Avengers Endgame reviews: 'EMOTIONALLY IMPACTFUL' and satisfying finale – SPOILER FREE

Avengers: Endgame so far has a 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The final chapter in Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still a day away from UK cinemas. However, the reviews embargo has been lifted as of 11pm yesterday, April 23, and the responses have been overwhelmingly positive.

What do critics say about Avengers: Endgame?

The Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus reads: “Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful, Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel’s epic Infinity Saga.”

Express.co.uk’s review said: “In the end, the Russos have delivered a typically powerful and surprisingly funny final act that just about wraps everything up but occasionally feels like it is servicing fan wish fulfilment at the expense of the extraordinary story built up over the last three Marvel movie Phases.”

Mara Reinstein for Us Weekly:

Directors Anthony and Joe Russo have somehow crafted a coherent and exhilarating epic that incorporates all your favourite superheroes (and many of their loved ones) in one emotionally resonant package.

Eric Kohn for indieWire:

As Endgame sputters to the finish line, it leaves the impression of witnessing a Marvel Movie Marathon compressed to three hours – and 58 seconds, but trust me, they’re disposable – of unbridled fan service.

David Sims for The Atlantic:

The Avengers, as a concept, probably won’t be going anywhere, but Endgame still feels like a proper goodbye.

AVENGERS 4 RUNTIME: FINAL RUNTIME REVEALED BY RUSSO BROTHERS

Brian Lowry for CNN.com:

Having set up a formidable task and then some with the finish of Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame rises to the challenge, delivering an epic finale that proves immensely satisfying.

A.O. Scott for the New York Times:

At its best – and Endgame is in some ways as good as it gets – the Avengers cosmos has been an expansive and inclusive place.

Leah Greenblatt for Entertainment Weekly:

The movie largely delivers, splashing its ambitious three-hour narrative across a sprawling canvas of characters, eras, and not-quite-insurmountable challenges.

Todd McCarthy for the Hollywood Reporter:

What comes across most strongly here, oddly enough for an effects-driven comic-book-derived film, is the character acting, especially from Downey, Ruffalo, Evans, Hemsworth, Brolin and Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.

AVENGERS ENDGAME TIMELINE: THE FILMS YOU NEED TO SEE BEFORE AVENGERS 4

Peter Bradshaw for the Guardian:

I have to admit, in all its surreal grandiosity, in all its delirious absurdity, there is a huge sugar rush of excitement to this mighty finale, finally interchanging with euphoric emotion and allowing us to say poignant farewells.

Peter Debruge for Variety:

After the must-see showdown that was Infinity War, the Russo brothers deliver a more fan-facing three-hour followup, rewarding loyalty to Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Alonso Duralde for TheWrap:

Has almost nothing on its mind but crossing the Ts and dotting the Is of a far-flung superhero saga, but to anyone with even a minor emotional stake in the MCU, it has the fleeting satisfaction of a shot of whipped cream direct from the spray can.

Justin Chang for the Los Angeles Times:

To these faintly moistened eyes, Avengers: Endgame achieves and earns its climactic surge of feeling, even as it falls just short of real catharsis.

AVENGERS ENDGAME LEAK: NEBULA ACTRESS KAREN GILLAN LETS SLIP SPOILER

Hugh Armitage for Digital Spy:

Despite some flaws, there’s no denying that this is a truly impressive achievement and a worthy conclusion to a story years in the making.

Kyle Anderson for Nerdist:

If you have anything close to the bond with these characters as the filmmakers hope you do, you’ll be satisfied. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll shout “yeah!” and clap. 

Scott Mendelson for Forbes:

Surprisingly smaller-scale and lighter than INFINITY WAR, with disappointing action to boot, but it ends on a high note and the key characters get pushed in interesting directions.

Avengers: Endgame is out in UK cinemas on Thursday, April 25, 2019.