1000 words isn't long enough!

Rating: 10/10 (7 May 2012)

Speaking as a fan of Iron Man and the rash of other constituent superhero films in the last few years AND a fan of The Avengers AND as a fan of Joss Whedon I can say that I was really pumped to see this film. Add to that the early reviews calling this film the greatest Superhero film of all time and I was ready to go.
Having seen it with a VERY participatory audience on Friday night I was blown away, Joss Whedon delivered on all the promises that had been made. But the BEST superhero film of all time? Really?
Well, I still think Watchmen deserve that particular honor. Realizing that I might have offended, well... everybody with that comment it must be said that there a couple of qualifiers here.
I think as a FILM discrete from any other films or comics (thus cutting out the graphic novel in Watchmen's case as well as the mountain of literature involving the Avengers and it's many characters) Watchmen takes it, its structure and tone are more adult oriented which lowered the box office figures and since the best cut of that movie is the director's cut that hurt it too, but I believe it is a better film.
Having said that and having gotten it out of the way I now proceed to what The Avengers brings to the table that makes this film MORE FUN than Watchmen. We add back in all the connections to movies and comics and POW, you have a mythos that everyone is aware of and has been awaiting for four years or more and The Avengers wins hands down just for its cultural impact. Everyone may not know who Doctor Manhattan is, but if you are reading this (or are breathing) you probably have heard of the Incredible Hulk or Iron Man.
One of the things I like about the Marvel universe is that the heroes in its world FIGHT EACH other. This is one of the reasons I was attracted to Watchmen
The Avengers themselves are directed to glory by Joss Whedon who had the overwhelming task of first making these guys fight each other and then come together as a team. This problem alone would have made most directors run away and hide under the bed but he does it. He is helped by the fact that he did not have to tell ONE SINGLE origin story, this had all been taken care of in the earlier movies. This also creates the disadvantage that the characters have to now meet each other and not bore the audience with redundancies. Not only that he does it without making the characters look silly or rather, more accurately, makes it so the silliness of a hammer throwing Norse god coming to blows with a soldier from World War II dressed in an American flag is not an obstacle but becomes the path to common ground.
The job of getting these guys to work together in the film falls to Nick Fury, played by an irreverent Samuel L. Jackson. One aspect of Fury's character is that being a spy/soldier this guy can look into his superior's faces and say "I understand you made a decision, but since it was a stupid ass decision I decided to ignore it". It is not hard to figure out why Nick Fury would be the one to be the one to conceive of the Avengers Initiative in the first place.
The group he gathers to save the Earth consists of an egomaniac, a megalomaniac Norse god, an old time American soldier with testosterone in abundance, a very hot girl who can get information out of anyone (and, it must be said should get her butt its own show) and last and certainly not least a guy who has "breathtaking anger management issues.
The actors also step up to the job as well and since my memory for actors' names is rather sketchy you'll forgive me for taking the quick route. Robert Downey Jr. is the same Iron man he's always been. The Hulk... well I'll save him for last. Thor manages to deliver one of the funniest lines in the film while simultaneously causing my wife to form a puddle of drool in her lap (the guy is FREAKING GOOD LOOKIN' what can I say?) which is okay because I was lovin' Scarlett what'sherface's Butt. Captain America makes up for the deficiencies of his origin movie by playing his role with a mixture of frustration at his circumstances and the loyalty of a soldier. There is also a star turn from Clark Gregg who acts in a redshirt capacity. Then there is Samuel L. Jackson who just has to stand there and look cool.
Now for the Hulk, I got excited originally because I am a fan of Edward Norton. I watched that movie because I was a fan of Edward Norton and when Avengers time came I expected Edward Norton to be there to round out a perfect cast. Instead I was informed that someone named Mark Ruffalo was taking his place. Now, while he did extremely well, I was waiting to see Edward Norton and Robert Downy Jr. play off each other, I think if there is one severe disappointment in the acting it is this one.
I began writing this review because fans, in the ebullience of the opening weekend, called this the best superhero film ever. I disagreed, here's how it breaks down.
Pure movie making (strictly movie to movie) goes to Watchmen Storytelling goes to Watchmen Beauty goes to Watchmen Mass appeal goes to the Avengers Pure fun goes to the Avengers Intellectual Satisfaction goes to Watchmen Action goes to the Avengers Character is a tie Pure satisfaction upon finishing the movie goes to the Avengers.
I think the Avengers wins.