The Avengers. Rated M (action violence). 142 minutes. Written and directed by Joss Whedon. Based on the Marvel comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Verdict: A truly joyful and joyous cinematic smorgasbord of laughs, action and an outstanding ensemble at play.
In precisely the same way as an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord is likely to satisfy every appetite, so too does Mr Whedon’s (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Marvel superhero mash-up that gleefully ticks every ‘superhero action movie’ box on its way to a dazzling final confrontation between the invading alien Chitauri forces and our team of superheroes.
When Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth, pictured above, left) adoptive brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) hijacks the Tesseract (an energy source being developed to supply Earth with an abundant supply of energy), he uses it to create a portal connecting Earth to outer space – where his Chitauri army are waiting to attack.
In precisely the same way as an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord is likely to satisfy every appetite, so too does Mr Whedon’s (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Marvel superhero mash-up that gleefully ticks every ‘superhero action movie’ box on its way to a dazzling final confrontation between the invading alien Chitauri forces and our team of superheroes.
When Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth, pictured above, left) adoptive brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) hijacks the Tesseract (an energy source being developed to supply Earth with an abundant supply of energy), he uses it to create a portal connecting Earth to outer space – where his Chitauri army are waiting to attack.
With the impending battle likely to decimate the human population, Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate (SHIELD) director Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) assembles the Avengers – Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Dr Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans, pictured above, right), and Thor – as the only hope of surviving the impending slaughter.
It is an unmitigated delight to watch this outstanding ensemble (which also includes Clark Gregg’s Agent Philip Coulson and Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton/Hawkeye) at play in roles that fit them like gloves, while production designer James Chinlund’s (Requiem for a Dream) superb contribution includes a spectacular Helicarrier (SHIELD’s state-of-the-art flying aircraft carrier) and the Chitauri’s brilliant, giant fish-like spaceships.
Working perfectly in sync with Mr Wheldon’s fine (and unexpectedly hilarious) script, cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (Atonement, The Hours) and editors Jeffrey Ford (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Lisa Lassek (The Cabin in the Woods) bring extraordinary levels of skill to the proceedings – especially the big, action set-pieces which are often astonishing in the breadth of their vision and the pace at which they unfurl before us.
With a sneaky post-credits snapshot of the impending sequel, now is the time to familiarise yourself with the Marvel Universe if you haven’t already – even if it is difficult to imagine how much better it could possibly be.
This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.
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