The Avengers

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Gwyneth Paltrow
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action
2012

Times Seen:
Tim: 4

Summary: When Loki (Tom Hiddleston) threatens to destroy the world with an alien army, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) assembles a team of superheroes to stop him.

Review:

Tim: Marvel tried something original and ambitious with The Avengers. They showcased four different superheroes, each with their own movie (or 2)- We got Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger. Each film featured its own characters and story, and then, after four years and five films, we finally got The Avengers, a movie that brought all of those characters together. This had never been tried before- introduce individual characters with their own movie and then team them up all together in a shared universe that was intimately connected to all the previous films. It was a huge, huge gamble, and boy, did it pay off. The Avengers is the best movie I have seen in maybe a decade. It's a brilliantly constructed, entertaining thrill ride. I loved, loved, loved this movie.

I have always been a huge fan of Marvel, so I anticipated liking this movie. However, I was not prepared for how incredible it would be. Writer/Director Joss Whedon was absolutely the right man for the job- he successfully blended four main characters and a huge, huge supporting cast together in a film that felt like everyone got a few great moments and no one in the cast was short-changed. This film could have been a mess, but it actually turned out brilliant.

It's hard for me to explain why this movie is so amazing. One, I finally get to see all these terrific characters from my childhood together on the big screen. However, it's more than that. We've watched each character in their own film and grown to understand and care about them. We bring that familiarity with us, and we're immediately invested in the story here. Seeing Captain America and Iron Man bantering on the big screen, Hulk and Thor going head-to-head in an epic battle, seeing SHIELD's involvement with Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Nick Fury, and seeing the characters come together to stop a formidable villain- this is why I invest so much of my life in movies. The ride this movie takes on us is breathtaking.

Perhaps Whedon's greatest contribution here was the script. He infuses it with warmth, bringing these characters to life on the big screen. This is one of the funniest movies I've seen- I was laughing continually throughout the film. Every character gets a few hilarious lines that had me laughing out loud in the theater. Whedon makes each of these fantastic characters more human with the dialogue and the funny banter. This really lightens the tone of the movie, and allows the audience to sit back and enjoy it. The dialogue is amazing.

Now, as much as I love this movie, I don't want you to think I'm a blind fanboy. There are a few flaws that prevented me from giving this film a perfect rating. The most troubling is that the major battle in the film feels far too uncomfortably close to what we just saw in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. I will say that The Avengers did it far better, but it's too close for comfort. There's also a few too many plot holes (the biggest one is how the Hulk can all of a sudden control his anger, with no real explanation). These things don't necessarily detract a great deal from the enjoyment value, but they prevent this movie from perfection.

What I loved most about this movie is how Whedon perfectly directed it- he masterfully manages the peaks and valleys, the ups and downs. The movie features a tremendous amount of action, but Whedon takes time for character development and to set the whole story up. The beginning of the film is very heavy on talking, but this is so essential- to create the danger, to tie all our different characters together. We have intense action sequences, and we have funny moments of levity. I was thrilled, kept in suspense, and laughed throughout the movie. This is truly one of the most enjoyable, entertaining movies I've ever seen.

The cast is incredible. Robert Downey Jr. leads the film with his brilliant portrayal of Tony Stark. He was born for this role, and in his third film as the character, he's never been so comfortable in the role. He has most of the funniest lines, and is a true joy to watch. I loved how Chris Evans appeared the opposite of Stark in so many ways. He really came into his own as Captain America here, and gives a strong, idealistic performance that perfectly embodies his character. Chris Hemsworth builds on his performance in Thor, and I really look forward to his continued growth in this role. Mark Ruffalo steals the whole movie as the third actor to portray Bruce Banner. While I liked Eric Bana and Edward Norton in their own ways, Ruffalo delivers the ultimate performance as Banner, and his Hulk was one of the most pleasant surprises of the entire film.

Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner are very good as the main SHIELD agents. I would love for them to headline their own movie in the future. I did feel bad that Renner got a bit short-changed in his role. I really hope he gets a meatier role in the future, because I really like his Hawkeye. I loved seeing Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, and I really look forward to her involvement in future films. Tom Hiddleston was once again brilliant as Loki. He was the perfect actor for this part, and I am excited about his continued involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was the right villain for this film. Finally, it was great to see Gwyneth Paltrow reprise her role as Pepper. The cast in this movie is one of the most incredible I've seen.

The Avengers is the most fun I've had watching a movie in a long, long time (maybe ever). It is a movie that sets the bar impossibly high for all future comic book movies. While I can appreciate a serious, dark story like The Dark Knight, my favorite kind of superhero movies are ones like this- that deliver a nonstop adrenaline rush that are just a joy to watch. Whedon has created one of the best movies I've ever seen, and I cannot stress enough how much I love this movie. This was the perfect conclusion to Phase One of Marvel's cinematic journey, and I am anxiously waiting the start of Phase Two.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 9.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger