MOVIE REVIEW: "MARVEL'S The Avengers"

It took Marvel Comics and most of Hollywood more than 40 years to put together this band of superheroes on the big screen. Definitely a large undertaking and just an ounce of pressure on the writer and director, "Buffy" creator Joss Wheadon, to finally bring Earth's Mightiest Heroes on the same stage.

So does the flick assemble greatness or is it just a super waste of time? Well, bad puns aside, "Avengers" was a incredibly fun ride and an epic start to the summer movie season. Now where to start... Ah, the plot!

The evil and mischievous Loki makes his way to Earth and is looking to tear it apart, especially if it means taking out his powerful step-brother Thor with it. Nick Fury and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D decide it's time to form the team. It's time to form... THE AVENGERS! And that's all you need to know. Of course, it helps if you saw the 5 movies that came before it as it goes straight in, no more origin stories and right to the action.

From Robert Downey, Jr. as the over-confident Iron Man, to Chris Evans as the straight-laced, old-fashioned boy scout Captain America, each of the Avengers stays true to their comic and movie ways and none of the characters are really overshadowed. Well, one character does kind of stand above the rest...

Mark Ruffalo is the new Bruce Banner/Hulk here and completely steals the show. His Banner is abit different than the others, as he's older, wiser, and knows his fate. His Hulk... Wow. Now THIS... is the Hulk that the people wanted! Mean, green, and full of attitude. Once he hits the screen, it is so much fun! Scarlett as Black Widow and Sam Jackson as Fury are worth mentioning as well, as they play bigger roles in this film and show that even heroes without powers can still kick much ass! Jeremy Renner does alright as Hawkeye, though. If only there was more to him here, but still, watching him take down everyone with a bow and arrow in every way is pretty cool!

And yes, Agent Coulsen is back! Clark Gregg is Coulsen and here, his interactions with our heroes really help the movie. As much as he is a veteran agent and seen his fair share, he can get starstruck and be a fan too. Like his reactions to one of the characters, you can't help but feel like a kid again during this whole experience. It's just too much fun!

It's also to note that there is plenty of action here, obviously. But this is a fan boy's dream. You get heroes fighting heroes, heroes fighting villains and even more huge villains. And just to see these guys bickering at one another and even praising each other at any time... come on. Wheadon knows and loves his characters, and he is a pro at writing for an ensemble cast, not to mention ensemble comic book casts. It shows here, like in his run in the X-Men comics, that just the scenes of Iron Man and company at the round table talking to each other are worth the price of admission alone.

Now, any complaints? Sure, but not many. Some explanations in the film are quick, to-the-point, let's move on, kind of thing. I do understand that these explanations could be elaborated on in the future solo movies, so it's only just a small nitpick. One scene involving Iron Man and an engine felt alittle too long for me, but other than that... no real complaints. 

So final verdict? Obvious, you need to see this movie! Much action, alot of laughs (especially from Tony Stark and his "entrances"), and Hulk smashing! It's the perfect comic book movie, the definition of a summer movie, and with just enough personality and good times to keep you smiling until the very end. By the way, reminder: STAY AFTER THE CREDITS. It's a Marvel Studios movie, people didn't realize about any of the post-credit scenes. So don't leave or you'll miss the best one yet! Ok, I'm still in fanboy mode. Much apologizes!

In any case, go see it, especially in IMAX! 

9/10