I'm writing this right now because, with the way Odyssey has been working, this article might come out before Memorial Day Weekend, so I wanted to give it the best shot I could at landing right around April 26.
My birthday is April 18, and me and my wife always go on birthday dates. This year, we'll be grabbing a bite to eat, probably Denny's (I could eat breakfast, all day and everyday), then heading to a Thursday night showing of Avengers: Endgame.
I must preface this article with one more tad bit of information: I'm a DC fan through and through. Batman is my favorite and the best (no arguments) super hero of all time.
But I'm no comic troll who demands a decision between the two giants. I love Marvel as well. And their Cinematic Universe is a triumph of film-making and marketing genius, while not straying too far away from the actual source material. It's a victory that has never happened before and no one thought would be possible. Many others have tried (DC is just now pulling their head out of their butts, Universal's Dark Universe has pretty much bombed, and Legendary's Monster-Verse is doing alright, but let's see it last 22 movies like Marvel) but none have reached a peak of success, domination, and pretty much obliteration that Marvel has.
This is no mere movie. This is no mere "Two Part-er." This is a cultural event, and you can mark my words on that.
Like Star Wars IV, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Titanic, The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter Trilogies, Avatar, etc.
Except that none have had quite the buildup like Avengers: Endgame has.
It's almost impossible to really focus on the incredible feats all accounted for in this movie, but I will try to name a few, such as the amazing amount of actors and actresses present, the incredible budget ($600+ million just for Endgame), the 3 hour and 2 minute runtime, the secrecy surrounding the trailers (Yes!!!), and even the opening weekend tracking so far ($800+-$900+million right now).
And probably the most amazing thing is that this film is not just a culmination and end to 22 films; it's a wrapping point of childhood's and time periods in our lives. I was a very different person back in 2008 when Iron Man first came out. I was in 8th Grade, I believe? Now, I'm a husband and father with actual jobs and almost a bachelor's degree as well. And, all along the way, I had the adventures of the Avengers and other Marvel favorites a couple times a year to experience. They were always there. And believe me, if Captain America or Iron Man die saving the galaxy one last time in this last movie, it'll be emotional. And people will cry.
How do you cry in an action-packed super hero movie?
Because of the power of Cinema. Avengers: Endgame is why we go see movies. So soak it up, and I'll see you there on Thursday night.
