Epitome of a Comic Book Movie

Rating: 10/10 (25 April 2012)

**SPOILER ALERT - DO NOT READ ON IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE FILM**
So last night I attended the Australian premiere of "The Avengers" and yes, this was the most entertaining and impressively "THORsome" movie that I've ever seen. Like most comic book fans, I was looking forward to this since Nick Fury's appearance at the end of "Iron Man", so there was great hype and expectation. This movie is the epitome of a comic book being brought to life - the action scenes were surreal, the emotional content was tranquil, and somehow, Joss Whedon managed to add in a mere perfect story line and a charade of comedic lines for each of the amazing characters.
Sublime performances were put in by all the main actors, but special mentions must go to Mark Ruffalo, who in my opinion, played the perfect Bruce Banner (I was never a fan of Edward Norton - sorry), and Tom Hiddleston, who's Loki was devastatingly cruel and yet charming in the same manner. In the case of Banner, Ruffalo portrays him in such a way that we are reminded that there is a darker, more sinister side to this man than the calm and reserved doctor in the room. Of course Robert Downey Jr.'s presence is always felt on screen and nothing changes in this movie, as he delivers most of the hilarious dialogue (at one point he even recited Shakespeare while fighting Thor in the forest).
There is not one single dull or wasted scene in this movie, every single one has its purpose, whether it be filled with witty dialogue or explosive action. An example of the aforementioned dialogue: Thor: "Loki is beyond reason, but he is my brother" Black Widow: "Your brother just killed 80 people in the last two days" Thor:".....he's adopted..." At which point everyone in the cinema erupted with laughter. Of course my favorite was Thor, who engaged in an intense battle with the Hulk on board the Helicarrier.
Essentially, "The Avengers" takes us on a roller coaster ride, through emotional highs and lows of all the characters. One of the interesting components was seeing how members of the team would react when they were in the same room, and the portrayal of ego clashes did not disappoint. SPOILER ALERT: It takes a while for the dynamics of the Avengers to settle, catalyzed by the death of Agent Coulson. But once they assemble, the ending action sequence is simply awe-inspiring. The Hulk proves there is nothing he cannot smash (including Loki), Chris Hemsworth's Thor gave most of the audience a massive "THORgasm" by summoning all that thunder and lightning from Mjolnir, Captain American/Black Widow/Hawkeye more than hold their own against a formidable foe, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man steals the show by proving that he is a team player and sacrificing himself to nuke the portal of the Chitauri.
And what Avengers movie would be complete with that circling camera shot of the team preparing for battle while standing in a back to back formation, with Iron Man initially hovering over them. The background music made that moment PERFECT. If I did have one complaint, it would be the lack of background narrative showing how Thor returns to earth, although Loki does deduce that Odin must have conjured dark magic for Thor to return. However, the mid-credits scene was mind-blowing, revealing Thanos as the mastermind behind Loki's invasion and setting up a possible storyline for "The Avengers 2". In conclusion, this was one of, if not the best movies that I have ever seen. Thanks for reading and enjoy the movie!!! =]