Does ‘Avengers: Endgame’ have whatever it takes?

Eleven years, 22 films, countless memorable moments — all leading up to one unprecedented epic finale, Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame.” The follow up to last year’s jaw-dropping “Avengers: Infinity War,” this entry follows the remaining Avengers who must find a way to reverse the disastrous effects of Thanos’ snap that wiped out half of the universe.

To call “Endgame” an epic would be a massive understatement. The overall scope and size of the production gives the emotional and thematic weight from the previous film room to develop for both the audience and the characters on screen. The treatment and conclusion for many of these characters is exceptionally well done, with many being far more compelling here than their previous MCU appearances. Despite the heavy tone and drama present during the first act of the film especially, there are still plenty of moments of levity littered throughout the film that feel mostly appropriate.

Narrative and pacing-wise, the film is surprisingly solid. While it may be easy to question certain choices made within the world-building, the rules established here make enough sense to work and allow the team to get away with some unique decisions in how the plot unfolds. Each act has a distinction to it in terms of tone and scale, with the final act being a complete rush of emotions to say the least. Despite not being quite as tightly paced as “Infinity War,” the three hour runtime feels warranted overall and never becomes tedious in its pacing. Without this, the time required to develop the massive cast would be overly jumbled and rushed.

It is worth mentioning that from a production standpoint, the work put into the presentation is fantastic to say the least. The Russo Brothers’ direction has evolved to perfectly balance showing off the grand scope while also using their skills in more practical cinematography to capture the detailed emotion and nuance of the characters. Alan Silvestri’s thrilling score aids in this fact, with a good chunk of the music playing complimenting the emotional rollercoaster. However, just as with “Infinity War,” the true stars are the visual-effects artists, who display an insane level of talent that shows on screen with the immense level of detail, creativity and great design that went into every inch of these worlds.

To say more about “Endgame” would ruin the experience, but without question, this is a must-watch cinematic event. For over a decade, Marvel has crafted something so much more special than any of us could ever begin to comprehend and by the end of this journey, that feeling will sink in. It is heartbreaking to say good bye to so many of these iconic, beloved characters who have practically become like family to us all, but if there was ever a question of how to honor such an unparalleled legacy of tears, laughs, excitement and action, “Avengers: Endgame” has the answer and then some. ‘Nuff said.