David Allsopp
Review: The Avengers (2012)
May 10th 2012 09:46
The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon.
If there was ever a film that needed little introduction then this is probably it, but for those not in the loop (and who evidently having been either living under a cinematic rock or in some high-art zone of snobbery) The Avengers kicks off when the rogue Asgardian Loki (Tom Hiddleston) comes to earth with intention of global domination. Government agency S.H.I.E.L.D. – led by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) – must gather together earth’s mightiest heroes to combat this menace, and that means not only getting the likes of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo, in his Marvel movie debut), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) to appear in the same room, but somehow getting these somewhat conflicting personalities to work as a team.
Expectation can be difficult burden when working on a creative endeavour like this, and there have obviously been huge expectations about The Avengers – after all, this is what all these Marvel films have been leading up to since the end of the first Iron Man movie. Could Marvel pull it off and not disappoint? The masterstroke was hiring Joss Whedon, and he manages to not only strike a balance between character development and action sequences, but meet expectations and raise the bar that little bit higher for all Marvel films that follow.
Downey Jnr. is always a delight as Tony Stark, and Evans and Hemsworth continue their fine work as Cap and Thor. Johansson and Renner get their roles expanded greatly and they bring them to life as interesting individuals that you’ll want to see more off. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner / Hulk is my favourite cinematic interpretation yet. Ruffalo has always had an interesting presence, and Banner as a character has progressed nicely since his last appearance on screen. Using the Hulk sparingly (and to great anticipatory effect for the audience) leaves you wanting more of this version of the jade giant. Jackson makes the most of finally getting to do more substantial work as Nick Fury, adding that special element Jackson brings to all of his work. A special mention must go to Clark Gregg, who gets to shine once again as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson, and it’s a fine reward for all his work in the previous Marvel films laying the groundwork for this superhero epic.
One of the big achievements of The Avengers (and one that will certainly pay dividends in the future) is the way it brings together these disparate characters and not only tells a highly entertaining story but greatly enhances the shared cinematic universe they all inhabit. And that’s something that will please all who see this film, and not just Marvel nerds from way back like myself.
The Avengers may clock-in at over two hours, but I could have gladly sat through another two hours easily. The way these characters interact will leave you yearning to follow them on their next adventure. The Avengers not only met any expectations I had, but surpassed them and left me wanting more.
Four and a half Assembled Bananas out of Five.
Directed by Joss Whedon.
If there was ever a film that needed little introduction then this is probably it, but for those not in the loop (and who evidently having been either living under a cinematic rock or in some high-art zone of snobbery) The Avengers kicks off when the rogue Asgardian Loki (Tom Hiddleston) comes to earth with intention of global domination. Government agency S.H.I.E.L.D. – led by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) – must gather together earth’s mightiest heroes to combat this menace, and that means not only getting the likes of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo, in his Marvel movie debut), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) to appear in the same room, but somehow getting these somewhat conflicting personalities to work as a team.
Expectation can be difficult burden when working on a creative endeavour like this, and there have obviously been huge expectations about The Avengers – after all, this is what all these Marvel films have been leading up to since the end of the first Iron Man movie. Could Marvel pull it off and not disappoint? The masterstroke was hiring Joss Whedon, and he manages to not only strike a balance between character development and action sequences, but meet expectations and raise the bar that little bit higher for all Marvel films that follow.
Downey Jnr. is always a delight as Tony Stark, and Evans and Hemsworth continue their fine work as Cap and Thor. Johansson and Renner get their roles expanded greatly and they bring them to life as interesting individuals that you’ll want to see more off. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner / Hulk is my favourite cinematic interpretation yet. Ruffalo has always had an interesting presence, and Banner as a character has progressed nicely since his last appearance on screen. Using the Hulk sparingly (and to great anticipatory effect for the audience) leaves you wanting more of this version of the jade giant. Jackson makes the most of finally getting to do more substantial work as Nick Fury, adding that special element Jackson brings to all of his work. A special mention must go to Clark Gregg, who gets to shine once again as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson, and it’s a fine reward for all his work in the previous Marvel films laying the groundwork for this superhero epic.
One of the big achievements of The Avengers (and one that will certainly pay dividends in the future) is the way it brings together these disparate characters and not only tells a highly entertaining story but greatly enhances the shared cinematic universe they all inhabit. And that’s something that will please all who see this film, and not just Marvel nerds from way back like myself.
The Avengers may clock-in at over two hours, but I could have gladly sat through another two hours easily. The way these characters interact will leave you yearning to follow them on their next adventure. The Avengers not only met any expectations I had, but surpassed them and left me wanting more.
Four and a half Assembled Bananas out of Five.
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