THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS.
I think I would be wary to claim The Avengers – yes, it’s called The Avengers. None of that Marvel Avengers Assemble rubbish – is my
favourite superhero film of all time. In fact, I’d be hesitant to say it’s my favourite
Marvel film. I’m not saying that it isn’t, but upon exiting the cinema, I was
so ecstatic, so fulfilled by Joss Whedon’s epic, I think I would have been
willing to say it was the best film ever made. Having taken some time to think
about it, however, I think I’m in a better position to write a critical
response.
To put it bluntly, The Avengers is fantastic. Really fantastic. Director Joss Whedon has
created a fast paced, expertly written, state of the art, cinema romp: the very
definition, in my opinion, of what ‘going to the movies’ is all about. The Avengers brings together Marvel’s
best. The Hulk, Captain America,
Iron Man and Thor (amongst others), must join as one in an attempt to stop an
alien invasion of Earth. I doubt this bonanza will soften the hardest of Whedon’s
critics or convert the greatest of 'superhero genre doubters,' but for those who have invested
their time in Marvel’s output in past years, this is the ultimate payoff.
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| Iron Man and Captain America... in the same film. Pretty cool, right? |
The plot, of course, is complete
barmy, but somehow it doesn’t really matter. I doubt anyone was really expecting a groundbreaking story anyway. The Avengers is very much an ensemble piece. A lot of the film’s
best moments stem from scenes where our heroes interact with one another. The
introduction of each character is quite pacey. Thor, for example, doesn’t
appear until nearly thirty minutes in. Captain America, by that time, has already
taken part in one of the films smaller action sequences. As a result, the first
half is very dialogue heavy. This is by no means a criticism. The Avengers soars because it isn’t tied
down by an origin story and I enjoyed the first hour a lot more than the
second; Whedon highlights the disparity between heroes, the clash of egos and
the brawls that ensue. Indeed, a standout moment for me is the brilliantly
choreographed fight between Thor and Iron
Man. It may seem a strange moment
to highlight but this conflict turns the whole superhero genre on its head. Our characters, it seems, are a little (or a lot!) self centred. Suddenly it’s all about them, and not, as
we might come to expect from this type of film, about good overcoming
adversity, at least not right away. As Bruce Banner states mid-way through, “We’re not a team. We’re a
time bomb.”
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| The Hulk rips into an F-35 Fighter Plane. |
Whedon’s script is perfectly
acted by the film’s main players. Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk delivers the
standout performance. He plays a more subtle Bruce Banner than Edward Norton or
Eric Bana (the two actors who played the previous two incarnations) but somehow manages to hold more gravitas and the
decision to use motion capture gives Ruffalo’s green monster a humanity that
was distinctly lacking in Marvel’s other big screen adaptations. Robert Downey
Jr, of course, has the best lines, even though it is the Hulk that provides
many of the film’s genuine laugh out loud moments. The weakest of all, I think,
has to be Chris Evans as Captain America, but perhaps that’s because
his character is solemn throughout the entire film. Chris Hemsworth’s
performance is good, but I don’t think the script allows him to explore his
character’s emotional turmoil. After all, it is his brother who attempts to destroy humanity. Whedon’s script hints at
this anxiety, but never fully develops it. Oddly, Thor is sidelined too much
and given the least to do. A minor criticism, but a noticeable one. Scarlett Johansson
excels in her role as Black Widow. She has, without a doubt, the best 'introduction' scene. Again, I would have liked to see more of her
character. Tom Hiddleston, one of Britain’s biggest rising stars, is
excellent as Loki, balancing menace and humour, sincerity and malignance. Hawkeye,
however, emerges as my favourite. Jeremy Renner is neither outstanding nor
terrible in his part, but his contribution to many of the action sequences is fantastic.
Everyone brings their own quality to The
Avengers. Take one character out of the film, and I doubt it would be as
good.
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| The Avengers Assemble in the film's final act. |
The Avengers’ third act is relentless. Whedon provides die-hard enthusiasts with enough action to sate their
hunger until the next slew of sequels are released. More importantly, he has fun with his film. Characters
established, plot in full flow, Whedon unleashes a bombardment of good, old,
cinematic entertainment.
Funny, thrilling and downright
awesome, The Avengers is the first
true summer blockbuster to hit our screens this year. It certainly deserves to
be a hit, and god willing, the next instalment of Marvel sequels will culminate
in Avengers 2. I, for one, cannot
wait to see these characters interact once more. The Avengers demands multiple viewings. When I see it again, my
favourite characters will no doubt change and my highlights will probably differ
somewhat but that's the fun of it all. The Avengers is by no means perfect,
but as superhero films go, it’s pretty darn cool.
