The Unbearable Heaviness of Being A Superhero

Rating: 5/10 (16 May 2016)

A long time ago, when many of us were sleeping under a rock, a bunch of exceptionally gifted men and women banded together and started calling themselves The Avengers. The prime responsibility that they had taken upon their specially endowed bodies was to fight terror and crime, cutting across state boundaries, but especially the bad guys that originate from the bad country of Sokovia. In fulfillment of this responsibility, they perform tasks, which defy the laws of physics, explained to us by wise men like Newton and Einstein. There is this lady Superhero, who can conjure up heat and light by manipulating her fingers, much like a puppeteer is wont to do. Another Superhero can achieve instant communication and teleportation by tapping a contraption worn on his wrist. But not all of them are tech-savvy; there is a Superhero still using bow and arrow. And another one uses a designer shield. To cut a long story short, they use exquisite weapons and toys while performing their extraordinary feats to protect lesser mortals like us.
It is not that The Avengers are always perfect; they do commit some silly mistakes sometimes. And one such mistake happened during their mission in Nigeria, leading to the death of some innocent people. It also resulted in United Nations waking up from their stupor and calls for bringing The Avengers under their purview. Some Superheroes, feeling guilty and tired, agree to submit themselves to UN control; others are outraged at their independence being compromised. There is a vertical split among The Avengers. The boss at UN gives the good guys 36 hours to bring around the bad guys. And fortuitously, it is also time for Halloween or some such festival. So they all don their best costumes and have a spectacular fight at Leipzig airport, crushing few planes in the process.
The Shock and Awe at Leipzig does not resolve the stalemate. Fortunately for us, The Avengers have a good sense of humour, of the self-deprecating kind. Particularly witty, is the Spiderboy, a new recruit. But he is advised by the seniors to talk less and fight more. Meanwhile the mummified soldier in Sokovia, who is revived by some mumbo-jumbo, spills some secrets about the parents of one of The Avengers. This reunites the two factions in their fight against the common enemy. The emotions tend to get a bit overwhelming and also confusing. But hopefully there will be a sequel soon to throw more light on these weighty matters.