Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine The official Avengers movie thread - SPOILERS

I'm sure the preview was great, but I avoid previews these days, because they give away too much.

Less than two months to go. Can't wait.

One week and counting!!!!!!

Yesterday, me and the whole fam rewatched Captain America and Iron Man 2 as our excitement for the Avengers movie builds.

It was released in Europe already, I guess.

Great reviews, as in being called the best movie of the year so far. That's encouraging!

I thought it was pretty decent.

Not perfect, but good.

Yeah, some of the jokes fell flat and the aliens were pretty much cyphers (that's not a spoiler -- they appear at the very beginning), and Jeremy Renner lacks the charisma necessary for Hawkeye, but other than that, thumbs up all over.

I've seen reviews complaining that it takes too long to get going. I have no problem with the pace picking up slowly and the set pieces each topping the one before. Straight-ahead non-stop popcorn thrills give me a headache.

I know Scarlett Johansson is not everybody's idea of Natasha, but I think she was brilliant -- witty, classy, and sharp. The boys, except for the aformentioned Renner, were all fine, especially Downey and Ruffalo. And thank God we got Boy Scout Cap instead of Ultimate Cap.

I think Whedon did the very best he could given the tall order he was given. The sky's the limit from this point on, although I had a mixed reaction to the final "stinger" scene...

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">Thanos? Please, please, please, God, let the sequel be based on Avengers Annual # 7 and not the Infinity Fricking Gauntlet!</span></span>

Just saw it, and wow, my doubts about Whedon working on this are laid to rest. It was pretty amazing.

Natasha and Clint *could* have come across as completely out of their depth, on a team with Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk, but instead really got to shine. Black Widow's spycraft is awesome to see.

The movie was filled with fun lines, without descending into slapstick. The Hulk was surprisingly funny, at times.

An amazing film... at one point, I thought to myself, "They really pulled it off"... really made me long for a Justice League film...

The helicarrier taking off was, for me, the geektech moment that the various Transformers movies failed to ever deliver. Cap handing Fury $10 after was funny, as well.

Agreed on the helicarrier scene.

And I laughed when...

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">...Hulk creamed Loki and said, "Puny god." I hope Hulk has more lines in the sequel.</span></span>

I really liked it too. (being a DC fan, I can't say I loved it ) For me, I did not pick up any plot holes while watching it and there were no times where a character did something only because the plot demanded it. I would definitely recommend seeing this on the big screen.

I really loved <span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">Natasha's interrogation scenes.</span></span> I am glad about how they used Black Widow when she easily could have been just the token female.

I am already thinking of seeing it on the big screen one more time.

Oh, thanks! Everybody in the theatre was laughing too loud after the 'gorilla tests tourister luggage' scene to make out what Hulk said!

Marvel has really set the bar unrealistically high for DC, for when they get around to making a Justice League movie...

I saw it with my son today, we both really liked it a lot! It wasn't terribly deep but it was really fun all things considered.

Saw it with the kids today and LOVED it! Hell, if Marvel's Avengers (and most other) comics were this fun, I'd be buyin' the HELL outta them!

It's probably the best of all the comic book movie crop at bringing out what is unique about superhero action. It was unreal seeing all those iconic movie characters in one film! The subtle moment after Cap breaks up the Thor/Iron Man fight with the Avengers' Big Three standing in the same frame was a "wow" moment for a classic Avengers fan like myself.

At first blush, I'd still rank it behind Spider-man 2, the Nolan Batman films and possibly the original Superman, but it was a tremendous success for me. Loved how all the Avengers had their share of moments and how Joss Whedon injected his trademark humor to keep things lively.

And, oh yeah, Hulk stole the movie!

P.S. The second secret scene was HILARIOUS!!!

Lardy's right, the Big Three scene gave me gooseflesh, in a good way.

How Kid-friendly is it?

