Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo
Directed by Joss Whedon
With the individual origin stories of The Avengers' individual members tended to, we finally get to what everyone's been waiting for - the origin story of the super group itself.
But if anyone's worried that this is yet another "event film" which is ultimately just a set-up for an obligatory sequel, rest easy. Instead, it's the moviemakers who should be losing sleep as they contemplate how the inevitable second instalment is ever going to top the epic geek-out they've fashioned here.
Full credit goes to writer-director Joss Whedon, who also plays mathematician in dividing screentime between Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). And just what might've brought this "response team" of heavy-hitters together? Nothing less than an alien invasion orchestrated by the Norse god, Loki (Tom Hiddleston, radiating petulant malice).
Whedon wisely builds The Avengers with the same template he used for many an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: an acid-tongued, all-powerful adversary pushes the protagonists to the limits of their abilities and new heights of quipping. His mastery of character dynamics results in amusing personality clashes and allows complexity to arise from unlikely sources. Honestly? Who thought The Hulk could ever be this engaging?
Of course, Whedon is operating on a much grander scale here. But by imbuing his action sequences - including a marathon climax - with the same sense of rhythm and playful wit that grace his dialogue, he crafts the rare super-powered blockbuster that favours dexterity over brute force.
