Marvel Avengers Assemble (12A)

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2012)

In 2008, we were treated to a post-credits scene at the end of Iron Man, featuring Samuel L. Jackson making his first appearance as S.H.I.E.L.D. leader, Nick Fury. This small, minute long clip confirmed one thing; an Avengers movie was happening. So here we are. Four years, five films and one name change later, we have Avengers Assemble. So: was it worth the wait? In short; yes. Now, you'd think that in a film with so many big stars that some of them would end up being sent to the sidelines, but every single character gets their moment to shine. The only person that does feel a little underused is Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, but given his role in the story, it's understandable, and he still makes an impact. He could certainly give Katniss Everdeen a run for her money. The Hulk hasn't really had much luck when it comes to the big screen, currently on his third actor in just under ten years, but Joss Whedon and Mark Ruffalo have managed to bring the Hulk to the big screen in possibly the best way possible, and it's mostly all down to Ruffalo's damn good acting. He's the first actor to portray both Banner AND the "Other Guy" in the same film, and that's a major benefit to have the Hulk actually look like his human counterpart this time, whereas the versions from Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk and Louis Leterrier's 2008 The Incredible Hulk were both just a big, green CGI mess. Alas, there are some downsides to every film, and Avengers Assemble is no exception. The opening pre-credits scene does feel a little unsure, and the middle act drags a little bit. It was entertaining, but I did find myself wondering how long they were going to spend on the Helicarrier before something interesting happened. Finally, I arrive at the 3D. It wasn't particularly that impressive if I'm honest. I stopped noticing it after about twenty minutes (though that probably proves just how good the film was) apart from in a select few scenes, and even then, the screen is too jumbled. Every time you blink, your eyes need to re-adjust to the image, and it becomes blurry. I'd say that, if you have the extra money, go for 3D, but if you opt for a 2D viewing, you won't miss much, and you'll save some money! Apart from the minor niggles, a pretty much perfect film. *****