Dave,

I think it is pretty kid friendly. There is a lot of rampaging destruction where if it were real there would be lots of dead people. From what I remember there is only one on-screen death and one scene <span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text"> where a guy gets stabbed in the face around his eye. Although you don't actually see the actual penetration part of the stabbing</span></span> As far a sex goes, there is an inital scene with Black Widow where there is an element of sex. But I would say it was on par with the scene in Superman II where you see Lois & Clark in bed.

I hardly ever go see big blockbuster movies on opening weekend, but decided to make an exception for this. I went to the 10:00 a.m matinee, saw it in 3D, and bought an $8.00 Sprite and some Raisinettes. It was a quite the event. It's playing back to back on four screens at the local multiplex. All the shows seem to be selling out or close to it. Lots of people lined up in Marvel tee-shirts, and I saw a few kids toting along Captain America shields and Mighty Thor hammers.

The movie itself was a lot of fun. The casting is just great all around. The effects were top notch. The movie had humor and heart.

Took Carol and Sam to see it. I'd give it a solid b. A bit ... soulless.... at times, but then again, it was much better than I thought it would be. The trademark "Hero's fight, then team up" was there, but thats where I got the soulless from. Just didn't get that the "connection" that pulled them together for real was that important to them in their life, ya know.

Entertaining, and I'll buy the video, but I wouldn't go back to the theatre for it.

My 9-year-old kept saying, "dad, this is SO awesome!" So I'd say it's pretty friendly for that age and thereabouts.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more talk about secret scene number one (see the spoiler box below for my opinion on it.)

So I got a chance to sneak off from work today and go see it (three whole hours of it!). I have to say I really loved it! It was well done on a multitude of levels where I could enjoy it as an adult, and yet it had me totally feeling like a kid again at different places.

I actually thought Whedon paced the film pretty perfectly like Fanfie said, and there was a pretty great balance of character / subtle moments with all-out action to the superhero-ey-ist max. There was also a very great balance of the Avengers themselves with the ground-level characters, and with Loki too.

The acting was absolutely fantastic and really made the whole thing for me. While everyone was pretty great, some real A+’s have to go to:

- Mark Ruffalo, giving probably the best Bruce Banner performance of all time. He basically revitalized the Hulk for me, even more than how well done the Hulk himself was. Which, by the way, he was—the Hulk was the breakout star of the show.

- Scarlet Johansson was actually pretty damn fantastic. Her role was not only strong but filled with subtleties. She made Natasha stand shoulder to shoulder with the big guns, yet her character was never so over the top that she was unrelatable.

- Tom Hiddleston as Loki was also fantastic. He’s a bit overshadowed by the rest of the cast, but its too his credit that ever scene he was in worked for me. If Loki was played by a bad actor, the movie would have bombed. The opposite happened here.

- Robert Downey Jr. continues to be my favorite actor in a superhero role. He’s just fantastic. He’s so good, in fact, that I could watch him eat food all day.

- And Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson was pretty damn terrific! He really was fantastic here, and the character went from being ‘a really awesome kind of favorite’ to a favorite. Plus…fyi big spoiler so don’t ruin it for yourself…

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">I was shocked when he died, even though I should have seen it coming! That could have been a huge cliché but both he and Joss Whedon made it work. Tremendous scene. I wonder how many 9 year olds mourned?</span></span>

Meanwhile, everyone else was also pretty good. Cap & Thor were also great, Fury was better than I expected to be honest, and Cobie Smoulders (my girl from How I Met Your Mother) is so incredibly beautiful that whenever she appears on screen my heart almost bursts out of my chest. Stellan Skarsgaard was also great in his little role.

My one casting / acting issue would be that we didn’t really get enough Hawkeye scenes to let Jeremy Renner show his stuff. I’m not all that familiar with the actor but I felt he was perhaps a bit limited in his usage here.

