A "Smash" Hit (Sorry. That was corny. But this film rulez.)

Rating: 9/10 (22 May 2012)

I've never given a 9 rating to any action film... well, I think I rated Avatar pretty high, but that had to do with the overt political statement too. Avengers makes no specific political commentary and that has nothing to do with why I love this film. It's just an excellent ensemble cast and freekin mega fun. The writing and acting make it work. That's where most action films are lacking. Avengers has got genuine wit. Great subtext and character development. Dialogue. Deft banter. The way the relationships build is convincing and unforced. Plenty of camp, but well balanced and never becomes mockery. And the action is perfect. So many action films try to dazzle so much you can't tell what's going on. The Avengers goes totally ballistic in the concluding battle, but you can always tell exactly what's happening on screen. I am not going to go deep. I'll leave that to the pros, and there are already plenty of positive reviews. I just wanted to say that this is one of those rare big-budget action films that lives up to the hype. Major winner. Kudos to the makers. If the follow-ups are this good, the franchise will outlast the cast.