Meet This Summer’s Guaranteed Blockbuster, Marvel’s “The Avengers” (Movie Review) Posted by Jacques "Jooks" Morel on 05/02/12 | Filed under Features, Opinion, Movies

Marvel is known for having first dibs on the summer blockbuster for the last few years. For this reason, it is always hard to know what to expect. You never know when a "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" or "Spiderman 3" will show up to haunt you. However, sometimes they manage to strike gold, as they did last year with "X-Men: First Class". "The Avengers" does not disappoint and allows Marvel to hold the title two years in a row for best early summer blockbuster.

The movie is engaging and engrossing with a scope that is so large that even the City of Manhattan could barely contain it. The movie manages to be lighthearted at points and hilarious (seriously!) while still having an ominous tone that truly makes the viewer feel as if something is at stake. The CGI was crisp touting the advancements of Hollywood’s expensive technology. The imaginary technology in the movie was breathtaking: notably S.H.I.E.L.D’s Helicarrier (the name of the flying fortress for all of you comic book fans!)



Robert Downey Jr is sharp, edgy, and always a step ahead; however, the true breakthrough performance has to be the new Bruce "Hulk " Banner, Mark Ruffalo. It was a little disheartening to see Edward Norton not reclaim the role that he made his own (letus forget about Eric Bana's performance), but Ruffalo manages to shine as a genius recluse struggling to hold back a power that could wipe out everyone around him. While Norton’s Banner was neurotic, Ruffalo’s was calm and calculating, not afraid to take any chances and rife with mystery. Scarlett Johansson is as gorgeous as she is dangerous playing Black Widow and Jeremy Renner managed to make The Hawk, a seemingly meaningless character, interesting and mysterious. Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans as Thor and Captain America respectively reprised their super hero roles and filled them greatly. The cast is rounded out by Samuel L. Jackson, as Agent Fury, who actually is the linchpin of this fantastic ensemble. For all of those huge fans of the “badass” version of Jackson, we get to see him here in full force as the most charismatic character of the movie (even outshining Robert Downey Jr.).

The plot is simple. Thor's brother Loki, played by Tom Huddleston, plans on bringing an alien army with plans of becoming Earth’s sole ruler. The Avengers assume the role of thwarting Loki in that plan. While it seems very cliche, and to be frank it is, the execution was what seperated the movie from other dismal efforts at Earth's destruction (I am eyeing "Battleship" as the next in line to fill those shoes). The story is not as cut and dry as I have made it seem with interesting tidbits, valleys and peaks, and plot twists to keep you interested along the way. The production values were all there and is worth the $17.50 for an IMax ticket just to see the Hulk represented in CGI. The entire city of New York gets destroyed, and you find yourself laughing while at the edge of your seat.

If you're planning on not drinking margaritas for your Cinco de Mayo I highly recommend you see "The Avengers". The movie is big and needs to be attended by all those who are a fan of caped crusaders in spandex saving the world. This movie should be a good enough tiding until "The Dark Knight Rises" drops this summer!

See Also: Batman “The Dark Knight Rises” Trailer Sets New Bar for Badassery (Video)