I have to say, I was extremely excited for The Avengers film (titled 'Avengers Assemble' in the UK). Marvel have cleverly been building up the hype to it with the 'prequel' films (Iron Man 1 & 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger) containing subtle (or not so) references to the Avengers and SHIELD, often in post-credit scenes that has had audiences staying until the very end of the film to watch. So as soon as it was released here in the UK (yesterday) I just had to go see it. I was so looking forward to it, but also wary in case it had been over-hyped and wouldn't be as good as I was expecting.
And to be completely honest, I was not disappointed at all. Avengers was damn near perfect.
The film is about a group of super-powered heroes (from the aforementioned prequel films) who have to team up to save the world from Asgardian/Norse god Loki (adopted brother of Thor by the way) when he comes and tries to conquer/destory it. The team is run by Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) of SHIELD and consists of SHIELD operatives Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johanssen) and Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, and superheroes Tony Stark, aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Bruce Banner, aka The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).
The first half of the film is largely about the recruitment of each hero and explores the various characters and how they would interact with each other, which is good. It was good that they explored that these heroes each have their own way of doing things and motives, and that their personalities wouldn't necessarily gel right away. Like Tony Stark and Captain America (sometimes affectionately called Cap) - Stark is, in his own words, a "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" and has quite the ego and iss the first to make jokes about any situation, where as Cap is actually from 1940s America and was frozen in ice only to be recently re-awakened, and he's all about fighting for good and saving others and doing good, and their attitudes and ways of doing things don't really match up initially. It was good to see these characters develop and interact, and it was really rewarding, it felt very organic and did not feel at all forced. It didn't rush into big battles and explosions (although there are some in this first half, even at the beginning of the film). It was also nice to see each hero being 'recruited' and introduced slowly over time, rather than the film starting and they just coming together, as that also felt organic and allowed each character to be done justice.
The second half of the film was largely the big battles and explosions and stuff you would expect from any comic book/action film, but it was hugely entertaining and rewarding as well.
What was also nice was that each character was given roughly equal screen time. It didn't feel like a film that was all about Iron Man, or Thor or any of the more popular characters. They all got to be up front, which was good. It made it feel like a film about the team, rather than, for example, Iron Man and his friends. It was about all of them, and we got to see each of them develop and all of their motives. Romanoff and Barton got their fair share of screen time which was good, and each got to show exactly why they're a part of this team - both can kick some serious ass. And they had a chemistry suggesting at a deep respect for each other, and hints at their extensive past working together.
They addressed at how Thor would arrive to join the team (if you don't know what I'm referring to, you clearly haven't watched Thor so shame on you!), but what was nice was that they didn't spend ages dwelling on that, and they addressed why Thor would be fighting with them rather than running off to see love interest Jane.
The Hulk has had a very spotty film history of late, with Mark Ruffalo being the third actor to portray Bruce Banner in the last 3 films (including this one). While I was very fond of the last Bruce Banner, played by Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo is by far the best of the bunch, and the Hulk in this film is much better too, being created with motion capture and having Ruffalo's facial characteristics, rather than being created purely by CGI. I have to admit I have never really been a Hulk fan before, I've never really gotten it, but after Avengers I've grown quite fond of him and would like to see a new Hulk film with Ruffalo portraying the character again.
The film was directed by Joss Whedon, creator of cult classics like Buffy, Angel and Firefly, and for that I was thankful, and it had many aspects that were typical of him and his style, such as the ensemble cast and the multitude of witty one-liners that were dotted throughout the film. It was a very funny film which was good as well, and I keep reliving some of my favourites (which actually are a lot to do with the Hulk...). Some questioned Whedon's credentials for helming the film, with some of his shows like Firefly and Dollhouse being cancelled after a short run, but I think after this n0 one can question him being chosen. He made the film the perfect film it was, and if (or more likely when) an Avengers sequel is made it has to be directed by him again in order for it to live up to it.
Speaking of an Avengers sequel, when you got to see it, in true Avengers style you need to wait until after the credits roll for a nice tease at a possible sequel...
So overall, Avengers was great. It was funny, it felt natural in the way the characters were developed and brought together, and it was just thoroughly amusing and entertaining. Not a disappoinment. A must see film for all.
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