It’s a little late for my take on The Avengers. I’m mostly convinced that everyone in America has seen it by now, what with it being like one of the highest grossing movies of all time and all. But I’m going to take my place in the echo chamber of reaffirmation just the same.
The Avengers is a comic book movie about a bunch of guys and a girl who are tasked with the unenviable mission of saving the world. It all starts when an archvillain named Loki bursts onto the scene and steals a magical box that will enable him to summon an army of space aliens that will aid in his take over Earth’s throne. Nick Fury, the leader of an organization I’ll call SHIELD, assembles a rag tag crew of misfits who are no strangers to world-saving in order to prevent humanity’s impending doom because obviously no one else can. At its heart, this is a movie about a motley crew overcoming their reservations about each other and joining together as a team to conquer normally insurmountable forces. Pepper in a little Joss Whedon-styled bantery, and you have a recipe for one of the funnest blockbusters of the year.
So. Comic book movies. I’m pretty tired of them. However, I was okay with The Avengers because I got to see more than just a guy or two overcome a villain because the villain is a meany-head. I liked the interpersonal conflict. I liked how each Avenger got just enough of his or her personality and abilities showcased. I liked how self-aware everybody was, both of their place in the canon and the situation they were facing. I would also like to thank Whedon/Marvel for at least acknowledging that New York City really got the short end of the stick when a bunch of aliens invaded and caused massive destruction and chaos on the ground. It was a fun little spectacle with the right mix of levity and depth that makes it more than just a dumb action movie where things go boom. This is a movie that lives comfortably with its own hype.
ThomFiles 