The secret ingredient is "fun"

Rating: 8/10 (6 September 2012)

IronMan, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, Eagle Eye and the Black Widow unite under the SHIELD banner to face a colossal threat led by fallen god Loki.
I come at this both late - the film is already one of the most financially successful films ever made as I write these lines - and relatively indifferent to the whole Avengers mythos. I am also unfamiliar with said mythos. Superman and Batman are well established in Europe, but many of Marvel's properties are much less so. With that in mind, the folks at Marvel deserve an award for long-term strategic planning.
Under almost any shape, an Avengers film would have made a deal of money. So it is to the credit of the powers behind this behemoth that time was taken to establish each of the heroes individually before embarking on this group adventure. The choice of Iron Man as a starting point, particularly with the genius casting of Robert Downey Junior, proved especially savvy. Iron Man has many similarities to Batman, but where the latter, now the heart of a hugely successful rival film franchise, is at heart quite dark and brooding, Iron Man is inherently light- hearted and fun, something the first film outing captured brilliantly.
Assembling the Avengers was not always a smooth process. The SHIELD line felt a bit shoehorned into the Hulk's reboot, derailed the plot or Iron Man's sequel, and frustratingly cut short Captain America's period solo potential. And now that they were finally together, supported by fresh film back-stories of varying quality for the uninitiated, you'd think the studio would sit back and enjoy an easy success.
Thankfully, you'd be wrong.
From the first few seconds up to the ending, the film oozes with love for its characters, giving most of them not only defining moments but also the fine small details that make you care. Downey Junior could have easily walked away with the honors regardless of the overall film's qualities. That the filmmakers try their best to create a sense of balance shows both respect and confidence in their other characters, and a strong determination to make this work as a team vehicle. The often square Captain America is thankfully done justice, and after two different attempts, the Hulk is finally spot on, Mark Ruffalo giving the film most of its heart and pathos.
Until the Avengers, the world was gearing up for the Dark Knight's grand finale. A trilogy that took a mildly ridiculous premise and turned it into a dark, gritty and grand opera. And for all their admirable qualities, Nolan's masterpiece and its two companion pieces sometimes felt a tad grim. The Avengers strikes a perfect balance between serious stakes and its inherent ridiculousness. Here Joss Whedon - of whom I was no fan coming into this - proves himself ideally suited to the task. His trademark wit is perfectly attuned to the material.
The biggest Summer blockbuster of 2012 is a finely crafted, rousing adventure, sparkled with humor and character, a love of its protagonists, and above all fun.
Thank you Marvel and everyone involved for creating such high expectations, and then exceeding them.