"The Avengers Infinity War" (2018)

The latest MCU film is a moving experience in the right context. Those trying to view it as a stand-alone story are laughably tilting against windmills. This MCU experience is something more akin to watching a decade-long television show. All of the deeply emotional moments hinge on things that have come before, like the events of “Captain America Civil War.”

I am on what the kids call “Team Captain,” meaning that I side with him in the argument that that film presented us with. (By the way, so is the whole MCU, as confirmed in this film when those on the Iron Man side of the argument admit that they were wrong.) When Cap shows up in this film, it is an amazingly emotional moment. One of many in this story that occur because of the connections we have to the characters.

But that is not all this story has to offer. It also gives us a powerful issue to struggle with and think about. The villain of the film, Thanos (who has been looming in the background since 2012’s first “Avengers” film) is of the opinion that half of the lives in the universe need to be eliminated because there are not enough resources to go around. And the problem is that Thanos has the power to make his vision reality. That is, if he can collect six stone McGuffins that he needs.

The Avengers have one of the stones in their possession, or more precisely, it is a part of one of our heroes; it powers the android known as Vision. And argument is made by Vision himself that they should destroy the stone to prevent Thanos’ plans. Captain America counters with the concise argument, “We don’t trade lives.”

And there we have the issue which people are supposed to take sides over. Do we think that we need to diminish the population for the good of the many, or do we think all lives matter?

That said, the heroic stance of characters all over this film is a readiness for self-sacrifice. My own favorite character, Dr. Strange, makes an important choice for the coming conclusion arriving next year…