Marvel Avengers Assemble

Viewer Rating:Mycroft Holmes has rated Marvel Avengers Assemble rating: 3 Star

It's nice to see Joss Whedon, the creator of the Buffy the Vampire TV series and Firefly, finally being handed the reins of a big budget enterprise. For the most part he delivers superbly, managing to hold together a large star cast and producing an entertaining film that will please the crowds and at least pacify the critics.

Whedon's main strength has always been irreverent humour and well-drawn likeable characters and both are present here in spades. Although he is unable to completely throw off the shackles of the big Hollywood studio that would have tied his hands to a certain degree he does manage to enliven the film with just enough subversive comedy. Of course, his main ally in this approach is Robert Downey Jr. who, frankly, is worth the price of admission alone. The man was born to be on screen and if they doubled his salary it still wouldn't be enough.
That said, the rest of the cast all hold their own and as an ensemble piece it works well.

The main flaw with the film is a script with far too many plotholes. Superheroes and aliens I can believe but the entirely human Black Widow grabbing onto an alien craft travelling at high speed without ripping her arm off stretches me too far. In fact, the presence of these ancillary characters is just plain confusing. Frankly, when you have the Hulk and Thor capable of destroying whole city blocks what exactly is the point of having the likes of Black Widow and Hawkeye firing pistols and a bow and arrow. And incidentally, if Hawkeye can take out an alien with an arrow without even looking why does he spend so much time aiming at them the rest of the time?

These gripes aside, Avengers won't fail to entertain and everyone involved with its production can reflect on a pretty good job.

Review published on the 30 April 2012 11:38