The Avengers

It all started back in 2008, when a young man in a theater sat patiently during the credits of Iron Man in hopes of seeing something special. Little did he know what he was in for as he watched Nick Fury step from the shadows and say the words we all have waited for “Avengers Initiative.” Then The Incredible Hulk came out and it was then Tony Stark who stepped out from the shadows to discuss this Initiative to General Ross. The Iron Man 2 promised us the emergence of another superhero, this time of Norse mythology. Thor arrived on the scene and this time things got serious and Loki and Hawkeye came unto the scene along with the all-powerful Cosmic Cube (called the Tesseract in the film). The next obvious step was Captain America and we are getting eager as Nick Fury tempts Rogers to help him save the world. Then, after years of waiting and contemplating, The Avengers is announced. Not only that but the studio has trusted it in the hands of Joss Whedon, one of the best decisions by Marvel Studios. The cast is back (Mark Ruffalo replacing Edward Norton as Banner) and Loki its villain. Now trailers are released and every frame is debated and discussed as we await the premiere of hopefully the greatest superhero movie ever. SO…would The Avengers be able to meet the epic expectations and step up the bar for Marvel superhero films?  Read on to find out…

Building on the previous Marvel films, The Avengers is the epic climax of the long building storyline of Loki’s quest for dominance. This time Loki is on the hunt for the Tesseract (Cosmic Cube) in exchange for helping his conquest of Earth. With new powers and abilities, Loki starts brainwashing hundreds of people to bend them to his will. With the Tesseract stolen, Nick Fury has no choice but to call in the team. Captain America, Tony Stark, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Bruce Banner, and Thor (after a few misunderstandings) come aboard to unite against the rise threat of war. With Loki and his army approaching, The Avengers must get over the problems and challenges to come together and save the day for New York and the World.

When this film was announced I thought that it would be impossible to screw up. The cast and crew were an incredible combination that seemed too good to mess up. Fortunately I was right! The Avengers has turned out to be everything I could want in a Marvel movie and more! Marvel was smart to hand this film to Whedon as it has fully paid off.

The first thing that I want to address is the action which is critical to any superhero film and Whedon has finally done what we all want to see, heroes kicking lots and LOTS of ass. By allowing Loki to have full access to an army, the overbearing forces put The Avengers in desperate conditions. This pushes them to their limits and we get to see their fighting to the max! You will see combos between team members, Captain America leading and strategizing, Hawkeye sharp shooting like no other, and most importantly Hulk going on a massive rampage through Manhattan. This is what we are talking about! It’s awesome and all you have to do is sit back and soak it all in. It is nonstop and you don’t even want it to. Whedon successfully carries the tension throughout the last battle as well; never making us feel confident and never making us feel down and out.

The film also has its deep side. I was so happy to see Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. seem mysterious and shady, as this is how they are continuously portrayed in the comics. Each character has their arc and story that is handled with care and most of all no one steals the spotlight from the other heroes. Rather than blindly becoming a team, The Avengers grow together to form a team and have to come over their conflicts with each other along the way. It sticks true to their comic book AND movie personalities as I feel that only Whedon would be able to present faithfully. Loki is not just some evil cackling crazy person but rather a god still dealing with jealousy and pain. There is even some exploration of corporate and organization corruption that puts millions at risk.

Still the film is very aware of what it is supposed to be. This movie is for the comic books fans that have loved these characters for years. For those who have read these characters, understood them, and cheered for them will be paid off. We will see the fights we have finally wanted to see, the storylines explored, and the avenging put on the big screen. Marvel has finally embraced its true nature and has not Hollywoodized its characters. Rather than try to main stream the details we see Whedon present the characters as they are and we love him for it.

As for the story, it is brilliant! The Chitauri are a perfect fit for the story while staying faithful to the comics. While we expected Skrulls, the Chitauri work even better because the less need for a backstory and the ability to destroy the mass troops over and over again. Loki stands as its perfect villain, played great as expected from Hiddleston, because it is able to pull Thor into the story while providing a formidable villain for The Avengers.

Whedon’s direction is great as expected. He knows just what audiences want to see and gives it to us on a silver platter. His awareness is what makes the film work; the film feels like it comes from someone in the audience in ways. Whedon treats the story with care and the treatment it rightfully deserves. The cast gives it there are and each performance is highly enjoyable. Downey Jr. brings great wit and brilliance to Stark while Evans feels like the embodiment of Steve Rogers. Ruffalo also gives a great performance in my opinion because, unlike the past two Banners, instead of trying to give Banner TOO much depth he gives the character just enough but knows the Hulk is what we want. Hemsworth, Johansson, Renner, Gregg, Smulders, and Samuel L. Jackson are also great as expected and bring our favorite characters to live and are able to work with each other rather than everyone trying to steal the spotlight.

Now one of the biggest parts of the film that will make it highly memorable that surprised me is the humor that is throughout the film. I would talk about ti more but its best not knowing anything, as it will make you laugh your ass off. It’s great and works very efficiently that everyone will love. The music score is nothing on a John Williams level but I still found it highly enjoyable and it did its role wonderfully. The sets and destruction incredible and the film takes you away. Another surprising part was that at 2 and a half hours the film ends with you wanting much MUCH more! It doesn’t feel long or heavy and keeps the entertainment up throughout. While the film is not perfect, there are some scenes and shots that I was not a fan of and some events that seem a little ridiculous and illogical. Still the rest of the film is SO AWESOME that it is easy to look over some of the faults.

You just have to enjoy the film because it’s everything you want it to be! It action packed, hilarious, and it’s the AVNEGERS!!! Whedon has finally made the superhero picture we all have waited for and it was sure worth the wait. So go see the movie! Its amazing and I LOVED as you have read. Don’t miss it and WAIT FOR A POST CREDITS SCENE! It is a film comic book fans and even the regular viewer will love!

3.5/4