Spoiler Alert: This movie review is going to avenge “Avengers: Infinity War.”

The hit movie, which broke domestic and international opening weekend movie box-office records, and continues to set records, is a bloated, computer-generated-imagery mess.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a very crowded universe in “Avengers: Infinity War,” with just about every character known to superhero fans in the movie, short of Inspector Gadget. Yes, I know he’s not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Lucky him. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Jar Jar Binks showed up.

In “Avengers: Infinity War” approximately half of the lead cast of the superheroes disintegrate to dust. That bodes well for a less crowded universe in “Untitled Avengers Movie,” which is in postproduction for a 2019 release. Or does it? Talk about fake news. How about fake plots?

“Avengers: Infinity War” is a $350 million-plus budgeted joke. The joke is on the moviegoer, who will undoubtedly come back for more.

Directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (co-directors, “Captain America: Civil War,” 2016; “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” 2014; “You, Me And Dupree,” 2006; TV’s “Community,” 2009-14) co-direct from a screenplay co-written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (co-screenwriters, “Captain America: Civil War,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”; “Thor: The Dark World,” 2013; “Captain America: The First Avenger,” 2011; “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” 2010; “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” 2008: “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” 2005).

As you can read, the aforementioned are a team. Call them Masters of the Retread Universe.

The characters are based on Marvel Comics characters created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Steve Englehart, Steve Gan, Bill Mantlo, Keith Giffen, Jim Starlin, Larry Lieber and Don Heck.

With “Avengers: Infinity War,” the Brothers Russo maybe hoped they could get by on the amazing computer special effects. And the effects are amazing, especially in the 3D format in which the movie was seen for this review. If you are going to see “Avengers: Infinity War,” see it in 3D because experiencing the special effects is really what the movie is all about.

The directors probably also hoped they could get by on the A-list casting, which is also amazing.

Just read this cast lineup: Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Evans (Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Paul Bettany (Vision), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Anthony Mackie (Falcon), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Peter Dinklage (Eitri), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Letitia Wright (Shuri), Dave Bautista (Drax), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Josh Brolin (Thanos), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Vin Diesel (Groot), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Benicio Del Toro (The Collector) and William Hurt (Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross).

Whew. Quite an amazing cast, right?

Great special effects. Great cast. So, why am I so disappointed with “Avengers: Infinity War,” which may have the biggest box-office in cinema history?

Well, you may have heard this one: What are the three most important words in real estate?

Location, location, location.

Similarly, what are the three most important words in cinema?

Story, story story.

“Avengers: Infinity War” has very little story: To wit, the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy must stop Thanos from collecting the Infinity Stones.

So, basically, the plot of the biggest blockbuster in cinema history is about completing a charm bracelet.

Too bad “Avengers: Infinity War” has little charm. Oh, sure, there are a few quippy-good one-liners. And, seeing Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch give as good as they get in the same scene is one of the movie’s highlights.

However, since there are so many superhero characters in “Avengers: Infinity War,” most have scant screen time, even, in some cases, amounting to not much more than cameos.

Furthermore, the settings of “Avengers: Infinity War” are odd. Most of the movie takes place in other worlds, which are introduced with subtitles because the filmmakers know they’re in trouble with the moviegoer trying to keep everything straight. Basically, the scenes reminded me of those on Krypton in “Superman” (1978) where Marlon Brando held forth as Jor-El, Superman’s biological father.

Most of the battles take place in the cosmos, with the exception of that in Wakanda, the fictional African nation. These scenes looks like outtakes from “Black Panther.”

“Avengers: Infinity War” is like watching a World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view telecast. Call it “Smackdown of the Superheroes.”

“Avengers: Infinity War” will appeal mostly to Marvel Cinematic Universe fans.

Apparently, that includes the majority of the movie theatergoing public.

I happen not to be one of them.

“Avengers: Infinity War:”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, language and some crude references; Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy. Run time: 2 hrs., 29 mins. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

In “Avengers: Infinity War,” Stan Lee has a cameo as a school bus driver for Spider-Man.

Box Office,

May 11: “Avengers: Infinity War” continued its record pace, No. 1 for a third week straight, with a still strong $61.8 million, $547.8 million, three weeks, keeping Melissa McCarthy’s comedy, “Life of the Party,” opening at No. 2 with $18.5 million, and Gabrielle Union’s thriller, “Breaking In,” opening at No. 3 with $16.5 million.

4. “Overboard” dove down two places, $10.1 million, $29.5 million, two weeks. 5. “A Quiet Place” dropped two places, $6.4 million, $169.5 million, six weeks. 6. “I Feel Pretty” dropped two places, $3.7 million, $43.8 million, four weeks. 7. “Rampage” dropped two places, $3.3 million, $89.7 million, five weeks. 8. “Tully” dropped two places, $2.2 million, $6.9 million, two weeks. 9. “Black Panther” dropped two places, $1.9 million, $696.1 million, 13 weeks. 10. “RPG,” $1.1 million, $2 million, two weeks.

48. Director Dan Roebuck’s Lehigh Valley-filmed “Getting Grace” went up 18 places from a readjusted No. 66, with $4,230, on four screens, $206,651, eight weeks.

Unreel,

May 18:

“Deadpool 2,”

R: David Leitch directs Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, and Ryan Reynolds in the science-fiction comedy. Wade, aka Deadpool, is up to more antics.

“Book Club,”

PG-13: Bill Holderman directs Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen in the comedy. A monthly book club becomes a real page-turner.

“Show Dogs,”

PG: Raja Gosnell directs Will Arnett, Alan Cumming, Stanley Tucci, and Natasha Lyonne in the action-comedy. A police dog goes undercover. The dog talks.

“Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,”

Wim Wenders directs the biography-documentary about Pope Francis.

“On Chesil Beach,”

R: Dominic Cooke directs Saoirse Ronan, Emily Watson, Anne-Marie Duff, and Samuel West in the romance-drama. The movie is based on Ian McEwan’s novel about newlyweds in England in 1962.

“First Reformed,”

R: Paul Schrader directs Allentown native Amanda Seyfried, Ethan Hawke, Cedric the Entertainer, and Michael Gaston in the thriller-drama. A former military chaplain (Ethan Hawke) grieves the death of his son. Mary (Amanda Seyfried) mourns the death of her husband.

One Popcorn Box out of Five Popcorn Boxes