Countdown to Avengers: Endgame: #1

It had been about 10 years since I had last seen this film, so I decided to go back and revisit this (I'd been planning to do that anyway) and then decided, along with my sister, to watch all the MCU films leading up to Endgame. So let's start at the beginning.

Maybe it's because I'm older now then I was back then, but this film is a lot, and I mean a lot better than I remembered. The film is pretty much just a straightforward superhero film, except all of the elements are done well above average. And a lot of it has to do with Robert Downey Jr.'s fantastic portrayal of Tony Stark; you really could not have cast the role any better if you tried. The visual effects are incredible and immersive. The characters are well written, and the dialogue feels natural; it rarely feels like performances. And while there is some of the MCU's trademark humor in here, it's actually not as prevalent as you would think; in all honesty, it strikes a near-perfect balance between humor and drama, something that some of the later MCU films would lack. A lot of people complain that the climax is the weakest part of the film, but I think a lot of that is because of hindsight. Sure, today this climax is nothing special, but in the context of this film, it does a more than adequate job of providing the audience with an entertaining action scene. Plus, the climax doesn't even last all that long, lasting just as long as it should. Jeff Bridges is a passable villain; nothing great, but a lot better than some of the villains that were to follow. All in all, this is an entertaining, breezy watch, a film that stands on its own, and a film that acts as an excellent introduction to the MCU. It's probably been a while since you've last revisited this film; maybe it's time to rectify that.