Review of The Avengers (2012) by Paul J — 02 Apr 2015

It is truly a marvel seeing Joss Whedon balance all these characters (see what I did there?) Each superhero gets their "moment". I was impressed by how much on-screen time supporting characters received, especially Black Widow - love her traumatized moment after Banner's transformation.

Iron Man and Captain America's rivalry gives the films it's drama and thematic relevance but Hulk steals the show. There are so many clever one-liners, strong dramatic moments and spectacular action scenes that I was thrilled from beginning to end.

Stark's character arc was nicely addressed with each letter falling off his tower, representing his ego being stripped until all that remains is the "A", foreshadowing a home base and selflessness for the Avengers team.

It may not have the artistic sophistication of The Dark Knight. Let's face it, the plot is pretty silly and the theme isn't half as profound as Nolan's trilogy, still the "fun factor" is through the roof and the final act contains some of the most spectacular action moments I've ever seen in a blockbuster.

Overall, as far as escapism goes, this one scores top marks, especially because of its colorful cast of characters.