Classic Review: The Avengers (2012)

“The Avengers” stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, and Samuel L. Jackson.  Released on May 4, 2012, the film has Nick Fury forming a team of superheroes to prevent Loki from taking over Earth.

The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon, who also directed “Serenity” and “Much Ado About Nothing” and created shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”.  It is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and it was the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Ever since I started my blog back in 2015, I reviewed a total of two Avengers films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (well, three if you count “Civil War” as Avengers 2.5).  Why two?  Because apparently, I found out that there’s one Avengers film that I haven’t talked about yet, and it’s the one that not only started the Marvel team-up saga, but also raised the ever-lasting, super-powered, money-making franchise to the highest peak of popularity.  Before we say goodbye to our beloved superhero characters in “Endgame”, I would like to take the opportunity to revisit a former crossover event that blew away people’s expectations seven years ago.  You know, before “Infinity War” blew away people’s expectations.  2012 was a great year to be a Marvel fan because during that time, everyone had been waiting to see Iron Man teaming up with the likes of Captain America, Thor, and the Incredible Green Hunk on the big screen since Nick Fury mentioned the “Avengers Initiative” at the end of 2008’s “Iron Man”.  When the film was finally released to the public, people were treated to something that relies heavily on action and characters to create a fun and epic experience for all ages.  I was one of the people who saw “Avengers” in the theater, and I remembered loving it so much that I decided to see it the second time.  It was practically one of my favorite films of 2012.  With the endgame heading our way this weekend, I thought it would be more fitting if I look back at the film that started it all.  With that said, let’s assemble and see whether or not it still holds up today.

This film was teased plenty of times throughout the first five films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranging from “Iron Man” to “Captain America: The First Avenger”, so there were a lot of expectations that Whedon had to either meet or exceed.  Those expectations include the story, the chemistry between the characters, the action, and so much more.  Thankfully, based on the reactions from critics and audiences, he was able to accomplish that mission.  As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the heck out of it when it first came out, and after viewing it for the umpteenth time, I still do.  While it was able to deliver a satisfying and action-packed blockbuster that Marvel fans will love, it offered a few other elements that modern audiences will get a kick out of as well, mostly due to the story.  Despite a few genre tropes that we’re familiar with, the film relied on heart and depth to provide a “Breakfast Club”-like story about people with differences coming together to defeat a common enemy.  It also explored Nick Fury’s (Jackson) attempt to find the right motivation for the team he’s putting together.  Another thing that made the story work was the characters.  Whether you watched it without visiting the solo films that came before it or not, Joss Whedon will already make you grow attached to these heroes the first time you see them onscreen in terms of his script and direction.  “The Avengers” never wasted the opportunity to explore their personalities as well as their origins without over-exaggerating the exposition in the process.  The main actors were undeniably great in their roles, with each of them having their own shining moment, and the chemistry between them still gets my seal of approval.  The best parts of the film were, without a doubt, Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as Iron Man and the Hulk (Ruffalo), who, in my opinion, had one of the most hilarious scenes in superhero history.  If you’ve seen the film, you’ll know what I’m talking about.  The action sequences were, of course, just as entertaining as the scenes where the characters are not fighting each other.  Not to mention visually enthralling.  There were a couple of them that had some editing issues, but other than that, they packed quite a punch (no pun intended).  I would also like to mention the musical score by Alan Silvestri.  Long story short, it’s great.  The score perfectly matched the scale and tone of the film and emphasized the feeling of hope and determination.

Overall, “The Avengers” assembled plenty of action, heart, and wit to deliver a worthy superhero team-up blockbuster for the ages.  I loved it then, and I still love it today.  The cast was great, the characters were well-developed, the action was fun, and the music was simply divine.  This marked the true beginning of the expansion of Marvel’s cinematic universe, and I’m glad that it started off with a bang.  If Hollywood wants to continue making these types of crossovers, they should probably take some notes from this film.  If you’re one of the readers who haven’t watched it yet, I would highly recommend you do so before you watch “Endgame”.

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