I was expecting more

Rating: 7/10 (11 September 2012)

Based on the hype, I expected The Avengers to be one of those classic comic book movies that leave you breathless and amazed. Helmed by Joss Whedon, lead up to by several other comic book movies, I really thought this would be amazing.
But it's not amazing, it's good. It's about Iron Man good, which puts it a notch above Thor, a notch below Captain America, and several notches above Iron Man II and the Incredible Hulk.
There's just not a lot to it. Captain America was a good movie because it delved into the character, but here the movie rarely goes deeper than the occasional witticism. The only character theme is some squabbling, but this comes across as kids on a playground (although it is entertaining to see the movie play the "what superhero could beat what superhero game"), and resolves itself perfunctorily. This is not what I expect from Joss Whedon; it's what I would have expected from Whedon directly after he made the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie.
This is not to say that the movie is not enjoyable. It does have some cool special effects here and there and it moves along at a quick pace. The performances are generally good; I particularly liked Mark Ruffalo's laid-back Hulk. It's got some very cute moments sprinkled in, although they feel a little lost among the endless battles.
It's a good movie, and if you want a fun popcorn flick this would be a good choice, but it's not a classic.