The Avengers: Pure Awesome
Monday, May 7, 2012 at 6:19AM No surprise here, but I loved The Avengers. It's as close to perfection in storytelling, acting, and production as I have seen. Pretty much this review is just to add to the exponentially growing pile of glowing, rabidly enthusiastic reviews already out there. And to encourage anyone who is still hesitating, or wondering if it is worth the hype, to go see it!

The story revolves mostly around Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the fight against the villain, Loki. The main actors are superbly cast, and live up to all your expectations. Robert Downey Jr gives Tony Stark a likeablilty to his basically "what a jerk!" character. Chris Evans manages to make Captain America seem believable as a nice guy who kicks ass in blue spandex. And naturally Chris Hemsworth is a god. Period.
I never had a chance to read the comic books as a kid growing up, so I was introduced to the Marvel universe through the cartoon shows of the 80's, and then the awesome movies. I have no preconceived notions about these characters beyond the movies, and The Avengers's storyline flows perfectly with those that came before it.
While not in the forefront of the story at all times, the other main characters of Black Widow, Hawkeye, and The Hulk hold their own well against the superpower of the other characters. I've never been a fan of The Hulk before, in anything, but in The Avengers he becomes a character I finally understand, and like. Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce Banner with a soft spoken demeanor that doesn't come across as wimpy or weepy. He's deeply troubled, and terrified of the damage he can cause as his alter ego, but he still keeps his sense of humor. Jeremy Renner is casually awesome as Hawkeye, a character I'd never heard of before the movie Thor, but am loving more and more. Scarlett Johansson makes kicking ass and playing psychological wargames with Loki seem easy, even in that skin tight catsuit.
Not to be ignored, Samuel L. Jackson plays Nick Fury with his usual "I'm Samuel L. F***ing Jackson" flair. He's still no David Hasselhoff, but his version is so cool I can forgive.
No superhero movie is complete without a super villain. Loki is a great character, and superbly played by Tom Hiddleston. He alternates between bat s**t crazy and charming with cool flair. He does what a good villain should be able to do. He makes you like him just as often as you want to just punch his face in.
One character I have to point out specifically is Agent Maria Hill, played by How I Met Your Mother's Cobie Smulders. This is a small role, but an important one. She stands alongside Nick Fury, and helps run the operation. Her character is one that provides a counterpoint to the superheroes, and a little bit of needed commentary to keep the story flowing. Cobie Smulders holds her own against Samuel L. Jackson, and doesn't fade into the background. More importantly she doesn't overact. She kicks ass just as well as Black Widow, and I hope to see her in any and all upcoming Avenger movies.
The Avengers has Joss Whedon's fingerprints all over it. Only Joss Whedon could pull together a story with so many main characters and make it feel cohesive and seamless. The running time of nearly two and a half hours simply flies by, where other movies could have felt like they were stretching it out unnecessarily. Plus, Joss Whedon understands pacing. With all of the action, drama, and intensity throughout, you get plenty of chances to catch your breath with well placed comedic moments. Some are visual, some are one liners, but all are appropriate and well placed. Thank you, Mr. Whedon, for showing yet again why Shakespeare's lessons in storytelling are so important.
I could go on and on about the awesomeness that is The Avengers, but what else beyond that is there to say? This is a movie that takes comic book heroes and humanizes them, but still lets them kick major ass. It's a solid story, with a great cast and worth every penny spent on special effects and CGI. It's worth every penny to go see in the theater. And when you do, make sure you stay all the way until the very end credits. Don't leave in the middle! You'll be sorry!
