers behind. Although it’s always fun seeing these characters together, it lacks the freshness of watching Tony clash egos with Strange or Star-Lord getting jealous of Thor. Characters like Captain Marvel and Okoye are sadly left out of the time heist. The only ones who really bring something new to table are Rocket and Nebula. Since this is the final movie for some of the OG Avengers, we get why the focus is kept on them, but it isn’t until the climax that we finally get some groundbreaking team-ups.

Although “Endgame” is the stronger ensemble piece, “Infinity War” was more experimental when it came to team-ups. These new dynamics paid off in funny, shocking, and unpredictable ways, making “Infinity War” the victor of this round.

WINNER: Infinity War

Score: Infinity War 2 / Endgame 2

Round 5: Emotional Payoffs

After watching Thanos choke the life out of Loki in the first scene, audiences knew that they’d be in store for an emotional rollercoaster. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience when Thanos condemned Gamora to death in exchange for the Soul Stone, but the filmmakers save the biggest emotional wallop for last when half the universe bites the dust. After watching the likes of Black Panther, Groot, and Spider-Man vanish, the remaining heroes are left feeling more powerless than ever. As distressing as this ending is, audiences suspected that the snapped heroes would return in the next “Avengers,” which kind of cheapens the emotional payoff.

As predicted, everyone who perished in the Snap makes a comeback in the climax of “Endgame.” Even Gamora who technically stays dead finds a loophole. However, “Endgame” doesn’t simply retcon everything “Infinity War” did. In order to save the Snapped ones, Black Widow makes the ultimate sacrifice. The final confrontation boils down to Thanos and Tony, who comes up on top at the cost of his own life. Although Steve Rogers lives, he gives up a great deal to finally be with the woman he loves. “Endgame” has a sense of finality that “Infinity War” lacked, adding to the emotional gravitas.

“Infinity War” left us emotionally drained, but we could take solace in knowing there was more to come. As its title suggests, “Endgame” is the end of an era with consequences that feel permanent. The emotional highlights thus carry more weight, meaning “Endgame” claims the winning point.

WINNER: Endgame

Score: Infinity War 2 / Endgame 3

That’s 2 points for “Infinity War” and 3 for “Endgame,” which ultimately took more chances, upped the ante, and delivered on what an “Avengers” movie should be.