Accumulating over $1.5 billion in worldwide box office sales, there's not much more to be said about writer-director Joss Whedon's Marvel's The Avengers movie and its critical success. However, Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister, who is best known for his work with Christopher Nolan, most recently on The Dark Knight Rises, thinks otherwise. Although he isn't the first oddball to express negative thoughts towards the superhero spectacle, Pfister recently said during an Q&A interview that he thought the film was rather “appalling.” When the Sarasota Herald Tribune asked precisely what he thinks is most important when shooting a movie in general, Wally Pfister replied:
What’s really important is storytelling. None of it matters if it doesn’t support the story. I thought “The Avengers” was an appalling film. They’d shoot from some odd angle and I’d think, why is the camera there? Oh, I see, because they spent half a million on the set and they have to show it off. It took me completely out of the movie. I was driven bonkers by that illogical form of storytelling.
Considering his profession, it seems Wally Pfister had more beef with Marvel's The Avengers cinematography, which Seamus McGarvey is credited for. However, writer-director Joss Whedon notably consulted with McGarvey, and Whedon has said before that his directing style for Marvel's The Avengers was heavily inspired by its source material - the comic books. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but what do you think?
Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013!; & “Thor 2” on November 8, 2013.