So naturally, Marvel Studios put their most precious and important prospect thus far in the hands of Joss Whedon. To anyone looking at this from a purely commercial standpoint, this would seem like a big risk. Whedon had only directed one film prior, 2005's Serenity, which was a flop at the box office despite being well-received by fans and critics alike (including yourself truly). But Whedon had written and worked on numerous film scripts before (some of which he wasn't even given credit for - he did significant work on the production script for 90's action classic Speed, for example) and has had ample experience with direction on episodes of the TV series he's created (Buffy, Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse). Buffy and Firefly (including film extension Serenity) also showcase Whedon's ability to craft a compelling team dynamic between character with differing personalities and abilities, something which fits The Avengers to a tee.
Loki (Tom Hiddleston), brother of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has emerged from the hidden realm where he was cast at the end of Thor with "glorious purpose". After he attacks a SHIELD facility and makes off with the Tesseract, the object of mass destruction used by Hyrda in Captain America: The First Avenger, SHIELD Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) knows that drastic actions have to be taken to thwart Loki's plans. So he re-opens the 'Avengers Initiative', a group of remarkable individuals gathering together to combat threats too big for any one of them. These individuals include Tony 'Iron Man' Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve 'Captain America' Rogers (Chris Evans), Thor, Bruce 'The Hulk' Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha 'Black Widow' Romanoff (Scarlett Johanson) and Clint 'Hawkeye' Barton (Jeremy Renner). But put so many big heroes into one room and some of them will start to snipe...
Every single major character (and plenty of the supporting characters) is brought to vivid life not only through Whedon's terrific direction and writing but through the stellar work of a cast clearly having a utter ball with the material and giving it their all. Front and centre for most of the proceedings is Robert Downey Jr., who not only portrays the character of Tony Stark with the same rip-roaring presence we all know, but who actually gets new and relevant shades to work with. I've heard some complaints about Tony's character being too 'snarky', but I think that it's actually really appropriate for him. Up until this point, Tony has been the biggest guy in the room, but his quipster attitude has always been a way of covering his anxieties. When confronted by people who equal or surpass his abilities, that side of Tony's personality comes out in spades. This allows Downey Jr. the chance for several great lines which, while partially courtesy of Whedon's top-notch writing, couldn't have been delivered with the same lightning panache by any other actor. However, both Whedon and Downey Jr. recognise the kinks in Stark's armour and explore them wonderfully; when Rogers confronts Tony with one of those kinks, you can see the realisation in Stark's face. Speaking of Rogers, Chris Evans is fantastic once again as the Cap, getting strong comedic material to work with as Steve struggles to connect with modern times. This also provides Rogers with an underlying dramatic core, as he struggles to bring his ideals to a more jaded and modern world, and Evans deliver a immensely likeable and sympathetic performance in bringing that more dramatic side of the character to light. Evans totally convinces as a virtuous leader who never comes across as bland (as will always be a risk with this character), while the dynamic between him and Tony is beautifully played and realised through Whedon's direction and screenplay. As is to be expected of a new superhero casting, Mark Ruffalo received a lot of Internet flak when he was announced as the new Bruce Banner, taking over the role after Edward Norton left following The Incredible Hulk. However, as much as I liked Edward Norton's take on the role, Ruffalo easily makes the best onscreen Banner to date. From his introductory scene with Black Widow, Ruffalo perfectly inhabits this awkward, sympathetic and humourously low-key character. Also, Ruffalo deserves credit for achieving all of this while also managing to give Banner an under-currant of threatening menace, making the build-up to the Hulk all the more satisfying. One of the best interactions throughout the film is between Stark and Banner, which is fantastically written and performed by Downey Jr. and Ruffalo. Also, Ruffalo is the first actor to provide motion capture for the Hulk; this helps the visual effects artists to make this the first Hulk which is a completely recognisable extension of Bruce Banner. Unlike the previous Hulks, which showed at best a passable resemblance to the actor playing Bruce Banner and at worst little to no resemblance, Ruffalo's Hulk looks like Ruffalo's Banner. Both Ruffalo, Whedon and the visual effects artists excel in making the Hulk one of the movie's biggest highlights; it might be a while before he appears, but it's definitely more than worth the wait and his angry, smash-'em-up disposition leads to some majestically uproarious scenes.
