The Avengers Entertainment Value Is Top Dollar

Rating: 8/10 (26 May 2012)

Tremendous hype surrounding a movie can be a very good thing. Usually it guarantees some big box office numbers for at least the opening weekend. But this is not always the case. The downside to so much hype around a movie is that many people tend to make up their minds before even setting foot in the theater. When this happens it takes a very well made movie to up peoples expectations.
Three weeks ago one of the most hyped movies, if not the most hyped movie, of the year opened with The Avengers. Opening weekend in the US (it opened throughout the world the week before) broke every opening weekend recored, taking in $207 million. It would go on to make another $100 million in it's second weekend and cruise to $1 billion world wide in no time at all. This for all purposes, is a movie that lived up to the hype and more.
I chose to let the hype die down before viewing the movie for review purposes, so as not to get caught up in everything BUT the movie. Yesterday was the day to view The Avengers and try not to get caught up in the Avenger storm.
Based on the comic book which is a compilation of several different comic book characters, The Avengers is a secret team of superheroes put together should the world be on the brink of disaster. There wouldn't be much of a movie if the world didn't come to the brink of disaster when Thor's brother Loki comes to earth to obtain the most precious source of energy in the world known as the tesseract. When Loki controls the mind of some of S.H.I.E.L.D.s personnel to help with his sinister plot, director Nick Fury initiates the avengers program. After some difficult persuading the avengers do in fact come together. The movie climaxes with an epic battle throughout New York City.
With the possibility of this movie being an epic failure, director Joss Whedon was very fortunate to have actors from each of their respective characters films, with the exception of The Hulk who had two different Bruce Banner's but was superbly cast with Mark Ruffalo. The talent and good acting by each person in their roles helped tremendously with the success of this film. With Robert Downey Jr. all but leading the cast as Iron Man/Tony Stark in a role he has really come to own, each one was exactly who was needed for their roles. The introduction of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye was a great choice. He is on the rise in popularity and a fine actor in his own right.
The story is not one that is complex and difficult to follow. It is almost the quintessential superhero story line that has every twist and close call we have come to know and love with these types of movies. Don't look for a surprise ending but also don't expect to be bored with a plot line that is too simple. The purpose of this movie is the effects and action and just seeing a lot of favorite superheroes together at once and Joss Whedon executes that perfectly.
It is a fun exciting 2 1/2 hours and money well spent (for the 2D we did not see the 3D). It's everything everyone wants in a summer blockbuster movie. It is not hard to see why it is pulling in the money it is. It is just another case of giving the movie going audience what they want and making it well.
There is still the possibility that all the records that The Avengers has set could be short lived come the end of July when Christopher Nolan unleashes his final installment in the Dark Knight series. That aside, The Avengers, up to this point, is not only the best summer blockbuster but the best movie SO FAR this year.