Avengers: Endgame 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Avengers: Endgame 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"Part of the journey is the end."

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 1, 2019

Spoilers for this film, and previous Marvel entries, appear below.

Avengers: Endgame is the culmination of a now 22-film saga in the fabled Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise of films, and it is arguably the finest. What began with 2008's franchise foundational Iron Man is now a collection of record breaking blockbusters that has grown well beyond any reach possibly envisioned at the outset. The series has come full circle with Endgame, Directors Anthony and Joe Russo's box office-breaking film that serves as both a direct sequel to Avengers: Infinity War as well as a powerfully purposeful, emotionally draining, and fully heartfelt conclusion to what is now cinema's most richly realized saga.

The remaining Avengers team -- Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) -- is in physical and emotional disarray following the crushing loss to the team, and to humanity, at the hands of the villainous Thanos (Josh Brolin). When Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) returns the derelict ship carrying a frail Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Thanos' daughter Nebula (Karen Gillan) to Earth 22 days following Thanos’ attack, the surviving team team travels to a planet believed to be hiding the villain. That encounter proves fruitful but ultimately resolves nothing. Five years pass and the world remains in disarray and in mourning, still trying to pick up the pieces following mass tragedy. When Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) randomly materializes into this world from an extended stay in the Quantum Realm, a microscopic universe all its own, it is believed that he, and the science behind his miniaturization, may hold the key to reversing Thanos’ devastating population reduction and return the universe as it once was and should again be.

Dramatically, Endgame has a lot riding on it. Financially, not so much. There was never any question the Russos, who had previously helmed Infinity War as well as the hugely successful franchise films Captain America: Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, would deliver and that audiences would welcome the film in droves, but perhaps the slight surprise was they would attend to the tune of it becoming the highest grossing film ever released in non-adjusted dollars, eclipsing James Cameron's Avatar (the other three Avengers films all appear in the top nine). That's a ringing endorsement, even if the film it surpassed is not, subjectively, a great one. Endgame does not have that worry. It's not destined to be remembered amongst the top handful of cinema's most prominent giants, but it's up there, and for a "comic book film" it's certainly plenty well attuned to what it takes to build a dramatically satisfying story and the Russos are well capable of delivering a movie that is more than action. They find a sweet spot in the three-hour runtime, crafting a film that is at once both zippy enough to carry that runtime and happy to slow down and allow the characters, and the audience, the necessary opportunities to feel and appreciate the characters and the story rather than merely watch those currents unfold. Endgame accomplishes much by way of innumerable highlights, fan service, and story building and finishing, but it also feels intimate within the maelstrom of activity.

Indeed, for such a sprawling movie in terms of its character roster, reach, and runtime, it remains remarkably focused for the duration. The emotional pull is strong. The feel of loss, both large-scale and intimately personal, is palpable in every face and in many frames. The cast, all of them from the major players to secondary and tertiary character performers, excels. Each is content to play their part, no matter how prominent or how deeply in support, how much screen time is earned, no matter who lives or who dies. The cast, and the Russos, harmoniously blend humanity into the film's digital highlights. For the CGI sprawl on display the picture never loses sight of its center. It is certainly a sight to see, and for far more than the special effects artistry that absolutely only supports it and never supplants the heartfelt centers that define this film and the collected universe that Endgame capably carries on its mammoth shoulders.

Avengers: Endgame 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Avengers: Endgame was unsurprisingly shot on digital and, for a production of this scope with so much computer generated imagery, it's also unsurprisingly been finished at 2K per IMDB. The movie looks good and is a step forward from the Blu-ray, but it is certainly not a revelation and it is definitely not within the top of the UHD rankings. The UHD essentially tinkers around the edges, presenting the film with improved sharpness and superior color depth, but there's nothing resembling a dramatic leap upwards for anything in the visual spectrum. But that's OK. An improvement is an improvement and fans will certainly appreciate the UHD's ability to finely hone the details, to bring out more clarity and textural tangibility on some of the more dense practical costumes, such as those belonging to Captain America and Ant-Man. Facial features are refined and all of the digitally constructed elements appear appreciably, though not exceedingly, more sharp than the 1080p counterpart. The HDR color spectrum features more intense brights, more solidly defined and superior costume colors, and a slightly darker feel overall. Black levels depth is a bit more polished than the Blu-ray and skin tones more perfectly dialed-in. It's certainly not a showstopper but it's definitely an improvement over the Blu-ray and worth the upgrade.

