After the decimation of half the universe at the hands of Thanos, the Avengers must fight to restore order to the universe once and for all in the conclusion to an 11-year, 22-film-long journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If you’ve ever felt like all these shared universes and year-long franchises have been leading up to something, then, well, it’s here. The moment fans have been waiting for since 2008 has finally arrived, culminating an already enormous franchise in a gigantic finale that’s everything I wanted it to be and more. It’s the most shocking and emotional movie out of the entire superhero genre, but also brings all the excitement and fun Marvel knows for while having a more somber tone than most Marvel films as well. This movie brings eleven years of cinema in a cinematic event that pays off every minute dedicated to waiting for, watching, and discussing Marvel films over the years. If you think you could get away with only watching a few of the previous films before this one, then you’re wrong — in order to truly grasp the substance of Endgame like the movie wants you to, you are required to watch every film from the Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor trilogies to all the other connected adventures such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Captain Marvel, and of course, the first three Avengers film. After all, it has been an eleven-year adventure and, to be honest, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been the center of popular culture for as long as I’ve known about it and have been following it. In case you don’t know, I’ve seen every Marvel movie in theaters since 2012 and this franchise has always had a special place in my heart. This movie is one that everyone can love, but simply going to see Endgame without any prior knowledge won’t bring you as much joy and emotional payoff as that which so many fans in my theater, including myself, experienced when watching this film. The performances are all spectacular, including Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans reprising their beloved roles as the leading names of the Avengers, which have easily become the greatest characters in modern cinema. The movie does a wonderful job continuing every character arc from the previous films but still takes characters in unexpected directions, which may be why characters like Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Thor are such highlights as well. Every actor wonderfully reminds us why they were so perfect from the role, including the previously mentioned actors, as well as Mark Ruffalo who is always so enjoyable as Bruce Banner. Not to mention Paul Rudd, who is perfect comedic relief but also delivers a terrific performance overall as his character Scott Lang, better known as Ant-Man. Another character I was very impressed by is Nebula, who originates from the Guardians of the Galaxy films and is most deeply connected to Thanos from all the characters in the film. Nebula’s arc has always intrigued me though many have overlooked it, and the script takes advantage of what makes her great very well and transforms her into a real hero, as opposed to her darker, villainous personality when her journey began in Guardians of the Galaxy. Telling you who else is in the film would already be a spoiler, but every cast member that does appear in the movie perfectly utilized and is very much welcomed every minute they’re on screen.

Remember when Avengers: Infinity War came out and everyone called it a cinematic landmark because of the incomparable scale and stakes? Well, Avengers: Endgame succeeds at topping that scale by creating something even more unimaginably enormous and climactic. Moments fans have awaited for years and buildup waiting to be payed off, it’s all rewarded here in scenes you would never think to picture in your head but finally can. Audiences will continuously clap and cheer as the past films are referenced and heroes do awesome things you’ve always wanted them to do. This movie made me react like no movie before, and I had a huge smile on my face in some scenes that I just couldn’t get rid of. Even after twenty-two films, Marvel takes unexpected directions that you wouldn’t have thought of but still remain true to the long-lasting story arcs. This results in an emotionally surreal experience where you cannot tell what will happen next, or if Hollywood can ever top such a glorious event. The way Endgame handles its story serving as a climax of eleven years of cinema and as a 3-hour movie lover’s dream, well, it convinces me that this is the peak of filmmaking history here. Every movie in history has always promised to “up the ante”, but after Endgame, it’s hard to see how the scale, stakes, and weight of this film can ever be topped. But that’s not a bad thing. Maybe it just means that we lived in the right time, to witness such a grand phenomenon unfold in front of our eyes, and that we’ll be able to tell those who come after us of the adventure we went on with these characters over the years, and the conclusion of their stories that we see here, wrapped up terrifically in one of the greatest superhero movie endings of all time, which in turn helps make up the greatest superhero movie, and one of the most astonishing action movies and blockbusters put to film in this day and age.

Avengers: Endgame is a cinematic event that must be witnessed on the big screen, marking the end of an era for Marvel but one that still exceeds expectations with fantastic writing, emotional value, nostalgia, and visuals and set pieces that will be remembered for the rest of however long superhero and action movies continue to be made. Thank you, Marvel Studios, for making such a sensational universe and making the experience of being a fan an unforgettable one. I’m sure more people can agree with me on that than Thanos can snap away. You’ve definitely already heard of Avengers: Endgame and now that you know why you should see it, what are you waiting for?