The Avengers

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)

I went to the 9:30 pm screening, after a very physically exhausting day, and I told myself that if this film manages to entertain me enough to keep me awake, I will give it five stars, and here they are. Now seriously: Avengers is a perfect blockbuster with great sense of humour, incredible chemistry between the characters and amazing action. If you are not looking for the brooding of Batman or the ambition of the Wachowskis (or anything “more”), and you only want good fun at the cinema, you can’t do better than this, it has no competition among the light summer blockbusters. And I’m saying this as someone who didn’t like too much the previous Marvel films and is also not a member of Whedon’s fan club. But there’s one little quibble: Next to the other superheroes, Black Widow and Hawkeye look so out of place and meek. And it’s also weird to see Auntie Robin in SHIELD’s control centre. Hulk/Banner rulez. (05/09/2012)

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)

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)

It wasn't until the final credits started rolling that I realized that many people's dreams had just come true. For the viewers who sensed from the end of the first Iron Man that this superhero gathering would be epic to the top floor of Stark Tower. For Joss, who had been smiling under his (fully geeky) beard for so long until he brought us the essence of himself. And last but not least, to all the Whedon fans who supported the creator as an unrivaled storyteller for many years. And then, in one of the most-watched movies of recent years, he proved them absolutely right. The Avengers have Stark's audacity, Cap's courage, Thor's rudeness, and Hulk's titanic power. And they mix everything into a cocktail that is almost impossible to drink in one go. Trying to catch all the quotes, breathtaking action scenes, or meticulously crafted details was simply impossible. It wasn't until the second viewing that I realized that Whedon thoroughly played with his Marvel toy and then lent it to us, ordinary mortals. The fact that he created a perfectly cinematic comic book, nurturing it minute by minute like a mirror of the genre, is another matter. (05/08/2012)