Avengers: Endgame 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Avengers: Endgame's UHD disc features a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that, like the 7.1 lossless presentation paired with the Blu-ray, is a bit more on the up-and-up than many of its Disney audio peers. The track is fairly commanding at reference level. There's essentially no need to adjust volume, at least more than a notch or two; there are few musical notes that sound ever so slightly stymied, a little less than optimally loud, but by-and-large the track proves quite efficient at traditional calibrated listening levels. Dynamics are excellent. The low end engages frequently and often with appropriately heavy and dense output. Whether weighty low end extension during any of the various large-scale battles or accompanying less action-oriented moments such as when the heavy shutters close around the Avengers' base of operations when testing out a potential universe-saving course of action, the low end enjoys an appropriately deep output that certainly doesn't match or surpass the most thunderous examples on the UHD market but it's certainly a breath of fresh air for a Disney track. Surrounds are engaged frequently and prominently for the duration, whether in support of natural ambient elements or carrying swooping missiles or rushing armies along chaotic battlefields during the film's climax. The feel for stage expansion is obvious in every shot and the overhead channels carry a few discrete effects as the situation allows while folding in support elements to draw the listener more fully into a number of precisely realized environments. Dialogue delivery is flawless. Hopefully this is the start of a new trend towards audio excellence for Disney titles rather than a one-off reprieve from the studio's normally neutered output.

Avengers: Endgame 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Avengers: Endgame's UHD disc contains no supplements. The two bundled Blu-ray discs include an audio commentary track and a director introduction on disc one and all other extras on disc two. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. Via the digital code users will find an additional digital exclusive bonus, Steve and Peggy: One Last Dance. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

Disc One (Feature Film):

• Intro by Directors Anthony and Joe Russo (1080p, 2:33): The directors discuss the film's, and the series', emotional and total conclusion to the years-long Marvel Cinematic Universe saga. They also touch on the production's scope and their time with Marvel.
• Audio Commentary: Directors Anthony and Joe Russo and Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely discuss the larger franchise, Endgame's story, juggling the large character roster and actor performances, various technical details, and more. It's a good blend of basic and deep with, obviously, plenty of time for both. It's not the most dynamic track of all time but fans should find plenty of value in it.

Disc Two (Bonus):

• Remembering Stan Lee (1080p, 7:15): A tribute piece to the late comic icon who made cameo appearances in all of the Marvel films. Lee discusses his good fortune, his favorite moments, the qualities of the movies, and more.
• Setting the Tone: Casting Robert Downey Jr. (1080p, 5:25): A look back at Downey's work throughout the MCU.
• A Man Out of Time: Creating Captain America (1080p, 12:18): A look at the "backbone" of the MCU, Steve Rogers. The piece looks back at the character's films and and his appearances throughout the franchise. It looks at writing the character, transition design from comic to film, crafting scenes around the character, Chris Evans' performance, and more.
• Black Widow: Whatever it Takes (1080p, 7:25): An exploration of the character's background, history through the films, and Scarlett Johansson's work in the franchise.
• The Russo Brothers: Journey to Endgame (1080p, 5:01): This supplement offers a brief look at the directors' work in several of the franchise's best films.
• The Women of the MCU (1080p, 4:52): A quick in-praise piece of the females who appear in the Marvel universe.
• Bro Thor (1080p, 3:42): A too-quick look at the Asgardian's arc through the series.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 4:51 total runtime): Included are Goji Berries, Bombs on Board, Suckiest Army in the Galaxy, You Used to Frickin' Live Here, Tony and Howard, and Avengers Take a Knee.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 1:58).

Avengers: Endgame 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Where the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes after Avengers: Endgame is anyone's guess. The landscape has been drastically altered and while several new films have been announced for development and some in progress, it feels as if nothing will ever quite match these 22 films for interconnectivity, scope, depth, character building, and sheer cinema spectacle. That last one will certainly be proven wrong in time, but it's impossible to imagine something so complex yet so organic as what Marvel has accomplished with the first three phases and culminated with Endgame, a truly stellar movie experience in every meaning for the term. Disney's UHD is a step up from the Blu-ray, both for its 2160p/HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio. The two included Blu-ray discs house a good selection of extras. Highly recommended.