Malik Pollard/MadFlavor TV

If you could travel back in time, would you?

“Time After Time” (1979), “Terminator” (1984), “Back To The Future” (1985), “Hot Tub Time Machine” (2010), “A Wrinkle In Time” (2018), or just about any movie related to time travel all have one similar theme: the ability to travel back in time and change the future. What if time travel didn’t or wouldn’t change the future? Most of us wish that we could go back in time to right a wrong, or see a loved one, or redo a moment; and inevitably change the future, but we don’t know for sure if that is probable, or that it would work. In fact, it is highly recommended that we don’t change anything in the past as it could have some serious consequences. Often times, I wish that I could travel back to a time to see my mother. To give my son the opportunity to meet his Grandmother, but what if in traveling back in time to bring my mother to the present or future would mean my son never existed. This is considered the Grandfather Paradox, a paradox of time travel in which inconsistencies emerge through changing the past. This is the center of Avengers Endgame (IMO).

It’s safe to say that it is not a spoiler that Avengers Endgame involves some type of time travel. It’s also safe to assume that the Quantum Realm is instrumental in Avengers Endgame. I actually had to google Quantum Realm, and it is a real thing. Kudos to the writers for interjecting a scientific theory of physics laden with thought that could be predicted in our reality. Then the questions for Avengers Endgame become, Does it all work? Can the past, change the future? Are there ramifications to time travel? For the answers to those questions, you will have to see the movie, and YOU BETTER GO QUICKLY! Not now, but RIGHT NOW! There is just no way that a movie of this magnitude will go without commentary. At the very minimum, the Grandfather Paradox is an extensive talking point in itself.

I can recall 4 major points in the movie that brought tears to my eyes. I found myself shedding tears of joy and tears of pain, and all the while gripping to the edge of my seat. Sidebar – you definitely want to use the bathroom ahead of time because if you miss just 60 seconds of this 3 hour movie, you will kick yourself wondering what you missed. This movie should get a lot of Oscar consideration. It would just be ludicrous for it not. Over the last 10+ years and 22 movies later, the MCU has done a great job of developing these superhero characters, and we have grown to either love them or hate them. However, in Avengers Endgame forget what you thought you knew about your favorite superhero because you find that these characters are layered emotionally and spiritually in ways that we have not seen in the previous 22 films. The Russo Brothers provide such depth to each character and it is just amazing how they are able to do that with 12 characters. Also, the story is just brilliant. It’s an action, superhero film with elements of a well crafted emotional drama, and love story (not romantically). No scene seemed rushed. Every moment has significance, and importance. In recent memory, the only other superhero film with this level of story-telling was “Logan”. The dialogue is so organic, and so real. Some of it hit home for me as I reflected on moments in my own life and journey. “I don’t judge people on their worst mistakes” is a line that I will remember forever (among others). The Russo Brothers got this right! We knew they would. I just marveled (no pun intended) at how they paid attention to detail, and I sat there thinking, “how in TF did they do that?” It is like they knew 10 years ago just how to tie everything back together. Also, you might want to dust off those old comic books. Some of you might think as you’re watching movie, “How is that possible?” Well credit the Russo Brothers for finding some story lines hidden in the pages straight from the comic books and throwing them in Avengers Endgame.

The Movie is a clear runaway 5 stars.