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| The Avengers |
Paramount Pictures / Walt Disney Pictures
By: Chris "Sledge" Douglas
The Avengers.
I was not expecting to like this movie as much as I did.
Sorry, not like. LOVE.
I unabashedly LOVE this film!
There hasn't been a movie that made me feel like the way this film did. It catered to me as an action movie fan, as a comic book fan, as a Marvel fan, as a fan of the individual characters, as a fan of the previous movies, and, most importantly, it penetrated my jaded exterior to reach a part of me that hasn't been active in years.
Yes, I love this movie, and I'd like to SOMEHOW explain why. Here is my attempt to do so.
Characters:
Coulson As Captain America Fanboy Was A Fantastic Idea
I was really surprised they went in this direction. In all his previous appearances, he was very much a no-nonsense secret agent type. To see the way he acts around Cap and contrast it with how he reacts to everything else is absolutely priceless. From the way he gets nervous around Cap to the many mentions of his "vintage set" of Captain America trading cards, makes for some great character building, making him more of a three-dimensional character.
Loki
Hiddleston's Loki is wonderful playing an over-the-top evil, yet obviously vulnerable antagonist. He is cocky, yet anytime his brother is mentioned, he is visibly annoyed.
Speaking of which...
Thor and Loki Really Do Act Like Brothers
Perhaps thanks to playing these characters previously, these two have so much visible chemistry together. They really feel like brothers who have had a huge falling out.
Ruffalo as Banner / Hulk
I was extremely skeptical when I heard that Mark Ruffalo was going to replace Ed Norton as Bruce Banner. I LOVED his take on the Hulk and Banner. I watched The Incredible Hulk the most out of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe's films. So when I heard he was recast AGAIN, I was extremely skeptical.
Let's just say that I'm over that now.
There is a lot of cool little things about his portrayal. Sure, he got a bit too wisecracky, but if you had a raging spirit that dwelled beneath YOU, constantly being chased by the government, I'm not so sure you wouldn't be like this, either.
I guess I could say that the best thing about his take on the character of Banner is that... well... he just looks like he's about to pop at any second. There is a very tangible tension in his body language, in his speech, hell even in the way he reacts to those guards on the Hellicarrier. But we get to see that he has it underwraps. Or at least until he drops a story or two down an exploded corridor. Then ALL hell breaks loose!
Having said all of that...
About the Movie in General:
All Necessary Character Establishment Is Already Done
The genius of having a series of movies mostly dedicated to one character at a time is you can pretty much get all your important character establishment in before the big ensemble picture. We already know what Cap can do, what happened to create the Hulk, why Stark's chest glows, etc. We also have a good idea of what drives them. We know that Cap is a 1940's "boy scout," and what kind of relationship Tony and Pepper have, for example. We didn't need to go over all of that in Avengers, and we didn't. A couple brief scenes to reestablish these facts are all that are needed.
The Avengers is very faithful to these previous portrayals. They react pitch-perfectly to what is happening around them. One line in particular really is the perfect example: when Thor takes Loki from the jet and Iron Man takes off after them, Cap decides to go after them. After being warned that he's dealing with what amount to be gods, Cap's line of, "there's only one God, ma'am, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that" is not only indicative of his character, but also of the era he comes from.
Huge Stakes Established Within The First Few Minutes
I'll admit that when I first saw this movie, I, like alot of other critics of the film thought the opening to be a bit hokey. Loki zapping in like the Terminator, using his sceptre to gain control of people... it didn't exactly lend me any confidence.
It may have been hokey, but it all pays off by the end, big time. So much so that in subsequent viewings, it had really grown on me, helping me enjoy the movie more as a whole.
Reintroductions Perfectly Done
We get a nice review of everyone before the main action begins. Black Widow getting to show off her skill, Banner doing doctor things and Cap and Iron Man being Cap and Iron Man. Later on, Thor is even reintroduced effectively as we get to see him as almost a force of nature.
Hulk Is Treated As A Massive Threat From The Start
From Black Widow's very first reaction to having to deal with Banner, the Hulk is rightfully dealt with with the appropriate amount of respect and fear. How would YOU react to have to convince such a man to do something he most likely wouldn't like to do? I believe any normal human would react the same way.
The first hulkout is masterfully done, like a scene from a horror movie. This is as it should be. After all, what is the Hulk but a big scary monster? This makes his later actions as a hero make that much more of an impact.
Everything Brought Up Is Payed Off
From Black Widow's first encounter with Banner leading to the big Hulk chase in the ship. From Loki's comment about an ant having no quarrel with a boot to Fury to Fury's infamous "Ant, Boot," line. From Thor and Hulk's fight on the ship, to the punch in New York. Up to and including the shawarma post credit scene, everything in this movie is built up and payed off. This is more effort than most movies that make the theaters these days.
Avengers Successfully Solidifies The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Implementation of Fantasy and Sci-Fi Into It's Realistic Universe
This subheading pretty much says it all. Before these movies, everyone wondered how they would pull off the Thor and Captain America movies in a more or less realistic fashion. Now we have a natural seeming universe that contains all these fantastic elements. Now nothing is off limits.
Hellicarrier Reveal is Dealt With With The Proper Amount of Awe and Reverence
Although we live in an age where movies have millions of spaceships whipping around shooting lasers at lightning speed, its amazing how different a slow reveal can make you feel a sense of awe, while the previous is quickly forgotten. It's especially memorable when we see Cap's and Banner's reactions to what is happening. This allows us to see it from their perspective, and it is psychologically even more impressive because of it.
Heroes Battle Themselves Before They Battle Villains
Ah, yes. In traditional Marvel fashion, we have our heroes battle each other before they can even begin to fight the baddies. While this is a big trope of Marvel in general, it is actually a great way, story-wise, to have these guys earn respect for each other.
In fact, Marvel was kind of a pioneer with this. In the 50's and 60's, comic heroes were always supposed to be perfect. When Stan Lee returned to Marvel in the 60's, he insisted on something on having his heroes be imperfect. He got a lot of resistance from his publisher early on, but eventually he got his way, and now bickering heroes are actually quite common. The first major example of this was the Fantastic Four, but it soon bled out to the entire Marvel Universe.
Heroes Act Like Heroes
Despite what I wrote previously, our heroes eventually get their stuff together and act like real heroes, both individually and as a team. Of course, Cap and Thor are the most intrinsically heroic in this film, but even Iron Man eventually shows his heroism through the engine sequence, and even Internet favorite Agent Coulson has an opportunity to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
The Battle Of New York Has Consequences
We see buildings and property destroyed, people hurt or in trouble, and we even see a 9/11-like memorial. The battle is not just a special effects fest, it has real consequences, like any war in a populated area would.
When The Avengers Finally "Assemble," It's A Thing Of Beauty!
What in the trailers seemed like what would be a corny moment actually turned into a fantastic one. When we see the Avengers finally all together, and the aliens visibly freak out, and the theme music hits, it's a beautiful thing to behold. I swear I felt like a 6 year old seeing this scene for a first time, and I still get chills when everything comes together!
It Marks The End of the 'Grim and Gritty' Era
Look, there's nothing wrong with 'grim and gritty.' It fits certain properties: Batman is a fine example of this. But it's great to have superhero movies to just 'let go' like The Avengers does. And let go Avengers does, with GUSTO! It's beautiful!
So that's SOME of the reasons why I love this movie, and I'm glad that something that has touched me like this has resonated with the general public as well. I guess that means that this world isn't in as bad a shape as I had thought!
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