Avengers Assemble (2012)

Uniting some of history’s best loved comic heroes for one epic movie. Avengers Assemble (originally titled The Avengers) is the culmination of several years of comic movies, such as : Iron Man I & II, Thor, and Captain America, and sees an impressive crossover using the overarching network of S.H.I.E.L.D, run by the formidable Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). S.H.I.E.L.D brings together a team of fearsome superheroes in order to fight humanity’s greatest foe yet: the powerful brother of Thor, called Loki, and his ravenous army, who are waiting in the wings of space. The team includes: the aforementioned Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans) as well as The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and the sharp-shooting arrow-man Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). This impressive collection of movie-industry elite form the Avengers, with Tom Hiddleston playing the evil Loki, with impressive results. Directed by Joss Whedon, a man with bulging sci-fi credentials, the film has managed to arrive into cinemas kicking and screaming, regardless of the overwhelming sense amongst the general masses that this film would be a tremendous let down. And the result? An astounding success. The film is in a different league of comic-variety films, up there with the first Iron Man film (not quite as good as Nolan’s Batman films though). The action sequences are not run-of-the-mill explosion-fests, but well thought out, creative set pieces, that enhance the story and further the character development. Moments of dialogue, whilst a little cheesy towards the final act, are actually well written, with pathos spilling through, and brilliant moments of comedy. Instead of five superheroes vying for ownership, the film feeds on the energy of all the players, and becomes a powerhouse flick, moving through the story with a growing sense of tension and fulfilment. Each member adds to the pulse of the movie. Predictable in the same way that any “rated 12” film is, the plot moves with twists and turns, but, thankfully, doesn’t bother to get too complicated. Definitely worth watching with an open mind, forgetting about all the hype and previous build-up, and just enjoy the smorgasbord of fantastical comic shenanigans.