"You were made to be ruled". Tom Hiddleston's Loki may just be on to something there, as it seems as though every single Avengers fan has jumped on the band-wagon marked 'Greatest comic book movie ever made', without actually having seen it yet.
Yes, it is visually stunning, and there are genuine "oh my Odin, did that really just happen!?" moments, but let us not get carried away here. Lest we forget the utter abominations of films that were Spider-man 3 and Wolverine, and all the initial hype that surrounded them before the horrific realization, that scouring out your eye balls seemed like a more than reasonable reaction to what you had just witnessed.
Avengers Assemble is leagues better than those that shall never be mentioned again. Hell, AA is in a different realm, a different universe. Yet something is missing.
Of course, this film is predominantly aimed at those who have seen the other films, or have prior knowledge of the characters (although it is hard to imagine that pre-Hollywood fans have not seen the solo films from Marvel studios), but those who are diving in as Marvel virgins, may initially be scratching their heads. Yet the overall result ultimately is why the film will disappoint some adult fans - it is a kids film, and the Disney cash cow rolls on.
The much speculated alien race in league with Loki, the identity of which is revealed in the opening scene, are somewhat inaudible, but the gist of their motivation to invade earth, is that it is an easy target. Why invade earth? Because we can. It is shaky at best.
Also, I have read comparisons between Tom Hiddleston's Loki with the late Heath Ledger's Joker. Let's just get one thing clear here, the two simply can not be compared. Impressive though Hiddleston is, and he does bring more depth and intrigue from when we last saw him plummet from Asgard in Thor, his performance does not trump Ledger.
Combined, Loki and the army leave serial bad-ass Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury "hopelessly outgunned". But do they really? The Avengers I grew up reading would have struggled against this threat, sure, but seeing as it is contained to Manhatten, would have cleared up in no time. Especially with Thor and Hulk in the roster. Whedon deserves kudos for the spectacular set pieces, but as a threat to Earth that leaves it completely helpless, I just don't buy it.
It would be advisable to see it in 2D and give 3D a wide berth, as, is always the case, the 3D adds nothing to the film, and if anything is a distraction from the action. The closing scenes of the film feel rather rushed, and somewhat forced as they pave the way for sequels for the characters, just as Captain America, Iron Man 2 and Thor felt somewhat rushed as prequels to Avengers Assemble.
Perhaps I am nit-picking, as there are momentous, and soon to become classic movie moments that we all (Marvelites) were praying to Odin for, such as Hulk v Thor, Thor v Iron Man, and Hulk v...whoever gets in his way. Those of you that know your Spider-man from your other bug related heroes will spot an easter egg or two, but they are few and far between.
One thing that should be noted, is the performance of Mark Ruffalo. Finally, we have a performance that not only banishes Eric Bana and Edward Norton's puny Banners to distant memory, but totally redefines the character. Ruffalo's Banner rivals, if not trumps that of Bill Bixby, and when he turns green, finally film goers will be left open mouthed. Some fans may have been concerned that Ruffalo does not look like a traditional scrawny Banner, but then again neither really did Bixby, and with the use of motion capture technology, Hulk finally has real character, rather than a lifeless CGI face.
Whilst it has also been suggested that each Avenger has chance to shine in an equal amount of screen time, and they do each get their own scenes, at times it does feel like the Robert Downey Jnr show. All of the best lines were seemingly reserved for him, but the banter between himself and Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner is, refreshingly hilarious. There are plenty of genuinely laugh out loud moments, without distracting too much from the threat that they are under.
The action does not let up, and there are some truly monumental moments that will linger long in the memory of hardcore Marvelites. Whedon was never going to be able to completley satisfy everyone, but he sure as hell gave it a damn good effort. Needless to say, my eight-year-old self's puny little mind would have exploded with excitement having witnessed this film, but it is just not 'graphic' enough for an adult fan of comics and graphic novels.
A five star rating would be outlandish...and fantastic for everyone involved, but this just falls short.Definitely worth a watch, and despite my reservations, it leaves you replaying scenes in your mind for hours afterwards, and demands that you give it a second viewing.