The Sum of All Cheers

With The Avengers blowing out box office records left and right, it may be a little pointless to do a review for the film now. But given that I haven't done a full movie review in a long time and the fact that everyone still wants to talk about this movie, I don't think anyone will mind.

There were certainly a lot of high expectations going into this film. You have the rabid fans of the comics, eager to see this super team on the big screen. But you also have all of the movie fans who have sat through several individual comic book movies that primarily served to set up this film. The good news is that despite those high expectations and the task of juggling such a large cast of characters, this film is a success
Credit to director Joss Whedon for taking on such a difficult task. He has shown though that he was more than capable of the job. He does a great job of not only giving each of the main characters sufficient screen time, but gives them individual opportunities to shine. Whedon's presence is also felt throughout the film as he peppers the script with several humorous one-liners and moments that are a trademark of his work. Despite a story that deals with the possible destruction of our planet, he finds plenty of chances to keep the feel of the film light and fun.

I will say that while this movie is a pure blockbuster thrill ride, it's not a perfect film. In many ways the creation of this film mirrors the path The Avengers take themselves to come together. The first half of the film feels a bit disjointed. Like the titular team, it consists of several individually great scenes that don't really build on each other. I began to get anxious waiting for something to happen and it felt like the plot was treading water - something I did not expect given how much time was spent with character development in the heroes' individual films.

However, things finally start to gel once we move into the final battle featuring the Avengers taking on Loki (brother of Thor) and the evil alien race that is set on destroying Earth in hopes of obtaining the Tesseract, the cosmic cube containing immense energy. This final act is just pure geek heaven as you watch each of these superheroes that you have come to love and enjoy team up and kick ass in a collective effort. Finally, we get the payoff that we've all waiting for and it delivers in spades.

Yes, this movie is all about being a team, but I would be remiss if I did not take time to point some indivually great performances in the film. Of course, Robert Downey Jr. is once again terrific as the brilliant, pompous, and sarcastic Tony Stark/Iron Man. He manages to be a star without upstaging anybody else in the movie, which is no easy feat. However, the true MVP of this film may be Mark Ruffalo, who steps in to play the Hulk/Bruce Banner. In the past, Marvel has failed at trying to find someone to play the green giant, but they finally got it right here. Ruffalo gives a nuanced performance as Banner and Whedon and co. do the rest in making the Hulk the awesome, destructive force that fans want him to be. Some of the best moments in The Avengers come from watching "Hulk Smash".

Again, no one is waiting on my recommendation to see this film, but I heartily endorse it nonetheless. This is what the summer movie season is all about. This film manages to blend humor and action seemlessly and create a movie that anyone can enjoy, despite the fact that it features a guy in a metal suit, a giant green monster, and the God of Thunder. So if you're the one guy on this planet who hasn't seen it yet, go out and do so. And for the rest of you, check it out again and catch the things you may have missed (especially the two post-credit scenes - one which happens after the main credits and the other which comes after all of the credits. Each are interesting in their own unique way). Just as the Avengers assemble here united in a common goal, we too can put aside our differences and unite in support of such an enjoyable film. Grade: B+