Avengers Assemble!

Overview: Beginning with the first Iron man movie Marvel embarked upon the unprecedented concept of creating it's on movie universe. Each of the major characters in the Avengers also had a solo offering, slowly but surely building up to the Avengers.

 What you'll love

Hulk smash: Not only is the CGI pitch perfect  but so is the characterization of Bruce Banner. Hulk steals this movie with several laugh out loud scenes,

Loki: Every movie needs a foil and Tom Hiddleson provides one in the overly ambitious, conniving Loki. The bad guy in story should never know he is the bad guy and Loki provides the most compelling case for his viewpoint. Great acting.

Juggling act: It's not hyperbole to say that this is the most ambitious movie undertaking ever. Avengers not only meets expectations, it surpasses them, somehow managing to juggle all the characters, plots and internal dynamics.

Fanboy orgasm: At it's most basic level  Avengers is a little boy playing superhero with his toys. For the first time in my life a movie surpassed my imagination.

Conflict: It would have been very easy to have had the Avengers get along and become one big happy team, but they don't. These are very different men and the script makes them work for the unity they achieve. Oh yeah the fight scenes are really cool. Hulk vs Thor nuff said

What you won't

Long: At 143 minutes it's a long movie. You could justify it by saying that there's a a lot that they have to get in. However I think it's realistic to say they could have shaved ten minutes off of this sucker.

Story:  The plot revolves around a cube that provides an endless energy source and is a portal for aliens to come to the planet. Shakespeare it ain't.

Enemies: My only legit qualm with the movie is that Loki is the only villain. If Thor beat Loki in his movie why would he need help from the other Avengers to take him down in this one? They attempted to raise the stakes by having an alien invasion. But in the end they just proved to be cannon fodder and a spectacular showcase for Avenger fight scenes.


Bottom Line: Avengers is a must see. Everything you want in a summer blockbuster.

Grade  A