I am a Joss Whedon fan. Always have been. His debut film "Serenity," based on his undeniably underrated sci-fi/Western show "Firefly," was proof that Whedon could do an exciting, funny, and emotionally involving film on a modest budget. His on-line musical "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog" showcases Whedon's deft as a writer, employing role reversals (the villain is the protagonist) in a very self-aware, and very funny, send up of the superhero genre. His work on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, most notably "Hush," "The Body," and "Becoming Part 1 & 2," is exceptional. And it is in that sense that I walked into "The Avengers" with high expectations: as a Marvel fan second, and a Joss Whedon fan first. And surely enough, those expectations were shattered like The Master's skeleton by a sledgehammer-wielding Buffy Summers at the end of "When She Was Bad," BTVS Season 2 Episode 1. Hee hee.
The challenge with this movie comes from handling characters already pre-established by different directors, and ultimately blending them into one big, cohesive storyline. Previous directors the likes of Jon Favreau (Iron Man,) Louis Leterrier (Hulk), Kenneth Brannagh (Thor), and Joe Jonhston (Cap) have handled Marvel's most iconic heroes in the past, and with varying degrees of success (yes, Mr. Banner, I'm looking at you.) But Whedon handles these characters, as well as Black Widow and newcomer Hawkeye, with the loving care of an loveable-yet-dateless fanboy handling a precious, bagged-and-boarded something or other. Each character is unique, and given their own appropriate times to shine without getting lost in the sugary-shock CGI shuffle that plagues many an over-populated comic book movie (see Spider-Man 3. Or don't, rather.)
In all honesty, Following the Formula is key in "The Avengers," and Whedon knowingly and lovingly does just that. This isn't a bad thing; actually, it's quite the opposite. It's best to play it safe when establishing a franchise, especially if it is a franchise of already established franchises. I think this is paramount in superhero film making. You have to prove, as a director, that you are capable of "Get the Macguffin! Close the portal! Save the world!" film making before you can take any risks. Only when that is successfully achieved can that formula be broken, and only in that sense can the director take our beloved characters in new, daring directions. Raimi, Bryan Singer, and most notably Chris Nolan--all of them had superior Part 2's to their respective hero flix. ( Nolan's entry, "The Dark Knight," was flat-out groundbreaking.) Sure, familiar super plots have been done before; many times, in fact. But they have been done many times because THEY WORK. We want it all. Wordy evil speeches. One-liners and hokum-science exposition. And, of course, giant monsters in the middle of a crowded city. After all, if I'm paying to see a celluloid collection of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, they better be fighting DAMN GIANT MONSTERS in the middle of a DAMN CROWDED CITY!!! Whedon, ever the militant fanboy, knows this in every way, and delivers with a smile in his heart.
The performances are as stellar as Marvel movies can have, especially with every actor having had time to hone their character. In his fourth outing as Tony Stark, the incomparable Robert Downey Jr. continues to bring equal parts depth, humor, and arrogance to a very complex and eccentric uber-genius. His Howard Hughes-turned-bad ass Stark is older now, and more confident in his hero role than ever. He walks the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier like a dang rock star, commanding every scene he's in. He even has his own theme music; AC/DC's "Shoot To Thrill" heralds his arrival like a superstar wrestling champion on his way to the squared circle. Downey Jr. continues to deliver, as he does in every movie, the effortlessly charming superhero that he is.
As Steve Rodgers a.k.a. Captain America, the unlikely choice that is Chris Evans continues to prove that he is as worthy as it gets to wear Cap's star-spangled spandex. This time around, Evans brings a layer of darkness to Rodgers; gone is the super-boy scout in lieu of a more tortured and angry Captain America trying desperately to cope with world that has drastically changed--literally, for him--in the blink of an eye. But Cap is ultimately a leader, and seeing him finally grow into a leadership role is enough to make even the most hardcore of Marvel nerds soak their skivvies in uncontrollable geek nut. (Eww.) He commands that team, ol' A-Head does, and they listen without question. As young Cap, Evans is commanding, and I personally can't wait to see Cap whoop some SERIOUS ASS in the inevitable sequels. (Just nitpicking though, but I wouldn't be adverse to seeing some mask-wings next time 'round. Would you?)
Thor and Loki add that magical element to the universe, allowing us to get those aforementioned GIANT MONSTERS in this film. Thor finally uses his mythical hammer to it's fullest bad-assery. But, oddly enough, Thor star Chris Hemsworth is out shined by his on-screen brother, Tom Hiddleston's Loki. He excels as the franchise's "starter villain," a devilishly handsome and accented super villain fully capable of giving our heroes that global threat they desperately need to overcome. He is evil and knows it. Julian McMahon, please take notes.
Impressive supporting roles carried by Sam Jackson, ScarJo, and Jeremy Remner round out the squad of awesomeness, providing, respectively, some major league hero guidance, archery and ass shots to this epic of epics.
Which, of course, brings us to The Hulk.
Bruce Banner is not an easy character to portray correctly on film. The Hulk is, but Banner isn't. Previous attempts at the role have proved fruitless, despite valiant efforts from talented actors Eric Bana and Edward Norton. In Ang Lee's epic 2003 fail "Hulk" Bana's "Angry-Cuz-Of-Daddy-Issues" Banner spent too much time crying and less time smashing (the same mopey mood that arguably killed Superman Returns.) Five years later, Norton took a crack at the role, portraying Banner as a "MUST...FIND...CURE!" Dr. Jekyll of sorts. Despite a more positive reception, "The Incredible Hulk" played out like nothing more than disposable fun. Did Hulk smash? Sure, that time he did. But, in all brutal honesty, the film was forgettable as a whole.
Unlike his predecessors, the surprisingly apt casting choice of Mark Ruffalo is beneficial to "The Avengers" as a film, and to the Marvel film universe overall. His Bruce Banner is hirsute, sleepless, and inappropriately cheery in times of great strife, displaying the efforts of a man trying desperately to conceal a darker side. He is quiet and well mannered--almost too well mannered, a characteristic all to common in people who snap at at a moment's notice. His Banner is suppressing anger to the point where we, the viewer, want him to lose it. And lose it he does, much to the delight of anyone who loves CGI heroism. And yes, for the record, I do loves me some CGI heroism.
Both Ruffalo and Whedon, that ever-so-gifted director, accomplish the daunting task of making you care about the CGI Hulk, something Lee and Leterrier failed, in spades, to do. Instead of seeing that unleashed beast, we see a monster who fights with PURPOSE. His Hulk is a flat out hero, powerful, smart, and unlike the other Hulks, INTENTIONALLY FUNNY!! Whedon accomplishes more for The Hulk in one act than other directors failed to do in five plus hours of boring movie time.
In conclusion--and I cannot stress this enough!!--the film's real star is Joss Whedon. As one of Hollywood's perennial underdogs, Whedon has proved himself to be multi-talented, humble, and a more-than-worthy choice to direct Marvel's flagship movie franchise. And now, following the films success (a billion plus worldwide as of this posting,) everyone is a Whedon fan. But to those precious few, Joss' success comes as no surprise. Those few of us who knew from the start, those of us who quote Buffy and wear Browncoat T-shirts, who laugh at D'Hoffryn and actually give a f**k who Melaka Fray is, this movie is especially rewarding. Joss Whedon is officially a star, having given us, those ever-militant fanboys, every bit of action and Marvel-ness we paid $13 bucks to see. And, one would hope, this film would lead to something bigger, and ultimately, groundbreaking. So relax, Marvel-ites. Sit back, pick up that small-size popcorn and enjoy the show. Your universe is in good hands.
