With the release of ‘The Avengers,’ Marvel have accomplished a major cinematic feat. Several individual superhero films have led up to a combined powerhouse of a blockbuster. Years of build up have finally come to a head. The question on everyone’s mind is, “Is it successful?” Moviegoers have feared that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes would come together only to star in a jumbled, incoherent mess that would not be able to balance so many characters. I can tell those people, with absolutely no reservations, that not only does the film allay these fears, it smashes them into oblivion as easily as the Hulk smashes a marshmallow. ‘The Avengers’ is a grin-inducing thrill ride that effectively blends unique, jaw-dropping action with effortless character development and witty humor.
The plot is fairly basic. The Norse trickster Loki (Tom Hiddleston) steals a powerful, self-sustaining energy cube called the Tesseract from the S.H.I.E.L.D. agency. With the artifact, Loki plans to unleash an army of evil creatures from another world on mankind, making himself ruler of Earth. To combat this threat, agency director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) summons an eclectic group of heroes from disparate locations across the globe. They include: Clint Barton as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Dr. Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Steve Rogers as Captain America (Chris Evans), Tony Stark as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and Natasha Romanoff as Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). While this set up is very familiar, it does not keep the movie from being an enthralling adventure that takes immediate hold and never lets the viewer go. From perennially debated “who would win in a fight...” battles between the Avengers to an amazing final confrontation in downtown Manhattan, there’s never a dull moment, never a lack of style.
Within the first 20 minutes, writer/director Joss Whedon’s script shines like Iron Man’s chest piece with his usual brand of intelligent dialogue and intriguing set pieces. What really impresses, however, is the way in which each member of the super team is given a distinct personality and important function within the group. Everyone--even the formerly questionable Black Widow and Hawkeye--has weight and purpose. By the time the movie ends, you will know why Fury called for each one of these people. The writing has a solid foundation in what defines the characters: Captain America’s old-fashioned patriotism and altruistic heroism; Tony Stark’s wry egoism and snarky attitude with others; Thor’s desire to find the good in his brother Loki; Bruce Banner’s genius and his efforts to control the monster inside himself. You get more insight into what makes them keep fighting the good fight than you ever did in any other Marvel film. The result is an experience that counters its over-the-top spectacle with a more significant, human core. All the characters are given their fair share of signature moments, some so hysterical that you will quite literally laugh out loud. This is especially true for Ruffalo’s Hulk, which is the most Incredible (See what I did there?) incarnation of the beast yet seen. His triumphs provoke clapping and cheering, as much from their humor as from their awesome factor. Yes, this is a superhero film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the benefits of this attitude are incalculable.
The Avengers are brought to life by fantastic performances from all of the actors. They each draw in audience sympathies and sell the gravity of the drama and the levity of the comedy. The band of heroes become inextricably tied to the actors who portray them, and the potential for many future films is all but certain. The flaws are few, but enough to prevent perfection: Loki’s dialogue can at times border on cheesy and melodramatic, the Hulk’s shift from implacable behemoth to Avenger-friendly green tornado of calculated destruction is not sufficiently explained within the movie’s logic, and the formulaic backbone of the story creates an ever-so-slight feeling of “been there, done that.” These issues are more than overcome by the strengths, however. You won’t even have time to care about them amidst all the pure win being thrown onto the screen.
No protracted conclusion is necessary. All you need to know is that if you have even a passing interest in the source material, you MUST see this movie. It is everything that Marvel have promised, and it is everything that people hoped it would be. Hulk smash. Hulk smash real good.
Cannon's rating: 9.5/10
The plot is fairly basic. The Norse trickster Loki (Tom Hiddleston) steals a powerful, self-sustaining energy cube called the Tesseract from the S.H.I.E.L.D. agency. With the artifact, Loki plans to unleash an army of evil creatures from another world on mankind, making himself ruler of Earth. To combat this threat, agency director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) summons an eclectic group of heroes from disparate locations across the globe. They include: Clint Barton as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Dr. Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Steve Rogers as Captain America (Chris Evans), Tony Stark as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and Natasha Romanoff as Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). While this set up is very familiar, it does not keep the movie from being an enthralling adventure that takes immediate hold and never lets the viewer go. From perennially debated “who would win in a fight...” battles between the Avengers to an amazing final confrontation in downtown Manhattan, there’s never a dull moment, never a lack of style.
Within the first 20 minutes, writer/director Joss Whedon’s script shines like Iron Man’s chest piece with his usual brand of intelligent dialogue and intriguing set pieces. What really impresses, however, is the way in which each member of the super team is given a distinct personality and important function within the group. Everyone--even the formerly questionable Black Widow and Hawkeye--has weight and purpose. By the time the movie ends, you will know why Fury called for each one of these people. The writing has a solid foundation in what defines the characters: Captain America’s old-fashioned patriotism and altruistic heroism; Tony Stark’s wry egoism and snarky attitude with others; Thor’s desire to find the good in his brother Loki; Bruce Banner’s genius and his efforts to control the monster inside himself. You get more insight into what makes them keep fighting the good fight than you ever did in any other Marvel film. The result is an experience that counters its over-the-top spectacle with a more significant, human core. All the characters are given their fair share of signature moments, some so hysterical that you will quite literally laugh out loud. This is especially true for Ruffalo’s Hulk, which is the most Incredible (See what I did there?) incarnation of the beast yet seen. His triumphs provoke clapping and cheering, as much from their humor as from their awesome factor. Yes, this is a superhero film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the benefits of this attitude are incalculable.
The Avengers are brought to life by fantastic performances from all of the actors. They each draw in audience sympathies and sell the gravity of the drama and the levity of the comedy. The band of heroes become inextricably tied to the actors who portray them, and the potential for many future films is all but certain. The flaws are few, but enough to prevent perfection: Loki’s dialogue can at times border on cheesy and melodramatic, the Hulk’s shift from implacable behemoth to Avenger-friendly green tornado of calculated destruction is not sufficiently explained within the movie’s logic, and the formulaic backbone of the story creates an ever-so-slight feeling of “been there, done that.” These issues are more than overcome by the strengths, however. You won’t even have time to care about them amidst all the pure win being thrown onto the screen.
No protracted conclusion is necessary. All you need to know is that if you have even a passing interest in the source material, you MUST see this movie. It is everything that Marvel have promised, and it is everything that people hoped it would be. Hulk smash. Hulk smash real good.
Cannon's rating: 9.5/10