Avengers roll-call
Captain America: patriot, underdog, super-soldier altered with high levels of gamma radiation by Howard Stark. Tony Stark: prodigal son of Howard Stark, genius, weapons and energy expert and manufacturer, and vigilante who created a suit or armor that runs off of an arc reactor that can wield dangerous power. Thor: son of Odin, King of Asgard, Nordic God of thunder, and is the only being able to possess the power of Mjolnir; a warhammer of immense legend. Bruce Banner: gamma radiation physicist and meta-particle scientist, host to the alter ego/ Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde HULK. Black Widow: Russian spy turned S.H.I.E.L.D. assassin, and close partner to Hawkeye: S.H.I.E.L.D. assault specialist who wields a bow with skills that can match Legolas.
Bringing together such a massive cast can be a disaster for some films, but The Avengers takes the large credit line with ease. Equal camera time for all the heavy hitters and great editing pulls this film together nicely with pace, screenplay simplicity, and character chemistry. Tie-ins from Iron Man 1 and 2, Thor, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk are done casually, but if you haven't seen the precursors you can be lost at parts. The easter-eggs, the tie-ins, the hints at future films or the winks at past films bring out the inner geek in all of us that have watched the previous films or read the comics.
Character progression is a big thing about The Avengers and mainly this film is a strong lead-in to The Avengers 2. Tony Stark shows that he is more than an egomaniac playboy billionaire and he has what it takes to be a leader and can sacrifice everything for the greater good. Opposing Iron Man leadership is Steve Rodgers a.k.a. Capt. America. Nothing much has changed for Mr. America but his costume. Hawkeye actually gets a spot in the credits, unlike in Thor, and you finally get to see what his powers, or lack there of, are. He is a force to be reckoned with and I'm sure if he and Legolas teamed up during the fight against Sauron, Middle-Earth would've been saved sooner.
Instead of Edward Norton portraying Bruce Banner, Mark Ruffalo carries the character extremely well. Instead of seeing the Hulk as a burden, Banner now uses him as an asset and can change on cue. Samuel Jackson always looks like he's just living out his character from Pulp Fiction and in The Avengers you finally get to see Nick Fury fight...briefly; and he misses quite a bit. Thor shows off his brotherly love and stars in some of the best moments in the film with him and Hulk's chemistry being irreplaceable. Loki has a hard time in The Avengers; no home, no conviction, and fighting a waning war with the Chitauri (who resemble the Locust Horde from Gears of War.)
Acting here is pulled back and subtle. A good choice in a film with so much talent. Downey, Hiddleson, Jackson, Renner, Evans, Johansson, Hemsworth, and Ruffalo all have their significant quirks and distinct characteristics that create a world within itself as Loki and the Chitauri try and destroy the world to decimate man's reign on Earth. The best part of The Avengers is Joss Whedon's ability to level the playing field and use the dialogue and each characters reputation to move the story forward and get the audience attached and entertained. Although a major character dies, and yes it's very saddening, you're with the superhero crew all the way and against Loki and his alien army.
Visuals and effects are similar to a Michael Bay film; huge adversaries, a lot of destruction, trillions of dollars in damage to buildings and cities, and many many explosions. I viewed the film in 3D; although I don't prefer that version of film, there are many 3D moments and it is definitely one of the better 3D movies out there.
The Avengers is a great movie and it's just a teaser for what's to come from Marvel. Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 are slated for 2013, Captain America 2 and an unknown release are coming in 2014, and the Avengers 2 is estimated for 2015. I give The Avengers 5 out of 5.