I loved the embracement of continuity from the past films as well—referencing Banner becoming the Hulk because they were trying to replicate the super-soldier serum; Cap’s history with the cosmic cube; Jane Foster being protected. And I really loved that Gwenneth Paltrow kindly took the time to play a solid cameo during two parts. That suddenly makes me really like her.

Plus, the movie was loaded with little easter egg subtleties that referenced both the films and the comics. A great one is that when Cap & Iron Man are arguing, and Cap tells Tony that he’s always fighting for no one but himself, Tony throws back in his face that he’s just a science experiment who only gets his heroism “from a bottle”. Fantastic nod to “Demon in a Bottle!” It actually took me a few seconds to realize that! I have a feeling there are a bunch of those moments I’ll get on the second viewing.

I really thought Whedon did a good job. And I’m not really the biggest Whedon fan. But his humor added a nice element to the movie that let viewers know to sit back and enjoy the show. Even Cap had funny moments! He portrayed the Hulk so well that I desperately want a Joss Whedon directed, Mark Ruffalo acted Hulk movie!

As for two after credits scenes:

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">Thanos! Yes! I totally did not see that coming!</span></span>

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">The second scene was hilarious! Funny and brilliantly done. And yet, without getting too over the top about it—it was so Marvel. Heroes doing regular things, feeling regular exhaustion.</span></span>

So let’s summarize: Fun. Exciting. Well-acted. Well-directed. Makes me feel like a kid but pleases me as an adult. Pretty damn great if you ask me.

Here’s hoping the next one has Hank & Jan!

Excellent review, Cobie.

I'd be interested in seeing your thoughts on how they could possibly make Hank & Jan work without falling into the obvious traps; I assume you've read the discussion on that very subject between Set and myself on Page 1 of this thread.

Actually, after thinking about it a bit I think the solution is pretty simple. Namely, keep it simple. The way to approach them is to reflect how they were in their earliest years without getting into all the subsequent ridiculous nonsense that followed them. This is exactly the approach they took with Iron Man in the first film: almost half the movie was based on his 12 page origin; it worked because they kept it simple and stuck to the basics about what made them great.

I'd say with Hank & Jan they should resist the obvious cliches of the bickering yet lovable couple, which has always been a reflection of bad writing. On the more extreme side, forget the abusive shit all together, leaving it for poor writers (and asshole writers with no originality). 

I'd say open with the idea of a funny, adventuring partnership that is kind of becoming a couple and therefore you can't help but love: Ant-Man and the Wasp. 

As the movie goes on, Hank has his doubts about proving himself, and in the second act, despite Tony & Banner assuring him it's unnecessary, he dabbles with his powers to become Giant Man. It doesn't need to be harped, and can be seen as an awesome development, yet subtly implies the change comes from a bad place. At movies end, Hank has his big moment where he wins his battle by being intelligent and clever--that strength & power are good, but only a shallow thing compared to how you use them. Hank emerges, a competent hero whose self-confidence is firm.

Meanwhile, Janet is the quintessential flighty, wealthy fashionista with a sense of humor, though when the going gets tough we see the real her: smart, courageous and capable. Hank even chastises her for not taking things seriously when she tells him midway through that he doesn't need to enhance his powers. Perhaps Natasha isn't too sure of her because she doesn't take her seriously (and she flirts with Tony, Thor and Cap, the last becoming uncomfortable). But while she is part comedy relief in the beginning, by the films end her arc is completed by showing just how serious she can be when the chips are down--perhaps even saving the day (but at the least showing she is not only smart & brave but a true leader).

Hank & Jan both succeed on their own but lend each other the support to do it. In the end, a nice romantic kiss moment would be quite welcome.

They'd each work best with all the others on screen. The Wasp proving her mettle to Thor and Cap just works for me. Hank thinking up a solution that Tony hadn't considered does too.

And I want Tony to call Hank 'high pockets'.

I heard years ago talk of Eva Longoria and Nathan Fillian in the roles. That would actually have really worked for me. 

(You always get me to think out long posts--I love it!)