 |
| Courtesy of Paramount |
As the end
credits rolled on The Avengers, Marvel Comics' long-in-the-works effort to
bring several of their biggest superheroes together in a single movie, I
wondered how the 12-year-old version of me would’ve responded to what I’d just
experienced. Honestly, I think he would’ve died from excitement 20 minutes in.
I’d been
hearing great things about the flick for several weeks, but I figured there was
no way it could live up to the hype generated by years of fan chatter and
post-credits Easter eggs scattered across five movies. This is one of those
times where I’ll happily admit I was wrong – writer/director Joss Whedon and
his talented cast actually pulled it off. The Avengers is spectacular.
Newcomers
have a lot of homework to do, as the story will likely be indecipherable to
anyone who hasn’t seen Marvel’s cinematic output over the last four years. (I’m
referring specifically to Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America.)
Whedon kicks
things off with a ton of exposition, meaning the first half-hour drags a bit.
But after that, the movie ramps up fast. A mysterious glowing cube allows the
villainous Loki (Tom Hiddleston), last seen banished from his home in Asgard
after brawling with Thor (Chris Hemsworth), to emerge in our world. He sets
into motion his plan to enslave mankind, and it seems like he’s so powerful
that no one can stop him – not even Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), one of the best
assassins on the planet.
That’s
where Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the other agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. come
in. The spy agency has worked with several extraordinary individuals over the
years, each of whom has saved the world in one way or another. Fury figures if
he can bring them all together, maybe they’ve got a shot at taking Loki down.
This
“putting the band together” segment leads to some of the movie’s best scenes.
Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) convinces Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to come
out of hiding despite his tendency to turn into a big green monster. The
steadfast Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) recruits Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.),
both for his brilliance and his useful red and gold armor. Fury persuades Steve
Rogers (Chris Evans) to overcome his culture shock and don his Captain America
uniform once again.
When Thor
returns to Earth looking for Loki and the glowing cube, the team is complete.
Of course, they have to find a way to deal with their own giant egos before
they can defeat the enemy. But, after Loki unleashes a giant army of alien
invaders on New York City, it might be too late.
Putting
all these characters into a single movie and giving them enough material to
justify their presence could’ve been a disaster (not to mention juggling all
the actors’ busy schedules). Fortunately, Whedon has a long and successful
history with big ensembles. And even though he proved adept at directing big
screen action with Serenity, I was still surprised at how well he handled the
flick’s many complex setpieces. (Though I’m still ambivalent about the use of
3D. See it that way if you want, but 2D will work just fine.)
What’s
more, Whedon’s unique brand of storytelling is on full display. That includes
compelling character interactions, hilarious one-liners and an innate ability
to bring extraordinary experiences down to a personal level. Longtime fans are
also painfully aware that he can rip your heart out with no warning whatsoever.
It helps
that he’s got a stellar cast at his disposal, one that understands the
importance of working together. The Avengers is a team effort in the truest
sense of the word, with no hero/actor emerging as the leader (though Downey
certainly casts his vote for Iron Man, to hilariously irritating effect). If I
had to complain about a character getting short shrift, it’d be Captain
America, though I can see how focusing on his struggle to adapt to modern life
could distract from the main story.
The heroes
might all be on the same level in terms of rank, but it’s pretty clear that the
Hulk will emerge as the audience favorite. He’s only in a handful of scenes,
but saying he makes the most of them would be an understatement. In the
screening I attended, he got the biggest laughs and the loudest cheers. Even in
Banner form he’s endearing, thanks to Ruffalo’s amiable performance.
I could
discuss the things I loved about The Avengers for thousands of words, but it
would eventually morph into the journalistic equivalent of a tween girl at a
One Direction concert. So I’ll just tell you that I wholeheartedly recommend this movie. See it.
Then see it again. That’s certainly what I’m planning to do.
The
Avengers is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action
throughout, and a mild drug reference.
Grade: A-
Comments
Post a Comment