Chris Hemsworth is once again great as Thor, who shares the most personal connection with the villain and keeps attempting to bring Loki back from the brink. Hemsworth nails the approach to Thor; while he wants to help the heroes on Earth, he is still a God and normally operates on a different plane, making his scenes with the other Avengers all the funnier (the first scene he shares with Tony is especially hilarious). All the while, Hemsworth also delivers a fantastic dramatic performance as he struggles to find the Loki he once knew; his first scene with Loki, while having some comedic moments, really shows the emotional turmoil that Thor is going through, and Hemsworth captures that beautifully. As the Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson relishes Whedon's writing of the character and delivers a fantastic turn as arguably one of the wiliest and sharpest of the Avengers. Prior to the film, people on the Internet complained that Black Widow looked out-of-place alongside the 'heavy hitters' like Thor, Captain America, Iron Man and the Hulk. However, both Johansson and Whedon tap into what makes Black Widow such an entertaining and intriguing character. Romanoff is a woman who uses her looks and femininity to disguise her wit and combat skills; this is especially evident in the scene between her and Loki. Johansson is wonderful in the role, giving layers to the role which makes her superfluous role of eye-candy in Iron Man 2 all the more tolerable, while both she and Whedon drop subtle hints of vulnerable humanity to remind us that she is still aware of the risks present in her profession. Hawkeye is easily the least developed of the Avengers, but credit should still be given to Whedon and Penn for the role they give him in the story. Their decision gives the character a genuine reason to want to fight Loki, and Renner does typically gripping work in the role. The relationship between Barton and Romanoff is played with perfect understatement by Renner and Johansson, and the way in which Whedon writes their dialogue shows that they are both professionals who share an underlying emotional connection. As I said before, every hero gets their moment to shine, and Renner gets some strong interactions and action moments especially in the climax (including one of my personal favourite moments from the film, which is followed instantly after by another one of my favourite moments - it's nice when that happens, isn't it?)
For the threat which unites the Avengers to be viable, the villain has to be a compelling challenge. Thankfully, Tom Hiddleston is still a phenomenal presence as Loki. It's clear that Loki has become a much more confidently villainous character from the opening, when he emerges from a portal with a joyfully maniacal grin before proceeding to slaughter a room of SHIELD agents, and Hiddleston has an utter ball in showing just how comfortable Loki now is with his villainy. However, Hiddleston also excels at showing the different shades and motives which make and propel the character; his reactions whenever someone mentions him in connection to Thor say a lot. Whedon and Hiddleston also have a lot of fun exploring the consequences of confrontations between Loki and the individual Avengers, all of which are tremendously crowd-pleasing and show how both the Avengers and Loki duel not only physically but psychologically as well. In short, Hiddleston is wonderful, and it's no surprise that Loki has developed such a fervent fan base. The SHIELD character roster provide strong support. This is the biggest role Nick Fury has had in proceedings thus far (even more so than Iron Man 2 and much more fitting in the plot), and Samuel L. Jackson relishes the chance to have some real fun with the character. Fury is in an interesting position here; while he is a master spy and manipulator, he is also being stifled by the World Council (an aspect of SHIELD first referenced in Thor Blu-Ray short The Consultant). Jackson serves up a hefty dose of bad-ass heroism whilst also implying grey moral shades in how he goes about saving the day. Clark Gregg returns as Agent Phil Coulson, and he is once again pitch-perfect. Coulson has become arguably one of the most unexpectedly popular characters of the entire universe created by Marvel Studios Whedon ensures that Gregg gets some lovely material, especially with his Captain America fandom coming to the fore when he meets the man himself. Cobie Smulders is solid as Maria Hill, Fury's tough lieutenant, and gets a stand-out action moment in the film's opening action sequence. Gwyneth Paltrow returns briefly as Stark's love interest Pepper Potts, and strikes up the same wonderful chemistry with Downey Jr. as in Iron Man and Iron Man 2. As is to be expected of any MCU films, there are some fan-pleasing cameos.
