The Avengers Review

  

The Avengers is one of those films that really does not need a review, but I’m going to review it, anyways. It’s pretty clear whether you are going to be a fan of this film or not. When you have Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, and Thor in a film, chances are, if you are a comic book fan, it will be worth your while. It’s almost impossible for the film to fail, unless you take away the spirit of the comic book heroes and their world. Thankfully, we are in the capable hands of Joss Whedon, who also wrote Cabin in the Woods, one of the best films of the year so far and definitely one of the most ingenious.

Loki, Thor’s brother, wants to take over the world (who doesn’t these days?) so Nick Fury is forced to call together the Avengers to stop him. The Avengers, of course, are Iron Man (Robert Downey. Jr), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). In reality, it’s really just a reason to get the Avengers together on the big screen all at once. The first portion of the film is largely spent on assembling the Avengers and introducing them together and seeing them interact with one another.

I have to admit that I didn’t entirely understand what was happening a lot of time on screen in terms of plot, although I don’t really go to films like this for plot. I knew that Loki was bad, and the Avengers had to spot him. I think that was all I really needed to know and understand. It took a little while to get to the action, but once they did, it was pure fun and a blast to watch as an audience member. The Hulk, at least in my theater, received the most praise and applause, by far. He stole the show. The next best I would have to say is Iron Man, and he’s always been the most interesting and complex of the superheroes. His back story and his other life are just as interesting as his superhero life.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve started to become a fan of superhero movies. I don’t know exactly what has changed, but they are growing on me and I’m becoming a slight fan. I’m not a giant comic book fan or anything of that nature, but I do look forward to enjoy them, for the pure entertainment that they are. For The Avengers, I tend to view it more as a solidly entertaining and fun action flick. I’m not going to go crazy and call it the greatest comic book movie ever made or anything like that, but, for me, as a casual fan, I enjoyed it. It’s fun to think that there is someone out there, watching over us and protecting us. It makes us all feel like little kids and teenagers all over again.

The success of the film is thanks to Joss Whedon, who pens a solid screenplay that is sure to win over comic book fans as well as casual fans like myself. The humor is done at the right moments, and the characters all get plenty of time to shine on the big screen. I’m not going to over praise this film for being something that it isn’t. It’s action packed, entertaining, fun, and the perfect summer popcorn flick. It’s nothing more than that, and I think some people are forgetting that. I accepted the film as it is, and I had an enjoyable experience, knowing what its purpose is.

Grade: B

How should you see it? On the big screen, once the crowds die down.