In 2018, the Marvel Cinematic Universe released the third of four Avengers movies with Avengers: Infinity War. Like the previous Avengers films, it brought all the MCU heroes together, this time to stop the Titan Thanos (Josh Brolin) from collecting six Infinity Stones and using them to destroy half of all life across the universe.

While it didn’t bring together all the MCU heroes in a grand battle like Avengers: Endgame, Infinity War proved itself as one of, if not the best, MCU movie. The film cemented its status through its characterizations and structure, which is only achievable through meticulous world-building.

10/10 The Characters Make The Most Of Limited Screen Time

Avengers: Infinity War had the task of juggling 40 characters, many of whom received significant character development over the previous 20 movies. This is no small feat for any film, and it could have easily fallen apart because of it.

Fortunately, Infinity War makes good use of its audience’s affection for its characters while keeping its story moving. Although some favorite characters aren’t on camera as much as audiences would like, this doesn’t keep them from having a vital and entertaining presence. Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), is a prime example as he establishes his leadership and loyalty in six minutes and 45 seconds on camera.

9/10 Thanos Is A Compelling Character

Thanos was hyped as the MCU’s biggest villain since the first Avengers movie’s stinger. Unfortunately, his inaction, lack of presence, and the MCU’s poor track record with villains made many fans doubt that he could carry a film.

8/10 New Interactions Keep The Franchise Fresh

Part of the fun of the Avengers movies is seeing heroes with well-developed personalities interact with each other. Over the years, the heroes have had many humorous and heartfelt conversations leading to the formation of some of the MCU’s best relationships.

Infinity War retains most of these enjoyable relationships while forming new alliances, such as Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) working with Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), as well as Thor (Chris Hemsworth) joining the Guardians of the Galaxy. These characters have similar personalities but often don’t get along. It’s entertaining, genuine, and funny.

7/10 The Ending Is One Of A Kind In The MCU

Infinity War culminates in Thanos completing the Infinity Gauntlet by ripping the Mind Stone from Vision’s (Paul Bettany) head. Despite Thor’s attempt to deliver a fatal wound, Thanos survives, snaps his fingers, and fulfills his goal.

Half of life, including the heroes, disintegrates across the universe in dead silence, leaving audiences and characters in fear and suspense with each passing victim. The atmosphere grows more haunting as the victims are powerless against it. The only exception is Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who tearfully begs Stark for help before succumbing to the snap. It all concludes with Thanos peacefully enjoying his accomplishment on another planet.

6/10 The Stakes Rise To Unprecedented Levels

While not every MCU villain is memorable, their threats range on various acceptable levels. Thanos’ threat puts the heroes and civilians across Earth and other planets at stake, and the film wastes no time showing Thanos means business.

In the film’s beginning, Thanos kills Thor’s brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), his best friend, Heimdall (Idris Elba), and overpowers the Hulk, who is a significant part of the Avengers’ muscle. Despite the heroes going all out to prevent his threat, each scene brings him one step closer to an Infinity Stone. Thanos not only succeeded, but his actions took years to reverse, and the characters continue to feel the consequences.

5/10 Ross Marquand Remarkably Passed Himself Off As Red Skull

Many actors from the precious MCU films reprized their roles in Infinity War. This aspect would make reintroducing these characters and adding significant new players, whether characters or actors, a daunting task.

Fortunately, the film succeeded on this front. This is primarily exemplified through Red Skull’s (Ross Marquand) return, when Thanos and his daughter, Gamora (Zoe Saldana), visit the planet Vormir. Hugo Weaving originally played the character and could not reprise the role, but Marquand conveys Red Skull’s demeanor down to the letter to the point that some thought it was Weaving until they saw the credits.

4/10 Character Deaths Are Major And Sometimes Permanent

While the MCU has several fans, most started to catch on to its formula over time. Although it would kill off characters, most deaths were secondary ones, and the heroes were able to keep moving forward.

Infinity War killed off several heroes (albeit temporarily), but some beloved characters seemingly died permanently, including Vision, Gamora, and Loki. The oddest means would bring them back in subsequent stories, but nothing was ever the same for them or their loved ones again.

3/10 The Emotional Impact Flies High

A crucial part of most MCU films is the emotional connection. While the humor makes the characters likable, their struggles make them relatable. Despite the heroes swiftly jumping into action at the movie’s beginning, there is time dedicated to making audiences feel for them.

One example occurs when Thor meets the Guardians. En route to forge a new weapon, Thor has a conversation with Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) about his losses and how he has nothing left to lose if he fails in his quest to kill Thanos. Viewers were also heartbroken during the disintegration process in how each victim goes.

2/10 Humor Gets Inserted At The Proper Times

The MCU is well-known for its humor. The characters bring laughter to audiences through funny lines or simple charm. Unfortunately, the humor became too ingrained into the formula and could sometimes be out of line or too much.

Luckily, Infinity War brings a steady supply of jokes that don’t detract from the film’s stakes. It offers an ideal amount of old humor fans have grown to love while ensuring a fresh supply through the heroes’ new encounters. Other MCU films had funnier jokes, but none could balance themselves the same way.

1/10 Infinity War Has Diverse Settings