Marvel's war to end all wars has only just begun.

After ten years of build-up, the time has come for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to go big or go home. With eighteen films of carefully orchestrated, box office smashing storytelling, however, there’s no way in the world they’re in the mood to get their coat right now. In fact, with the release of Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel look ready to crank the volume up to eleven and see this party out to the bitter end.

After a decade of carefully escalating anticipation, this may feel like an unsustainable level of hype for any film to live up to, yet this is precisely the kind of pressurised environment Marvel Studios have come to thrive in. With Infinity War, Marvel have not only held themselves together under the mounting pressure, they’ve gone and blown the doors off their universe just to prove they can.

With the Avengers and their cosmic counterparts, the Guardians of the Galaxy, continuing to do what they can to keep the universe safe, a new danger has emerged from the shadows far greater than anyone could ever imagine. As Thanos (Josh Brolin), a tyrant of intergalactic infamy, rips across the cosmos in search of the all-powerful Infinity Stones to utilise in his genocidal plans, every available superhero must unite to fight for the fate of existence itself.

With almost every hero Marvel has to offer standing primed and ready to defend the universe from attack, the sheer magnitude of seeing so many iconic characters come together for one single purpose is almost too much to process. In fact, the extended congregation of star-studded superheroes is so awe-inspiring that it’s easy to lose sight of the one man that’s brought them all together.

So far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there have been good villains, forgettable villains, a handful of fantastic villains…and Thanos. As a looming threat since The Avengers, Thanos has, until now, been stuck delegating stone-fetching duty from the confines of an armchair, yet his time in the spotlight is very much upon us and the effect this newfound prominence has on the entire franchise is to be underestimated at your peril.

While Infinity War comes complete with the standard Avengers prefix, Marvel have made the wise decision to make this all but Thanos’s story. By switching up perspectives almost entirely, we see the Mad Titan’s quest largely from his singular, bloody-minded perspective, as we’re taken through the wringer and on the kind of emotional rollercoaster usually reserved exclusively for our heroes.

To let the film unfold from the villain’s point of view is not only a brave call, but a certified stroke of genius that spawns an antagonist with depth and pathos to spare, and the kind of wonderfully subversive hero outshining not seen since Heath Ledger’s Joker.

With incredible motion capture, Josh Brolin’s fantastically nuanced performance deep beneath that thick CGI skin, and a wholly grounded personality with complex, crystal-clear motivations; Thanos is brought to life in thoroughly jaw-dropping fashion and quite unlike any villain you’ve ever witnessed, comic book or otherwise.

As with any superhero antagonist worth their salt, a fine line between abhorrence and sympathy must be traversed and by carefully inverting expectations at every turn, Thanos works the balance to perfection. Performing universal genocide is quite clearly evil beyond compare, yet, when we’re presented with his deeply personal motivations for doing so, that area between sympathy and disgust is blurred so fascinatingly.

With the level of his threat established in the film’s opening moments, as he nonchalantly lays down the law to Thor, Loki, and Hulk; Infinity War’s stakes feel as sky-high as they’ve been at any point in the MCU’s history. We’ve all seen the world, and even the galaxy, threatened so many times by now that you’d be forgiven for feeling a little blasé about such apocalyptic consequences, however, Infinity War is a different beast entirely.

As the menace of total annihilation lurks around every corner, there’s a genuine sense of peril to every character that we’ve yet to feel from the usually steady MCU and the unpredictability of everyone’s survival chances feels more akin to Game of Thrones than a tentpole superhero flick. It may not come complete with buckets of blood, but the edge-of-your-seat volatility in not knowing who of your favourite heroes is going to croak it, feels just as bracing.

Threats, consequences, and cast lists are undoubtedly as expansive as they’re ever been, yet, while it may all feel a little unwieldy to the uninitiated, directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, have somehow managed to package things in a far more digestible way than should be possible.

In similar circumstances to their previous Marvel effort, Captain America: Civil War, the Russo brothers demonstrate considerable skill in juggling all of Infinity War’s key, seemingly disparate, components and presenting them with minimal fuss. They may not be the flashiest directors in town but if their history in the MCU has shown us anything, it’s that they sure know how to handle large-scale action in the most personable way possible.

To ensure that the film remains rooted, the Russos cut deep to the heart of their characters to present a galaxy-spanning narrative of unfathomable consequences as a deeply intimate and surprisingly relatable tale that defies its epic canvas. It’s a similar approach to the one taken by Joss Whedon in the first two Avengers movies, as the brothers Russo take painstaking care to make the gigantic cast as manageable as possible and ensure everyone gets at least a little slice of that Infinity pie while doing so.

Sure, with a setup this expansive, there’ll always be some members of the extended cast that’ll feel a little overshadowed as the action heats up, yet no one finds themselves cut adrift entirely. Infinity War is a wonderful celebration of every hero Marvel has at its disposal and scattered throughout the film like comic book confetti, there are so many wonderful character moments, both great and small, to savour.

If you thought Thor, Cap, and Tony Stark bantering for the first time in The Avengers was mind-blowing, or Iron Man throwing it down with Hulk in Age of Ultron was incredible, just wait until you see what Infinity War has in store for you. From the Guardians bumping into Thor to the mass superhero convergence in Wakanda, there are enough unexpected and wholly satisfying team up moments throughout to ensure no one is left on the subs bench for long.

With Infinity War boasting almost every MCU character still alive and kicking, plus a few unexpected cameos and the introduction of Thanos and company, it’s an unenviable task to mould it all into some semblance of order. Yet, in a film where the villain sees fit to rid the universe of its overpopulation problem, the Russos have cleverly found their very own overcrowding solution.

