By: Jason Ashcroft
I know, I know this movie came out over eight years ago and your all probably thinking "why is he reviewing The Avengers?" well with the Covid-19 pandemic lingering on, there aren't very many new movies to go out and see so I figured I would start my first movie review off with one that united comic-book fans around the world.
How is the Avengers? Well, let me just get it out there that this movie is still good today. It's an enjoyably absurd extravaganza with superhero versions of the magnificent seven basically. The movie has a pretty normal plot: Bad guy shows up on earth for a weapon, six people with extraordinary skills have to team up in order to stop the bad guy but conflict comes along the way in many different places. There have been many movies that have executed this greatly and others not so great. It pleases me to say that the Avengers however, does it gracefully.
The film stars Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye and finally Tom Hiddleston as the villain Loki. The great thing about having actors of this caliber portray heroes in tights is that it is almost impossible to do a bad job. Director Joss Whedon does a fantastic job at giving these characters a true purpose to be there. For me, Tom Hiddlestons Loki stole the show. Who knew the God of Mischief could be so convincing? As far as the heroes go, they all do a impeccable job at their craft but the standout far out is Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man. Whether it's his quirky mannerisms or his quick wit, he is by far the best of the group.
While "The Avengers" does a lot of things right, the film does have a few negatives for me. Director Joss Whedon has a very unique sense of humor. You either like it or you don't and for me it didn't work. Whether it was Tony Stark telling on the soldier playing "Galaga" or when Tony Stark immediately asked to get a "Falafel" after falling from space and being resuscitated, sometimes the humor just goes to far. The final battle although epic does make it feel as though the enemy soldiers are more then less just there for the Hulk to smash. They don't do much other then just transport Loki from danger.
Overall, "The Avengers" has aged well. Watching it in 2020 compared to 2012 feels almost similar. The action was very well directed, the script is mostly well written and the cast delivers performances that make you care about their character. There are a few negatives throughout the film but mostly it is an epic adventure and worth multiple viewings.
Grade: B+