Take
Marvel's greatest superheroes and throw them all into one movie. Now take some of Hollywood's finest actors and cast them as those said heroes. If you've done this and find yourself excited, eager and intrigued beyond measure -
the Avengers is the film for you. Realistically, if you're a fan of previous Marvel titles, or even just a fan of the actors being manipulated together in this explosion of Super-Action Greatness; you're in for a treat!
The Avengers is perhaps one of the most anticipated films over the last two to three years, drawing names such as Downey Jnr. (Iron Man), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) in to even further yet make this film something to look out for. The storyline of the film is simple enough; set up primarily by its predecessors. Loki finds himself traveling to Earth, more bitter, vindictive and cruel than ever with one sole intention; to destroy Earth and take its inhabitants as his servants as he rules over the planet. A war is imminent and growing as the days dawn, and Nick Fury and his beyond secret organization SHIELD have to stop the villainous Loki's plans before it's too late. But this time things are different. This time, Fury needs the help of some of the finest heroes Earth has ever known.
Director Joss Whedon invests a great deal of his Marvel know-how into this film. It's undeniable how brilliant this film is constructed and shot, but more than that, the locations and special effects given the immense overlooking of Whedon are phenomenal. How Whedon decided to set out with an all star cast such as the one he was presented with is beyond comprehensible thought, but by some miracle, the director of this comic-geek tranquil managed to incorporate every single character and actor into the film without making them seem unneeded or pointless in their additions. The essential nature and personal story arcs of the characters are really what make this film, and therefore, the direction and writing of this film have to be commended.
While it may be a given, the acting quality present in this film is sublime. Downey Jnr., Hemsworth and Hiddleston steal the show with their presence and Samuel L. Jackson's much more prominent presence as Fury is a welcomed change. Having the one-eyed director of SHIELD being present throughout the film rather than just appearing sparsely in the middle or at the very end of the credit role is extremely pleasant. Johansson, Renner, Ruffalo, Evans and Clark Gregg (who portrayed Agent Phil Coulson) all bring beautiful, unique and dynamic looks into their characters, and Gregg especially uses his excellent comedic timing and delivery to save the film from some of its more serious moments. A special prideful mention should be given to Mark Ruffalo who had the immense task of making the Hulk his own after the character had previously been played by Edward Norton who had been relinquished of the role. Regardless of the immense pressures, Ruffalo manages to make the Hulk true to the comic books but furthermore, create his own feel for the character so that he's lovable and constantly fitting to the film itself.
The film is by no means short on any scale, pushing for over two hours. While the duration is lengthy, the film itself is constantly entertaining and pleasant to watch - whether it's due to the beautiful scenery, excellent screen presence of the unfaltering stars or the witty dialogue masterfully weaved into the script by the writers. While the film is full of action with a balanced story that doesn't tire before the film comes to a elegant conclusion, it would have been a welcomed addition of the film itself could have received a more mature rating. Whilst, undeniably, this is a false hope, comic book fans (such as myself) can be hopeful for a little more push on the levels of glorious action that are infused into these amazing films.
While
The Avengers is not faultless, its entertainment value saves it from anything of minor discrepancy. It's an excellent film to see on the big screen (2D or 3D) and proves to take a step away from some of the more regular-to-average films that may be facing release this year. The Avengers will not only entertain but trigger emotions of a wide array and have you smiling, cheering and clapping in delight at some of it's immaculate action sequences and outstanding special effects.
Well worth assembling with some of your friends at the local theater and giving this one a watch!
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