I don’t usually bother to put a spoiler warning at the beginning of any of my reviews because rarely do I ever discuss spoilers for a film in a way that could be seen as giving too much away. However, with Avengers: Infinity War, I think it is appropriate, because there is not a possibility that one could discuss this film, undeniably the most grandiose creation the Marvel Cinematic Universe has unleashed on us yet, without talking about some of the narrative progression that makes this one of the most unique films the franchise has made so far. Therefore, be warned: herein lie some spoilers, and while they are far from being too explicit to detract from the enjoyment one can garner from the film, they do contain references to events that are more worthwhile being experienced first-hand. Therefore, having said that: let us go forth and discuss Marvel’s most ambitious project yet, the quaint independent dramedy, Avengers: Infinity War.

The year is…whatever year the Marvel Cinematic Universe positions itself in (probably the current period, but we can never be sure, with the vast amount of aliens and other beings that find their way to earth), and Thanos (Josh Brolin) is finally making his proper debut as the ultimate villain to our heroes, on the search for the Infinity Stones, a set of items that, when put together on his specially-designed gauntlet, will make him the most powerful being in the universe. In order to stop him, all of the universe’s most valiant heroes, from locations as diverse as Asgard, Wakanda and the mythical realm of New York City, have to work together to stop him. It brings some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most beloved heroes together, once again for some, and for the first time for others. We see the endearingly powerful Avengers mingling with the Guardians of the Galaxy, familiar and beloved heroes such as Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Peter Quill/Star-Lord and Thor/Thor (Chris Hemsworth) working alongside new and exciting heroes such as Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) in order to try and save the universe from the wrath of Thanos.

The previous paragraph in this review seems to have been simply an excuse to name characters in the film. This speaks to the nature of Avengers: Infinity War, which does seem like an excuse to just overload the film with every possible Marvel Cinematic Universe character created so far, ones that have not been killed in the course of the previous eighteen films. Studio executives and marketing tycoons have referred to it, quite reductively, as “the most ambitious cross-over event in history” (clearly forgetting the 1995 crossover episode between The Jeffersons and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which is clearly far more ambitious and noteworthy. Special mention to the crossover between the Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, something too ridiculous to even exist, yet it does in its campy goodness), and much like Captain America: Civil War attempted to be the first sample of Avengers: Infinity War, featuring a large cast of familiar characters, while introducing a few new ones such as Spider-Man and Black Panther, before they went on to star in their own solo films (both of which, spoiler alert, are eons better than Avengers: Infinity War). There is not much virtue in over-filling your film with every conceivable character (and the audience can only cheer a certain number of times when a familiar character makes their first appearance in the film, literally emerging from the shadows in many instances). Avengers: Infinity War does clearly put a large amount of effort into allowing different worlds to collide, and characters from eighteen previous films all intermingle and work together in the effort to bring down the most daunting villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as the film has a good story.

And, to be perfectly honest, it does. Avengers: Infinity War is a unique film, one very different from both previous Avengers films, mainly because how it essentially tells one story from multiple different perspectives, with teams being broken up, encountering new allies and working with them, creating smaller, individual satellite teams, each one with distinct aims working towards the central goal. It works, not only because the Marvel Cinematic Universe is great at using familiar styles and tropes in ways that are not revolutionary, but rather unique and exciting, but also because the story progresses in unexpected ways. I do not think I will be dishonest if I said Avengers: Infinity War makes Game of Thrones look tame – in fact, I consider Avengers: Infinity War to be one of the bleakest superhero films of all time, and by far the darkest film the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever made. This is a film that is exciting and filled with adrenaline and heart-racing action, but there is a complete lack of resolution, and the film is shockingly violent and ends in a manner that is the complete antithesis of what one would expect. It will certainly anger some fervent lovers of these characters (because essentially, nearly every one of them dies – whether these are permanent or temporary remains to be seen), but it is effective and works extremely well, if only by virtue of being different and subverting expectations.

Avengers: Infinity War has all the familiar beats one would expect from a Marvel film – irreverent humor, colorful characters and reliable performances (not to mention the appearance of another great classic song on behalf of the Guardians of the Galaxy, in this instance the terrific “Rubberband Man” by The Spinners). The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been eons above every other tentpole franchise in terms of their performers – they always choose the best actors for the roles, and as a result, everyone is played effectively and in a complex, nuanced manner. Avengers: Infinity War may not feature the finest performances from the cast (that is what happens when you have a cast that makes a Robert Altman film look small and intimate), but there are some consistently good portrayals of these characters, as one would expect. Highlights include Robert Downey Jr. (who is always terrific as Tony Stark), Benedict Cumberbatch (improving considerably in his portrayal of Dr. Strange), Tom Holland, Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth, all of which are magnificent at balancing the dramatic moments and the moments of levity. The performances are not groundbreaking, but they are reliable, serve the film well and progress the narrative in a great way.

I just want to talk about Thanos for a moment. Avengers: Infinity War is a solid, grandiose addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it is somewhat predictable. The element that makes it more unique is Josh Brolin’s performance as Thanos. I have often praised the Marvel Cinematic Universe for having more sympathetic villains, ones with motivations – one just needs to consider Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) in Doctor Strange and Adrian Toombes (Michael Keaton, who I am upset and chagrined is not in Avengers: Infinity War, even though there was not really space for him in it), who were villains with somewhat justifiable motives for their actions. Then we receive Thanos, who is just purely malicious, but not without complexity. He is shown to be a nuanced villain, who may not have motives that elicit support from the audience, but he is developed far beyond simply being a one-dimensional antagonist, one who has a clear vision for what he wants to achieve and will not relent until he has gained what he feels he deserves. Brolin’s performance is unhinged and menacing, and while the character may appear to be a familiar version of the archetypal villain, Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War is unique in his own right. Considering Marvel has been teasing this character with brief allusions and appearances throughout the year, his eventual debut as a villain in this film was worth the anticipation, without any doubt.

Avengers: Infinity War is quite an experience. I left the cinema last night, and the reactions from my fellow audience members were varied – some went on expletive-laden rants about how they feel disrespected at the treatment of some of their favorite heroes – because ultimately, the majority of characters in this film meet their demise in some way. Others sat in muted silence, awe-struck on the emotional journey they had just undergone at the hands of Anthony and Joe Russo. Personally, I thought Avengers: Infinity War was terrific – and it is impossible to not love a film so bleak, destructive and nihilistic as this. It may not provide any closure, and it may end on a note of deep despair, but ultimately Avengers: Infinity War is the kind of film that the Marvel Cinematic Universe needed to make – something dark and subversive. Personally, this film has manipulated the well-regarded universe into something entirely different from what one would expect and created a story that is almost impossible to predict. It may not have the awe-inspiring power of something like Black Panther, or the irreverent humor of Guardians of the Galaxy, or the raw heroism of Iron Man and Captain America: Civil War, but it is a beast on its own, and I cannot wait to see where the journey will take us next.