8 Ways Avengers: Infinity War Proves Marvel Have Learnt From Their Mistakes

7. The Cosmic Elements Finally Feel Grounded

Although it's difficult to remember a Marvel Cinematic Universe without alien invasions and the Guardians of the Galaxy, back when Iron Man first dropped, the idea of anything "cosmic" happening in the world of Tony Stark seemed ridiculous.

Marvel have done a pretty great job of blending the science-based early flicks with contemporary stories about magic and wizards, but they've never quite managed to make the action of the off-world movies feel particularly grounded. By being so big, often putting the fate of the entire galaxy at stake, the settings of those flicks felt like colourful, interchangeable backdrops with no real sense of place.

The Russos, however, have done a great job of putting Earth in the context of that galactic scale. Audiences have already seen New York decimated by an alien force, but the planet was safely separated from the rest of the universe immediately after. Infinity War smashes the barrier between worlds completely, showing how dangerous these cosmic forces can be.

By having the action bounce between a familiar Earth and Titan, the scale of Thanos' threat is shown to be far greater than anything else in the MCU, while still feeling personal, grounded, and ultimately as impactful as any of the Earth-bound movies.