Movie Review: THE AVENGERS!

The Avengers (2012)

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr. , Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlet Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston

Directed by: Joss Whedon 

It’s here. It’s finally here. The movie that has been teased to us comic fans since 2008’s Iron Man has finally become a reality. After five films, the individual members of the Avengers have gotten their own solo introductions (including a second act for Tony Stark), and now stand ready to assemble on the big screen. So, with this much anticipation and hype surrounding the movie, there’s only one question to ask:

Is it any good?

YES. 100%, undoubtedly yes.  This is the movie your geek brain has been waiting for, and Joss Whedon deserves all of the attention and respect that he will get from this movie, and will hopefully become the next big thing in Hollywood (even if we geeks have known for a while how awesome he is). Deftly juggling every character in the movie, Whedon’s skill for ensembles is in full force here, giving each Avenger their moment to shine. Any fears that one would have about him handling such a huge task for his second feature film are immediately alleviated, and Whedon, the cast, and especially Marvel Studios should smile and breathe a sigh of relief, as this is the best Marvel movie, and possibly best superhero movie of all time.

Stark and Banner working together: Thing I never thought I'd see on the big screen #435

Everyone is in top form here, from Chris Hemsworth as Thor to the always-awesome Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man.  There’s not a bad link in the cast, but the real stand out is Mark Ruffalo, taking over the role of Hulk/Bruce Banner from Edward Norton. He’s easily my favorite version of Banner, and I can’t wait to see more of him. Hulk steals the entire movie from the other characters, but as I said before, there’s not one character that overshadows the others. Fans worried that this would become “Iron Man and Friends” can rest easy, because even though Tony does have a pretty big role in the movie, there’s plenty of room for the other characters in the film.
 

Also great is Tom Hiddleston as Loki, whom after this movie has solidified himself as the only person who can play the God of Mischief. Ably going from a menace to a sympathetic character (and back again), Hiddleston  turned what could’ve been just a moustache turning one-note villain into one of the most compelling and interesting characters in the whole movie.

Avengers also serves as a great sort-of sequel to Thor and Iron Man 2 as well, catching us up on the secondary characters and major plot points from both movies, which just adds to the cohesive feel of the cinematic Marvel Universe. The fact that we can now have these characters interacting with one another on the big screen is something that I never though I would see in my lifetime. Any of the people who were with me at the midnight screening can attest to the 2 and a half hour long geek out that occurred from me, and right as the final credits* rolled, I immediately wanted to see it again.  The Avengers is the ultimate film for geeks and non-geeks alike, and the pay-off we’ve all been waiting for.  I cannot thank Joss Whedon, the cast, and especially Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige enough for this film. Seeing these characters on the big screen, battling to protect us from an unknown threat instantly brought me back to when I was child, reading comics like Spider-man, Wolverine, and yes, The Avengers (I read the first issue of Busiek/Perez run at least 30 times).  There are very, very few comic book movies that are instant classics. This is one of them. 

So thank you Whedon, Hemsworth, Downey, Evans, Jackson, Johansson, Renner, and Ruffalo. Thank you Kevin Feige. And thank you Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, who started all this craziness. I think the geek community shares my thanks.

VERDICT: FIVE Hulk outs out of FIVE

* YES you should stay after the credits, for not one, but TWO scenes.

Rest easy good sir, you deserve it