The Avengers has finally hit the big screen. With a tremendous amount of hype, speculation, and fandom fueling the film, The Avengers does not fail to entertain.
The Avengers finds Marvel Comics’ most revered and beloved superheroes uniting against a global threat of dreaded magnitude that no one hero can contend against. Together, the invincible Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), super-soldier Captain America (Chris Evans), ace archer Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and super-spies Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) must unite as one to save the world from the nefarious Loki (Tom Hiddleston) , half-brother of Thor.
Fans of Marvel Comics have been requesting and speculating about a possible film starring the super-powered team The Avengers for years now. Fans’ hopes finally saw a glimmer of hope in 2008’s Iron Man, when the team of super-heroes is first mentioned in film. Since Iron Man, a cycle of films have been made in preparation for The Avengers, including Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, and Thor, with the cycle finally culminating with The Avengers.
The Avengers brings its characters to life in such a way that viewers familiar with both the modern age of comics and those of yesteryear can enjoy the film, which is a wonderful aspect to the movie. The film contains plot elements derived from both The Avengers’ first appearance in The Avengers #1 from September 1963, as well as 2002’s The Ultimates, a modern re-imagining of the superhero team. The combination of these generational tales allows the fan-boys of both young and old to connect with the film and also creates a way for those who know nothing of the comics to enjoy the movie.
Audiences familiar with past Marvel films will be glad to know that their favorite characters remain true to their personalities and attitudes formed in previous films, something that makes the characters so endearing and relatable to their fans. Downey, Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man is as crass and whimsical as ever, bringing about incredible bursts of laughter from the audience. Evans’ Steve Rogers/Captain America maintains his solemn, strictly-business demeanor, making him a believable and intriguing soldier and superhero. Thor’s never-say-die attitude and passion for battle continue to be portrayed by Hemsworth with a powerful and brilliant conviction fitting to the character‘s warrior persona. When these and other characters are forced to band together, the interaction between them and the clash of their attitudes and personalities create utterly hilarious scenes of continuous arguments and insults, as well as poignant battles of heroism and action. It is this amalgamation of differing personality and character traits that is the lifeblood of the film and what is so enjoyable to see.
The action in the film is enthralling and high-octane fun, to say the least. Filled with stunning feats of acrobatics and dexterity, all-out super-powered brawls and slugfests, and plenty of explosions and things that go ‘boom’ in between, The Avengers rarely sees any moments of silence and calm. From the ground to the skies, epic battles and titanic wars rage on, keeping the film moving at a fast pace and the crowd on the edge of their seats.
The Avengers is one of those rare films that is larger than life. With a cost of over $200 million to make the film, the movie has already made back all of its expenses and then some. In the U.S. alone, its opening weekend saw a gross of $200.8 million, making it the biggest opening debut in North American cinematic history.
The Avengers is bound to see only a rise in popularity and a mounting gross number as the days pass by, and it is all-too deserving of it. Fans of Marvel comics and their previous films have nothing to worry about, because The Avengers delivers on every account. From the iconic characters to the heart-pounding action, and from the uproarious comedy to the unique human intrigue, superhero films have found their golden egg.