Avengers: Endgame Encore as deeply satisfying as ever

In April 2019 (has it been that long??), I ventured into my local theater for what would become one of the most memorable moviegoing experiences of my lifetime. The culmination of twenty-something films, over a decade of storytelling, all crescendoing in Avengers: Endgame and the battle for the fate of the universe. 

I clearly wasn’t the only one, as Endgame went on to gross over $2.7 billion worldwide making it one of the biggest movies in box office history. While I personally thought Avengers: Infinity War was a better movie overall, there is no arguing the final third of Endgame was everything you could have asked for and lived up to the massive expectations that came with it. Now, seven years later, the element of surprise may be gone, but the emotional connection and impact remain completely intact.

Personally, this was the first time I had gone back to a theater to watch a movie I'd already seen. With my movie partner in tow, the Groot to my Rocket, if you will (what up, Toño), we walked into a surprisingly packed theater, reminiscing about how we felt the first time around and all the emotional moments that were about to unfold. 

Sitting back and watching it again, seeing Cap finally lift Mjölnir or hearing the iconic "On your left" brought back all the excitement, awe, and emotion I felt during that very first viewing. While there was no audible gasp or scream in the theater this time around, you could still feel the weight of each moment as we sat locked in, reliving some of the most iconic scenes in Marvel movie history. Rewatching Endgame reminded me just how special the original theatrical release was to me and so many people. Just because the scenes were familiar, the emotions weren’t any less real the second time around.

For those of you who don’t know, the main reason for the re-release was the alternate ending and post-credit scenes added to the movie to set up the next major Marvel movie, Avengers: Doomsday. It is an interesting creative decision that transforms Endgame from a monumental conclusion into a sort of bridge to the next great chapter in the Marvel cinematic universe. 

I must admit I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how these scenes would transition into Doomsday. And as with most post-credit scenes, I was left with more questions than answers; but that is exactly the suspense and intrigue I was looking for as Doomsday’s December release fast approaches. 

Without giving anything away, I loved the callback to Tony Stark forging his original Iron Man armor and how the film reimagines that moment through Doctor Doom forging his own mask. It's a clever parallel, made even more impactful by Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU as its next great villain. It’s those little details in creativity that remind you how great Marvel can be at its best.

Avengers: Endgame Encore proves that some cinematic experiences transcend even the movie itself. What the Russo Brothers were able to accomplish in their two-film combo of Infinity War and Endgame was nothing short of monumental. A visually spectacular, emotional rollercoaster of a movie (or honestly, movies) that remains as deeply satisfying as ever. 

Walking out of the theater seven years later, I was reminded why Endgame wasn't just a movie event, it created a moment in pop culture history. And if Marvel can capture even a fraction of what made Endgame special, we are in for something extraordinary this holiday season.