"Finding the characters' voices was easy; finding the structure was brutal!" - Joss Whedon
After four years of build-up, five block-busters, years of anticipation, hand-wringing, finger wagging and internet speculation we can finally see The Avengers. Like many other films of 2012, gone and yet to come, it certainly is ambitious. There were times when the movie looked like it would never get made, and a time where it almost looked like DC was going to push through a Justice League movie before it (though that project never materialized). There are many criticisms I can throw at this film but in the end, one way or the other, it delivers.
Earth is threatened by the fallen Asgardian prince Loki whose defeat in Thor has made him bitter but now has help from a strange, otherworldly benefactor. Colonel Nick Fury manages to escape the trickster god's wrath and is forced to re-open the 'Avengers initiative', a project hinted at in the previous Marvel films (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger). For some reason the 'initiative' was scrapped, but the reasons why are not really dwelt upon. You get a sense that much story and character development was cut to keep the movie's pace fast (director Joss Whedon recently admitted as much) but these omissions does not damage the film, but I digress. The first two recruited is Steve 'Captain America' Rogers and Natasha (Black Widow) Romanov. Rogers is unhappy as he lost decades of his life and is stuck in a more complex, less simple time, but accepts the mission and slowly finds himself becoming the leader of the group. Though introduced in Iron Man 2 we get to see Black Widow in action and get first-hand experience of her unorthodox spy methods. Tony Stark and Pepper (the only romantic interest from any of the other movies to join this film) find Agent Colson interrupting their supposed romantic evening. Bruce Banner is living in the slums of India, trying to help people in need as a way of keeping the Hulk at bay, but is not recruited for being a hero or villain, but in more of a consultant role. Thor joins the cast late, and because of his links to Loki is treated as an enemy instead of an ally, leading to a fight between him and another Avenger. Regardless of their formidable power Loki is one step ahead of them.
After four years of build-up, five block-busters, years of anticipation, hand-wringing, finger wagging and internet speculation we can finally see The Avengers. Like many other films of 2012, gone and yet to come, it certainly is ambitious. There were times when the movie looked like it would never get made, and a time where it almost looked like DC was going to push through a Justice League movie before it (though that project never materialized). There are many criticisms I can throw at this film but in the end, one way or the other, it delivers.
Earth is threatened by the fallen Asgardian prince Loki whose defeat in Thor has made him bitter but now has help from a strange, otherworldly benefactor. Colonel Nick Fury manages to escape the trickster god's wrath and is forced to re-open the 'Avengers initiative', a project hinted at in the previous Marvel films (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger). For some reason the 'initiative' was scrapped, but the reasons why are not really dwelt upon. You get a sense that much story and character development was cut to keep the movie's pace fast (director Joss Whedon recently admitted as much) but these omissions does not damage the film, but I digress. The first two recruited is Steve 'Captain America' Rogers and Natasha (Black Widow) Romanov. Rogers is unhappy as he lost decades of his life and is stuck in a more complex, less simple time, but accepts the mission and slowly finds himself becoming the leader of the group. Though introduced in Iron Man 2 we get to see Black Widow in action and get first-hand experience of her unorthodox spy methods. Tony Stark and Pepper (the only romantic interest from any of the other movies to join this film) find Agent Colson interrupting their supposed romantic evening. Bruce Banner is living in the slums of India, trying to help people in need as a way of keeping the Hulk at bay, but is not recruited for being a hero or villain, but in more of a consultant role. Thor joins the cast late, and because of his links to Loki is treated as an enemy instead of an ally, leading to a fight between him and another Avenger. Regardless of their formidable power Loki is one step ahead of them.
