Avengers Initiative!

Rating: 10/10 (26 April 2012)

Yep, I'll be honest, I did cringe a little when I found out Joss Whedon was directing, I absolutely love his work but I just could not see how his talents would be able to be used to make this sort of film. I am so happy to say that I was wrong! The film allows you to enjoy every moment as it passes especially when at the end you realised you've just sat through 2 hours and 20 minutes of concentration.
Like you expect, we're all re-introduced to all the characters, one by one off doing their own thing and S.H.I.E.L.D trying to bring them all together. The good thing about this is when they do all eventually start to get together you get the all too normal tension between a group of individuals being almost forced together with the expectations from S.H.I.E.L.D that they automatically work together as some fantastic team. Aside from all the action scenes, explosions, fights etc etc You still get the storyline the whole time, if you step back and look at the whole storyline you realise that it's a pretty semi-typical script but the whole film you don't even realise that's happening, it really brings comic films to a new meaning.
The biggest adjustment for myself and I'm sure many other viewers was the role of Tony Stark/ Iron Man. Though Downey Jr reprised the role fantastically (no surprise), both Iron Man films had kept to the human story lines, The Avengers introduced the film character into the world of science fiction. With the Iron Man films you could keep some sort of natural relationship with the storyline and characters because all was somewhat believable (in the Action movie sense). But with saying that as you watch the movie and you make your own adjustments to this, so is Stark himself so it ties in perfectly with the audience which is another hats off moment for Whedon.
Another fantastic thing and is one of the defining points of this film, is the comedic input. Almost every comic film is known as being all action and drama, you feel like you have to be serious the whole time (ofcourse minor funny moments but nothing good), Joss Whedon has taken account the audience and the 21st century and made some key scenes in the film so much better and less awkward, it had the entire cinema erupt in laughter. Though with saying that, and you reading it might make you stand off-ish, the way it's worked into the scene it would be just as impressive even if it was just kept to a dramatic scene.
This film had chance of being really well made or an absolute laughable flop. It has impressed me and it has impressed many many other people, I look forward to hearing further reviews as it opens in cinema's around the world. The writers, directors, producers and the cast have all worked together amazingly and I cannot wait for future projects!