The Avengers Review

Rating: 10/10 (18 November 2012)

Joss Whedon's "Marvel's The Avengers" is a wonderfully crafted and delightfully surprising detour from the prevalent "Super Hero blockbuster" film formula. There has been constant chatter about an Avengers film for years among super hero fans, even long before the film was announced. Ever since Spiderman opened the door for film adaptations of the sizeable Marvel super hero roster. If the Marvel universe was going to be put to the screen, an Avengers film was an obvious choice for a finale (of sorts, there will almost certainly be sequels to "The Avengers"). Film buffs and comic book gurus alike expressed growing uncertainty at the prospect somewhere around the time of the disappointing Spiderman 3 and Thor films, though Captain America and the Iron Man movies were almost unanimously well received. The hesitation was mostly due to the way recent super hero movies have been produced. Too often we were forced to acknowledge awkward pacing, convoluted and ineffective plot lines, excessive reliance on special effects, flat dialogue, and questionable camera work, to name a few complaints from a very long list. When it was announced that Whedon would be at the helm, many were reassured and anticipation grew.
It would seem Whedon was the perfect choice for this film. It's easy to see how poorly it could have been executed by a more pedestrian writer and director. The film plays to expectations and winks to fandom without being exhausting or pandering, while avoiding the clichés that drain the energy from other Marvel film outings. Whedon expertly avoids the "grim" trend yet does not venture into camp or goofiness, his tightrope act between genres and conventions is equally impressive as it is beneficial to the film. In a vague way he seems to capture the spirit of the comic book story arcs themselves, this is certainly not super heroes shoehorned into an action flick.
The large cast of characters is executed about as perfectly as possible. There is a fantastic on screen chemistry, particularly throughout the childish feuds between Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. The sharp contrasts in their personal beliefs about their powers and society are highlighted and displayed in a thought-provoking manner. Whedon's experience is evident, with the plot driving the characters rather than a mechanical rationing of camera time between each hero. A great example of this is how he utilizes the Incredible Hulk, a character that has been the bane of more than one director. Knowing we haven't seen the Hulk in action in a few years, and that we would be eager to see how he is managed in this new and more mature setting, Whedon doesn't reveal Bruce's maniacal alter-ego until roughly two-thirds into the film. And when he does, the pay off makes the buildup strategy a clearly superior choice. The villainous Loki is a fine nemesis in concept and is rendered successfully as dastardly and detestable. Whedon opted for a more light hearted and entertaining overall feel with none of the heavy handed forced philosophy, though there is a well-played theme of the need for cooperation. The theme carries over well and does justice to the concept of the Avengers: America's greatest minds and forces, with vastly different abilities and personalities, setting aside their differences and squabbles to save the world.