As with any of the MCU films, a big selling point of The Avengers will be the action. Here, Whedon builds spectacularly on the promise he showed with the big-screen action in Serenity. The first action sequence, in which Loki makes his destructive entrance, serves as a strong introduction and deserves credit for giving supporting heroic character outside the Avengers a moment to shine (only one Avenger is involved). Outside of a fight scene which illustrates how deadly Black Widow can be and a mission to capture Loki which is complicated by a misunderstanding between heroes, The Avengers stays mainly focused on the interaction between the characters. This works really well, as Whedon is building the characters and their camaraderie so that the finale will hold more importance (this is particularly relevant in the case of Bruce Banner's struggle with the 'other guy'). Come the final hour, though, Whedon and the visual effects department let rip with two extended action sequences. The Hulk particularly gets to really shine here, getting several audience-pleasing moments. However, that doesn't mean that the other heroes get overlooked, with every character getting at least one 'hell yeah' moments. The final battle sequence, which is around 25 minutes long, is one of the most thrillingly entertaining finales in recent memory primarily because the action is crafted to suit the characters and because Whedon adds great touches whether bad-ass, hilarious or dramatic. Whedon does this during every action sequence with help from the actors and visual effects artists, but it's particularly brilliant in the finale due to the sense of pay-off. Along the way, we have some explosively exciting superhero fights which not only deliver in terms of blows, but actually make sense in terms of who's fighting who.
Technically, The Avengers is suitably amazing. As I've mentioned before, the visual effects artists do sensational work here. There are some genuinely awe-inspiring moments (such as the reveal of SHIELD's base of operations) which work spectacularly well due to both the conception and the realisation through the visual effects. Alan Silvestri returns after scoring Captain America: The First Avenger to do the music here, and his music is just as fittingly and soaringly heroic as before. Silvestri is more than capable of producing thrilling musical accompaniments, and his work is no exception, especially his main theme for the Avengers which sums up all the giddy brilliance one would hope for from a team-up like this. But, much like his work on Captain America, Silvestri also knows how to build atmosphere and an underlying emotional resonance, which makes this so much more than just a uncontrollably bombastic accompaniment. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey creates some truly exceptional comic-book shots; the shots of the Avengers operating together as a team are just as exceptionally chill-inducing as you'd hope for. But most importantly, McGarvey doesn't try to create an epic shot too often. When the scene is meant to be intimate, McGarvey focuses on the characters with very few tricks. This means that, when he cuts loose and frames some spectacular action and visual effects shots, McGarvey's grasp of the massive events on display feels like it's been built up rather than trodden out one too many times, making it all the more easier to appreciate and salivate over the incredible proceedings on display. Editors Jeffrey Ford and Lisa Lassek keep the film moving at a fantastic pace; in my opinion, one of the complaints I fail to understand is when people say that the film spends too long with the Avengers staying and talking at the SHIELD base of operations. Every bit of this segment is building the characters and scenarios, something which I love, and the dialogue and performances are perfectly tuned, delivering one skilfully concise quip after another whilst adding to the conflicts, character arcs and the sense that, in Banner's words, the 'time bomb' is about to go off. When it does, it does so spectacularly and the film rarely lets up in terms of action from then on. But the breathless action in the final act would mean little if the characters and their struggles weren't as brilliantly conceived. In my opinion, the editing nails both the character-driven and action-orientated moments of the film, giving time to breathe and leaving very little left to desire.
In terms of noticeable problems, I only really have one which bugs me. While nearly everyone else in the principal cast gets at least moment or two to shine, Stellan Skarsgård is notably side-lined as Dr. Erik Selvig. He occupies the same role that he did in Thor minus the humour and humanity, which makes him the rote expositional scientist. Given how much character saturates the rest of the film and how great an actor Skarsgård is, this is a minor disappointment. Also, there are moments when, as incredible as they are, the visual effects obviously crowd the screen at points. This is a minor complaint though, as the vast majority of these effects are creating truly jaw-dropping scenes of comic-book glory. As for those who complain about the silliness of Loki's alien allies, I can see their point, but I honestly can't criticise it. Throughout the film, Whedon seems to be winking at the audience, acknowledging how silly the scenario is but daring us not to enjoy the experience with so many outrageously awesome moments unfolding before our eyes. Personally, I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it a lot, which is a pretty big understatement.
