The Avengers

In the weight class of superheroes who, instead of psychotherapy sessions where they spend two hours figuring out their superhero identity, manage everything by letting their powers speak, preferably in a pretty fierce, loud, and explosive way, the Avengers actually have no competition far and wide. For the first hour, they tease each other with humor, and they use it together against the alien invasion. Kudos to Whedon for dividing up the roles precisely and giving everyone exactly the space they need. Most importantly, it's all done inventively (camera tricks) and it’s imaginatively (funny inserts even into the serious scenes) shot. [My only criticism goes to Loki. Hiddleston isn't so bland anymore because now he’s a charismatic bastard whose character portrayal by the writers falls a little short. Edit: After the second screening, this criticism no longer applies either.] (05/04/2012)

During one month, I witnessed that the cinema still has something to amaze with. The film "Prci, prci, prcičky: Školní sraz" completely knocked me out, and now "Avengers". Well, to tell the truth, I enjoyed "Prcičky" even more and I left with a feeling that I usually don't have in the cinema. But the impressions from "Avengers" are very similar. I went to the Czech premiere with subtitles a bit reserved because I was afraid that it would just be a big hype, but the rest would be disappointing. I didn't have to worry. Joss Whedon, the screenwriter, director, but also a comic book creator and especially a comic book enthusiast, probably created his best work. His TV productions are literally cult classics ("Buffy" or "Firefly"), but it will probably be the comic book that he will always be remembered for. He was offered to make a film about the Avengers, the team of the greatest Marvel superheroes, and that's exactly what he did. A great film about great heroes. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/05/avengers-co-dodat.html (02/17/2013)

Undemanding, popcorn paint by numbers with clear contours which begin to turn pastel green only after they line up. The Avengers Assemble is quality craftsmanship which unfortunately pays dearly for having just routine action (the first “teaser" part is markedly better than the second) and zero “emotional involvement" of either the viewer or the characters. The whole thing rests on the shoulders of the Stark - Thor - Banner trio and the remaining characters are either a necessary evil (Capt. America) or there to make up numbers. And also a proper baddy is sorely lacking; Loki is outstanding, but he’s more an amusing stooge than an arch-villain. As far as Marvel team productions are concerned, the movie versions of X-Men play in a much higher league. (05/02/2012)

Yes, the story is sterile and stale, the emotions non-existent and the pace of the narrative is rather erratic, inflated at the end into a charmless presentation of risk-free superhero action. But it doesn't matter, The Avengers is still the chosen one, a film that represents the most basic Marvel idea of colourful comic book characters quite perfectly and surgically accurate. All the clichés are deliberate, skilfully adapted to build an adequately simple plot that best suits this kind of team-ups and that doesn't unnecessarily distract from its primary intention: the entertaining interaction between the diverse heroes, the development of their relationship and the careful interplay with previous (and of course future) instalments of the Marvel Universe. It’s a great COMIC-BOOK movie, with utterly likeable archetypal characters, a charismatic villain, and effects like something out a fan's wildest wet dreams. It doesn't play on civility like Nolan, it plays only for the devoted fans of Tony Stark, Captain America, Thor or the Hulk, and in a perfectly balanced and precise way, as if all those legendary books suddenly came to life and took to the streets of Manhattan, without any questions or delays. The actors are without exception excellent, with the cherry on top in the form of the incredibly sexy Scarlett, before whom, as an enemy I would have knelt down on the spot and desperately cried "Capture me, Lord, capture me!" :)) 90% (05/24/2012)

The idea that the film avoids the need to expose itself as a savage, because it will count on viewers familiar with previous films, is completely odd - firstly, a brief exposition of Hawkeye and Natasha is needed, secondly, guys need to compare their steel / divine cocks and find out who has the bigger one... we'll spend about half of the film doing that, and when everyone slaps each other and Captain America teaches us that there's only one God, there's finally a team event. As to how many minutes have passed, it cannot be said that we have complete information about who, what, why and for how much, but once Whedon starts to bend steel in tons and have one shot more spectacular than the last, it actually doesn’t matter. In addition, the characters start spewing one-liners (which unfortunately is a bit worse with the Czech dubbing), the Captain is a little annoying (a little so he can still appear as the good guy) and The Avengers offers exactly why people go and see "Marvel" films. A ballbusting hero party, legible, clear, polished and heavy on tone. You may miss the fact that the whole story is actually a tragically mechanical acceptance of "classical invasive awkwardness" without a fundamental contribution to the mythology of the heroes. The other half is simply pure pleasure from the enormously pompous spectacle. But I still can't shake the impression that nothing happened for half of the film and that we don't know anything more about the characters than before. I am inclined to think that Whedon did the work through careful maneuvering. The entertainment is decent, but as a separate fictional world, it doesn't make much sense - what the first Iron Man and partly Thor were able to do simply shrunk to an exhibition match of stars full of skills competitions. Edit: when I remember the meaty second half and how I also gave Battleship 3 ***, I capitulate and improve my rating :-) [75%] (04/25/2012)