REVIEW: Marvel's the Avengers

"There's no version of this where you win."
-Tony Stark, to Loki

There's nothing groundbreaking in terms of visuals or technique, nothing new in terms of plot, and it's no classic emotional tearjerker, but that's where the movie gets its greatness. It never tells the audience that it needs to be surprised, it never oversells its gags and scenes, and never asks more than for the audience to sit down, watch and enjoy every moment - and that's exactly what the audience does.

"The Avengers" has everything down: breathtaking visuals and action sequences, memorable and resonant moments of humanity and humor, wit-laden dialogue with intense direction, and it also proves that the four year-old decision of having Mr. Downey Jr. as Tony Stark was one of the greatest in Hollywood. Joss Whedon should be very proud of what he's done here.

But there's one remarkable thing about "The Avengers" that stands above all the rest of its positive traits and strengths: it's ability to keep a balanced level of interest throughout the movie, a level that's very high to begin with - no scene overpowers or underwhelms the other.

It's a two-hour train ride - not a roller coaster, mind you, because it doesn't have high-ups and down-lows. It is stable, so the viewers don't have to go through the trouble of getting used to a new altitude. But unlike other long rides that leave you tired, you may just want to ride again right after.

Like the Avengers themselves, this film's components look out for each other. And in the end, they triumph. It's a superhero-action movie that's not only awesome - it's beautiful. "Avengers" is one of those movies you'll want to tell others to see; you'll want to get merchandise and the DVD. Is it the greatest superhero movie of all time? It could be. Is it a masterpiece? I don't see why not. Some people may ask "What's so good about this superhero movie anyway?", but I think the real question to ask, one that is much harder to answer, is: "What's bad about it?"


SCORE:

Visuals 10/10
Sounds 10/10
Content 25/25
Uniqueness 14/15
Memorability 9/10
Resonance 10/10
Chemistry 20/20

TOTAL 98/100