As brilliant as the performances and the technical credits are, the real star of this film is Whedon. His direction and script are pitch-perfect (although credit should also go to Zak Penn for his work on the film's story). Whedon clearly understands these characters and how they would interact within a group, and he uses both small and big moments to emphasise the characters, their personalities and their 'powers'. Even in the final huge action sequences, Whedon is still wrapping up character arcs which have been wonderfully built over the preceding events, and giving character fantastic action moment which also say something about their characters. I've given Whedon much praise throughout this review, and he deserves it. I doubt that any other director could have made The Avengers such a beautifully entertaining experience and given both each character and their interactions as a team as much presence and flair. I don't know what else to say except that I'm in awe of the man. If Whedon's work on Age of Ultron is anywhere near as spot-on as it is here. I will be more than satisfied with his apparently ending tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even though I'll probably miss him nonetheless.
Final Verdict
After four years of build-up starting with 2008's excellent Iron Man, writer-director Joss Whedon delivers on all expectations and then some with The Avengers. This is, in my opinion, one of the most gloriously fun comic-book films ever made. The cast is amazing, with every member of the principal ensemble given their moments to shine like a supernova (to the point where I can't pick a stand-out). The technical credits are superlative, from the breath-taking visual effects to the immensely rousing score by Alan Silvestri. The action sequences encapsulate blockbuster spectacle at its most thrillingly giddy, with the final battle royale being a particular delight. But, far and away, the true hero of this film is Whedon, Given a big budget for the first time and given such a highly-anticipated project, Whedon makes it look easy by delivering a comic-book extravaganza which puts real care and attention into its character, whether they're arguing, throwing quips or fighting physically. This never seems like a 'job' for Whedon; it feels like he's genuinely giving everything to this film in a bid to delight both laymen and comic-book fans alike. From the layman's perspective, he pulled it off incredibly. Is The Avengers perfect? No; I wish that Stellan Skarsgård had more to do (particularly given that nearly everyone else gets at least one spot to make a big impression), Loki's alien allies are a bit silly and there are points where the visual effects are almost overwhelming. But when those are my only really issues (and when the film actually acknowledges and plays on the silliness of both the aliens and the central premise and the latter only comes to the fore briefly amidst moments of unabashedly magnificent comic-book imagery), I can't really complain that much. This is a landmark achievement in comic-book film-making which many will aspire to, but few will match. I don't know what else to say, except that The Avengers is a marvel (pun intended).
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Mini-Review: Item 47
The Blu-Ray Short Item 47 focuses on SHIELD Agent Jasper Sitwell (Maximiliano Hernández) as he tries to deal with the fall-out from the final battle of The Avengers. The main assignment involves going after criminal couple Claire and Bennie (Lizzy Caplan and Jesse Bradford), who have somehow managed to activate one of the alien weapons left in the debris. Item 47 also introduces Agent Blake (Titus Welliver), who Agents of SHIELD fans might recognise. It's great to see Hernández really get his moment in the spotlight, and he delivers a strong and quick-witted performance. Sitwell proves that he is a clever and resourceful agent as he chases the couple with unexpected results. Both Caplan and Bradford deliver likeably naive performance as the loving couple who just so happen to have a powerful alien item at their disposal, while Welliver is terrific as always as Agent Blake. What makes Item 47 an enjoyable short are the interactions between the characters; the formal yet cheeky banter between Sitwell and Blake, the familiar and loving interactions between Claire and Bennie and the final, brilliantly delivered tête-a-tête. Does it really add anything to the MCU? Not really. But I love the fact that it gives Sitwell a chance to shine and that it introduces Agent Blake before his appearance in Agent of SHIELD, giving his appearance in that show some establishment. While it's nothing spectacular, Item 47 is still an enjoyable short which I'd recommend to MCU fans.
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