For four years Marvel Studios had been building something bigger and better than before. With Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Bruce Banner/Hulk (Edward Norton), and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) each making at least one appearance over the course of five films, Marvel was preparing viewers for one of the greatest cinematic spectacles in history with The Avengers.
When Thor’s brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) comes to earth and begins wreaking havoc on its inhabitants, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. ensemble gather earth’s mightiest heroes in an attempt to protect the world from certain destruction. While the group is tasked with defending life as we know it, they will soon find that the group has a number of differences and a series of tiffs ensue. Can The Avengers overcome their quarrels and defeat Loki and his alien army, or will they tear one another apart?
There’s a massive green elephant in the room and his name is Mark Ruffalo. Back in 2008, when the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) began, Edward Norton donned the bulging muscles and tight, ripped purple pants, but after some issues, Ruffalo stepped in and claimed the role for himself. While Norton does possess a certain vigor that allows him to fill the role of Bruce Banner, there is something far more likable about Ruffalo’s portrayal. Ruffalo instantly adopts a goofy, but brilliant persona that more accurately defines what the Banner character should be. The MCU was still young, but changes of this magnitude can be detrimental to a film franchise. Ruffalo, however, never misses a beat, finds his rhythm early on, and quickly becomes the better of the two Banners.
Writer-director Joss Whedon and his co-writer Zak Penn constructed a script that beautifully merges the individual stories of the six super individuals, their confidants, and their foes. As these numerous worlds collide there is so much that could go wrong, but nothing fails to entertain and not a single aspect of the film falls short of expectations. Whedon and Penn develop a screenplay that sees nearly every single moment play out in monumental fashion and resonate with viewers. There are several moments of foreshadowing that are ultimately realized to be brilliant as the film drives forward, and The Avengers does, in fact, feel like a driving force from beginning to end.
The Avengers is unrelenting and refuses to stand still. As the story builds, characters develop, and plotlines come to a head, not a moment passes where viewers feel bored or underwhelmed. There’s a clear sense of urgency present throughout the course of The Avengers and it latches onto its viewers, pulls them in closely, and refuses to let them go. As viewers become further and further engrossed in what transpires throughout the film, they become more and more likely to appreciate the subtle nuances of the characters, the hidden easter eggs, and the dynamic nature of the dialogue. Whedon pulls viewers in close early on, and provides them a reason to stick around. He’s brilliantly meticulous in his approach and finds ways to attract a wide range of viewers and further prepare them for the spectacles that were just around the corner in the MCU. Superhero films aren’t for everyone, but just like the minds behind the previous MCU films, Whedon successfully extends The Avengers beyond the bounds of superheroes and into the realms of drama, comedy, and horror.
It almost seems that the goal of the MCU is to constantly one-up itself. The Avengers does far more than that; it sets the tone for the future of the universe and allows viewers to understand that the MCU would be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. With one of the first major team-up films in cinematic history, The Avengers had huge expectations to live up to, and it doesn’t fail to deliver. From the opening moments of the film until the final battle concludes in dramatic fashion, every single actor, writer, cinematographer, etc. was exceptionally gripping and full of life. The Avengers is the perfect way to bring Phase 1 of the MCU to a close and ready the world for what’s to come. Whedon’s brilliance is the catalyst to the film’s success, beautifully supplemented by everyone and everything surrounding him.
Directed by Joss Whedon.
Written by Joss Whedon & Zak Penn.
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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