Marvel Avengers Assemble

Viewer Rating:Stefano Brucone has rated Marvel Avengers Assemble rating: 4 Star

The modern day blockbuster carries with it certain expectations. Yes, we look forward to plenty of action and massive set pieces but we want more than that. We want to be entertained, to laugh, to get involved in a story but on top of that, at least for men of my generation, we want to have characters that we would like to be. How many kids grew up wanting to be Indiana Jones? However, for the most part, the modern blockbuster has tended to focus on the spectacle, saturating films with CGI rather than building up from the characters. Pick any Michael Bay film and try to find a character you'd like to have a drink with and you'll get my point.

Joss Whedon, the director of Avengers Assemble, understands this point beautifully. Yes, the film is packed full of set pieces, and New York is once again pummelled by invading aliens, but at the centre of this is a cast of characters who seem like they would be fun to spend time with. By uniting a cast of such disparate characters who each had their own movies there seems a natural tension behind the scenes which mirrors the fractured nature of the Avengers group on screen. However, it works beautifully because there are foils to almost every character. Captain America's wholesomeness is balanced by Robert Downey Jr's cynicism. Bruce Banner's tortured Hulk pivots beautifully alongside the carefree destructiveness of Thor.

Of course, there are flaws with the film. Certain things happen without any really plausible explanation and this can distract from the believability of the story. However, there is so much humour here that this is easily excused. As with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there almost as many gags in this as a proper comedy. Captain America's reaction to meeting Samuel L. Jackson is priceless.

A wonderful example of what a blockbuster can and should be.

Review published on the 29 April 2012 11:00