A movie that shouldn't work, but does--remarkably well

Rating: 9/10 (12 January 2013)

Full disclosure: I'm a big Joss Whedon fan. Buffy, Angel, Firefly, even his comic book efforts (Fray, Buffy Season 8)--I've loved them all. Even so, like any Whedon fan, I know he's capable of disappointing us (most of Buffy season 6, Titan A.E.), so I didn't approach this film without some reservations.
Even with the very talented Joss at the helm of this movie, you see, it still shouldn't work. Consider the following impediments: First, there are too many characters involved (six Avengers, three S.H.E.I.L.D. agents, and one villain, just for starters) to do justice to them all; Second, Whedon has really only been somewhat successful on television (Buffy, etc. had more of a "cult" audience rather than broad mainstream appeal) and less so on the big screen (Serenity was a flop); Third, in the finished product, there are a number of plot "conveniences" used (Thor is able to visit Earth despite the end of his own movie making that impossible, the Hulk suddenly gains control and is able to direct his rage, the alien invaders die when their mothership is destroyed, etc.) And yet, it all works, and works very well indeed. For that, I give credit mostly to Joss Whedon (surprise, surprise) who not only directed but also co-developed the story and wrote the screenplay, and also to the extremely talented cast.
As a long-time Whedon fan I can tell you that all the best things about his previous successes are evident here. The Avengers works because Whedon is extremely talented at writing for ensemble casts. Buffy, Angel, and Firefly worked BECAUSE each had a large cast, not in spite of that fact. It's the characters' relationships that matter, and the conflicts that arise between them even though they're on the same side. Thus, we get a fan-boy wet dream three-way fight between Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America early in the film that is completely logical. The tensions between the disparate members of this would-be team threaten to tear it apart--which is why the spectacular action finale is so rewarding, because it's the fulfilment of the desire we've had, as an audience, to see these characters come together. (The best moment in that final battle is a brilliantly-shot sequence that follows one Avenger to another as they work together to fight the alien invaders. It isn't just great action, it's the fulfilment of their collective characterization; the action has emotional heft, not just spectacular visuals.) While none of the characters really have a major arc (that would be too much to expect in a film that is, as I've asserted, fully loaded already), they do each get significant minor ones: Stark challenged by Cap to show that he can make a self-sacrificial play; Thor nobly, perhaps pathetically still trying to reach a remnant of goodness in his wayward brother; Black Widow struggling with the memory of atrocities she's committed; Nick Fury desperately looking for a way to make this dysfunctional group come together as a team; and so on.
And while we do get some early action sequences, the most rewarding scenes leading up to the big climax are, perhaps surprisingly in an superhero blockbuster, the character moments. As expected from Joss, we also get a lot of witty banter and great one-liners. But all of that is in service of building the characters and, more importantly, their relationships with one another. The actors deserve extra credit because in a film packed with so many characters and so much action, they have a relatively small amount of time to make their roles shine. Several moments stood out for me: the tension between government-man Cap and iconoclast Stark; Stark encouraging Banner to cast aside caution and contribute in the most powerful way he can; and especially that marvellously tense scene between Black Widow and Loki. (Isn't it interesting that although we first saw Black Widow in Iron Man 2--a film where, arguably, her character had less competition--we learn more about her and what motivates her in this movie that has so much else packed into it? Full credit again to Joss; his fans know how fond he is of strong female characters. She's even the one who really saves the day in the end!) We also get something else that Whedon fans are familiar with: a straightforward, easy-to-understand plot. Loki, the bad guy, wants to rule the world; with the McGuffin... er, tesseract... he can bring an alien army to earth to achieve that goal. The Avengers have to stop him or, failing that, fight his army. After so many blockbusters--especially superhero movies (Superman Returns, anyone?)--with convoluted plots, it's a relief to see one with such a simple story.
Other people involved in the film also deserve credit for its success. Seamus McGarvey is one of the best cinematographers around, and his talent is in abundant evidence here; the special effects are extremely well-done; and Alan Silvestri's score is epic and stirring--precisely what's needed for a film of this scale. All of their contributions come together in that thrilling "Avengers Assemble" scene during the final action sequence, when our heroes are standing together in a circle, facing their enemies, a team at last.
This is one of the best films in the superhero genre--up there, in my opinion, with the original Superman, with X-Men, with Spider-Man. In some ways it may be even better than those predecessors because, as I asserted above, it had so many more challenges to overcome to be successful. It works because, underneath all the action, this is a film with heart, with character, with humanity; a film about how seemingly incompatible people can come together for a common goal.