I’m going to get right out in the open and say I’m extremely biased when it comes to comic book movies. I’ve been a fan of comic books since I was about 10 years old. Over the past decade comic fans have been blessed with an increase in popularity of their favorite subject in cinema. As a comic fan this is a golden age. Nonetheless, there are still many that would dismiss any super-heroic action adventure thinking comics are for adolescent boys and bearded men living in their mother’s basement.
Usually “Movies you may have missed” is about films that may have passed by a massive popular appeal. But it’s also about movies that I’ve seen that I think need more attention. When a film breaks the box-office record for opening weekends – $207 Million domestically and over $700 Million globally – one could hardly think said film would need more attention. However I know there are people out there that will miss this movie. For whatever reason this film may not be on 100 percent of the world’s collective cinematic radar. I feel it is up to me to accept the super-heroic challenge and try to convince those that otherwise would have skipped this film that they should reconsider and buy a ticket.
The film in question is “Marvel’s: the Avengers.” Yes it’s a comic book movie about make-believe characters in fantastic and impossible situations – often wearing silly costumes. But director and screenwriter Joss Whedon makes those incredible characters humble and real and entirely believable in an unbelievable setting. Incredibly dynamic action sequences are brilliantly balanced with side-splitting humor and witty dialogue. And the pacing of this 142 minute film was so fluid that the only fault I could find when the reel stopped was that there wasn’t more. It’s also the most amazing summer action epic I’ve ever seen.
I find absolutely no fault in cinema rising to a new height by creating emotional and cerebral thought pieces. But far too often we forget that being entertained by epic acts of heroism is just as worthwhile as introspective naval-gazing brought on by expositive documentaries and period dramas. Unfortunately recent additions into the action-adventure genre focus far too much on the explosions and far too little on anything else. “The Avengers” misses this pitfall by elevating its heroes to mythic proportions.
The comic book pages which “The Avengers” has leapt from are a modern day Iliad and Odyssey; a contemporary Hercules or twenty-first century King Arthur. These are characters of modern myth. We learn from their actions to stand up for our beliefs, to fight the impossible fight and to topple unthinkable odds. We learn from the man out of time, Steve Rogers, or Captain America, that maybe what we need is a little old-fashioned heroics. And we see all this in vibrant color across elaborate set-pieces with genuine laughs and action choreography worthy of legend in itself.
“Marvel’s: The Avengers” takes on the heroic challenge of combining the headliners from four previous Marvel movies and gives them all equal footing and equal time to shine. It does so astoundingly well making every moment of the film pure enjoyment. Every funny line is followed by a funnier one, every mind-blowing action sequence is followed by something even more spectacular. As the movie progresses the bar is set higher and higher as the tension and story unfolds. And all the while the audience is treated to amusement park fun without a long wait in line.
In the end, “The Avengers” is indeed a spectacle. It’s a summer blockbuster. It’s certainly not going to change the world. It probably won’t change your life. But if you’ve avoided the comic book flight of fancy that’s become all the rage in theatres of late, watch this. It will change your mind.
Marvels: The Avengers (2012)
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Joss Whedon
Runtime: 142 minutesRated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference
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