Battle of The Avenger Stars

Rating: 7/10 (6 May 2016)

In a first for me, a credited actor in the movie is not here on IMDb, so let me give them credit here in a small supporting role, but one that gets your attention - Stan Lee. By the time anyone reads this, he might be there, but as I write this, he is not credited.
As for the film, there is so much script setting up this nearly 3 hour film, the first half has only small spots of action. In this case, I think the writers thought a lot of set up was needed because there are so many Avengers in the movie. I really feel it bogs this one down a bit. John Slattery, formerly of Mad Men, has a small role in this one, less noticeable than Stan Lee.
The humor in this one in sporadic, and while there are some good laughs in the latter stages, it is strange that most of them are in the action sequences. The first half or more of the film is almost too dramatic for a Marvel film. The film actually brings in the United Nations after an action opener that makes the viewer think the whole film is going to be action. Spoiler- no it is not.
Appropriately, some of the best jokes in the movie come late in the film including a great one delivered by Stan Lee. I will not spoil that here except to say Lee's role itself is a great inside joke.
Even though the film is long, I did enjoy a lot of the small stuff in it. Ant Man and Spiderman are fun, and I like Tony Stark's comment about a young Spiderman's Aunt May, played by Marissa Tomei. This Aunt May is the best looking one I have ever seen.
The plot uses the UN and the Avengers to divide themselves up against the bad guys and themselves. While the plot holds together, there are times all the infighting seems pointless. The blowing up of a UN building really seems pointless as there is not a real clear reason for it to be done, though it is explained it is to get the Avengers to fight each other.
There is a question about a 1991 mission report that is referred to throughout most of the film, which serves in the plot as well as a couple of flashback sequences. It does a promo for an upcoming MARVEL film at the end, and George Costanza does not show up to date Aunt May in the movie. Would have been a nice touch though.