Walt Disney Pictures
143 min., dir. by Joss Whedon, with Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, and Mark Ruffalo

Four years (and five films) in the making, The Avengers has finally arrived. There’s no question that enthusiasts will adore and applaud the Joss Whedon scripted and directed superhero bonanza.  While certainly entertaining, the entire experience still feels a little shaky at times for the comic book novice.

While the world is suffering from its usual foibles and political strife, everything is pretty normal on Earth. That is until Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the brother of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), sticks his thin, Michael Fassbender-ish face into things. Under the guise that he will be allowed to rule over an army of extraterrestrial warriors once the Earth is conquered, Loki heads to our planet to obtain an item called “The Tesseract.” A small cube of pure energy that was at the center of the Captain America movie, The Tesseract can be used to open a wormhole, allowing a massive army to storm into our world. While the heads of state want S.H.I.E.L.D. operator Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to put a plan codenamed “Phase Two” into effect to stop Loki, Fury has other ideas. If he can convince the members of his planned Avengers Initiative to assemble, he’s positive they can stop Loki and save the Earth.

It’s impressive how this storyline was able to incorporate bits and pieces from all the previous films into one large festering ball of comic book glory. While anyone who has missed one or two of the original entries (or all of them for that matter) won’t be completely lost, those who were in from step one will be treated with small hints and teases that come from all directions. Though, for a film that laid its groundwork in the past, it’s still bogged down by ass-numbing lengths of unnecessary story development.

Just like the Whedon scripted The Cabin in the Woods, The Avengers is one long bicker-fest that builds up to one raucously entertaining finale. The opening two-thirds of the film is loaded with excuses to grant fans the opportunity to watch their favorite characters fight each other, eating up screen time and allowing for one-liners. However, by the time the internal conflicts mount and the entire team begins to throw one another under the bus, my patience was starting to wear thin.

It’s seems pointless to focus on the tiniest insignificant holes, as their circumstances have nothing to do with the entire outcome or why people go to see a movie about The Avengers — but I am. When Loki took to terrorizing 500 or so Germans, I had to wonder, “Why does he suspect they all speak English?” Then, of course, Bruce Banner loses control and turns into the Hulk, attacking his friends and teammates because he can’t control the beast. Yet, when it’s time for everyone to be friends and fight the final battle, he’s in control and recognizes his companions. I know the character has a cognitive presence in his comic book origins, but the execution and explanation in the film itself is nonexistent.

I know this is an instance where I’m being too critical considering the product at hand. If nothing else, The Avengers finally brings to life what we all want from characters like the Hulk. The dichotomy of comic book heroes is great, as it’s what their stories are truly about, but deep down, we don’t want to see Bruce Banner fight his inner demon while being chased by military outfits and his crying girlfriend. We want to see the Hulk smash! No one can deny the pure joy of watching him jump around and decimating other worldly creatures — it will bring out the kid in everyone.

There are very few movies that are flawless. The Dark Knight (which is seen by many as the king of comic book films) has its issues too. However, The Dark Knight is the kind of film that draws you in completely, so much so that the biggest holes don’t appear until you’ve had multiple viewings. The Avengers’ patchwork is exposed from start to finish, but overcomes most of it with a balls-to-the-wall ending. Comic book fans and those holding onto their midnight tickets are in for a five-star adventure — but for those like me, you’re just in for a good romp at the movies.

—

Matthew Schuchman is the founder and film critic of Movie Reviews From Gene Shalit’s Moustache and also the contributing film writer for IPaintMyMind.