By pairing characters off into three groups that splinter and converge at will, we’re presented with a far more digestible viewing experience than anticipated. In a form of fluid, ensemble filmmaking not a million miles from Robert Altman’s Nashville or even Games of Thrones itself, the characters and narrative threads weave in and out of one another in a surprisingly nimble and satisfying fashion.

As we flip back and forth across the universe at breakneck speed, the film’s structure inevitably begins to disintegrate, as all accepted laws of narrative filmmaking appear to go out the window. There’s a vague three act structure in there somewhere, but it’s presented in the loosest of terms, yet this is ultimately the way an ensemble piece like Infinity War must play out to survive.

Unlike either of the previous team ups, Infinity War’s narrative isn’t built around one single set piece, rather several battles spread across space and time. As is in keeping with its grandiose nature, the film’s action is like witnessing the battles of New York, Sokovia, and Leipzig/Halle Airport take place simultaneously and the result is simultaneously disorientating, dizzying, overwhelming, and wildly entertaining.

The Battle of Wakanda, which features prominently in the film’s marketing campaign, acts as the Infinity War’s action backbone, however this is only the beginning. Playing out concurrently with the fighting in Wakanda is a standoff between Thanos and a variety of heroes on the other side of the universe that’s perhaps one of the most creative and heart wrenching action setups of the entire film. At all times, the impact of the film’s action is felt and it’s precisely this emotional resonance that puts Infinity War a cut above your average summer blockbuster.

As the action unfolds, there’s a lot to savour in the various superheroic factions and, as with every Marvel Studios effort, the dedication invested into character is equal to, if not greater than, that spent on the spectacle. As the egos of Doctor Strange and Tony Stark bounce off one another, or the godlike physique of Thor comes face to face with the schlubby, “one sandwich away from fat” Star Lord, it really hits home just how wonderfully realised these comic book characters have become and how thoroughly invested we are in their fate.

Given the most purchase of any group of heroes on display, the Guardians of the Galaxy are the beating heart of Infinity War and their clear links with Thanos make their prominence not only understandable, but positively crucial. As is to be expected, the team play a key role in delivering levity when necessary, however, their deeply emotional connection to the unfolding story is what makes the drama tick.

With the mother of all daddy issues, Gamora and Nebula’s fraught relationship with Thanos is crucial to the dramatic through-line of the entire film and it’s this surprisingly poignancy that drives the villain’s motivations, adding layers to a plot that could easily become unrelatable and balloon out of all proportion.

With Infinity War’s focus falling primarily on setting up the enormous threat of Thanos, its perhaps unsurprising that the cosmic side of the MCU gets more of the limelight, however, the action back on Earth is no less impactful because of it. As the story moves onto Avengers 4, it’ll be interesting to see if roles will reverse and the action come crashing back to Earth with a bump.

As a walking, talking McGuffin, Paul Bettany’s Vision sees himself at the centre of the Earth half of the story, as Thanos’s attack dogs make a beeline for the Mind Stone imbedded in his forehead. This sense of impending doom surrounding Vision leads to some wonderfully emotional beats, especially considering his newly established relationship with Wanda and their symbiotic connection with the stone itself.

As the driving force behind the entire film’s plot, the Infinity Stones operate as the deus ex machina to end all deus ex machinas, as their omnipotent powers make them rather convenient narrative devices at various points. As Thanos bends reality and time at will, the film skirts precariously close to the edge of contrivance, yet it all feels part of Infinity War’s inherent comic book lunacy and the end result is as unpredictable as it is exciting.

What the Infinity Stones do offer, however, is the opportunity to throw absolutely everything up in the air, and with Marvel willing to dial the stakes up as high as they’ll possibly go, all bets are off as the plot twists and turns with alarming abandon. With the action ramping up, we enter perhaps the most unpredictable place the MCU has ever taken us and the tone takes a distinct sombre turn as a result.

All the jokes and levity slowly dissipate as we move towards Infinity War’s body blow of a conclusion and, as the sheer magnitude of the dire situation starts to sink in, the increasingly solemn mood is startling. We’ve become so accustomed to Marvel’s lighter side for so long now that when Infinity War finally crashes towards its end, the emotion is almost too much to bear.

Infinity War is very much the beginning of the end for this chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as we’re left dangling precariously come the film’s credits and, while the “to be continued…” feel is incredibly frustrating, its testament to how deep Marvel have their hooks into us at this point, that you’re more than willing to go with it.

With a seemingly unwieldy cast list and a setting that stretches far across the galaxy, Avengers: Infinity War could’ve easily been the moment Marvel Studios finally buckled, yet under the steady stewardship of Kevin Feige, the Russos, and writers, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, they’ve delivered a piece of cinematic history and the moment the Marvel Cinematic Universe came of age.

It may be prefaced with Avengers; however, Infinity War is Thanos’s story all the way. By switching perspective onto their antagonist and balancing our heroes around him, Joe and Anthony Russos have crafted a superbly weighted and surprisingly affecting superhero ensemble piece on a scale hitherto undreamt of. Although it’ll likely leave newcomers to the franchise cold, for those who have spent the past ten years and eighteen films becoming emotionally invested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Infinity War is absolutely everything they could have hoped for. With stratospheric stakes, this a film that ups the ante on everything that’s come before, while never once taking its eye off its emotional core, to put itself at the very top of the comic book movie tree.