Editor's Note: Unlike those in the United States who must wait for the premier of this movie until next week (ARGH!), GeekMom Sophie lives in the United Kingdom, where it has been released.
It’s been four years since the first *Avengers *teaser ran at the end of *Iron Man *and the hype for the latest and greatest Marvel film so far has been building ever since. With the weight of so much expectation on its not inconsiderable shoulders, could Joss Whedon’s hulk of a blockbuster ever possibly live up to what the world is expecting?
Well, in a word, yes. *The Avengers *(despite living in the UK I refuse to accept the UK title *Avengers Assemble * as I’m perfectly capable of noting the difference between a group of costumed superheroes and an English gentleman in a bowler hat, thank you) starts out fast and furious and never stops for a moment.
It’s hard to say much about it without revealing spoilers but here’s a few questions answered for you, and while you wait for the US release, check out the featurettes released by Marvel earlier this week.
Editor's Note: Below as non-spoilery as possible, but informative.
Is it any good?
Yes! It’s the best superhero film I’ve seen so far, and I’ve seen a LOT of superhero films. It’s fast paced and absolutely action-packed from beginning to end. The battles are great, especially because they’re all completely different from one another so the film doesn’t feel like it’s constantly repeating itself. Every character gets their chance to shine on-screen, including the more minor characters like Agent Coulson and Nick Fury’s second-in-command, Agent Maria Hill.
Are all the best bits in the trailer?
Absolutely not. Although the trailer has some fantastic scenes included, the best has definitely been saved for the theatres. One scene involving The Hulk and Thor had the audience in my screening actually applauding, something I’ve never seen happen before.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOrNdBpGMv8[/youtube]
Should I bother paying for 3D?
I didn’t feel the 3D added much to the film. Yes the battle scenes were beautifully layered and New York City looked spectacular but you won’t be missing out on anything by saving your money for the 2D release instead.
Do I need to have seen the origins films before I see it?
It would certainly help but it’s not essential. The backstories of each Avenger is explained, albeit briefly, in the film although some are certainly given more detail than others. Thor’s backstory seemed to take precedence, although as it’s his half-brother they’re fighting that makes a lot of sense. Captain America’s backstory is pretty vague but then there’s not a huge amount to know in comparison with some of the others and there’s still enough detail to understand him.
Should I know the comics to follow the film?
I’ve never read any comics related to any of the characters in the film and I followed it without any trouble, so no, you don’t need to have read comics to follow exactly what’s happening.
How “Joss Whedon” is it?
You can definitely see his hand in The Avengers from start to finish, but it’s not overly Whedonesque in the way, say, The Cabin in The Woods is. The humour is VERY Whedon, it’s dry, sarcastic and had the audience in stitches repeatedly. One thing to note, if you know Whedon’s reputation then you probably already know you’re going to need tissues to hand. I actually cried in the theatre - something I really wasn’t expecting from a film like this.
Should I take my kids?
In my eyes, *The Avengers *is very kid friendly. There was no foul language that I recall and the closest thing to nudity was the skimpy Daisy Dukes that Pepper Potts was wearing in Stark Tower. The battles are all very clean with no blood or gore on screen excepting some well placed scars over people’s eyebrows and similar. If your kids like comics and superheroes then they’re probably going to love this but at 142 minutes it is very long for a kid to sit through.
Does Stan Lee make a cameo?
What do you think?! Yes he does, but you’re gonna have to wait for it...
Should I stay once the credits roll?
Yes, there’s an extra scene a few minutes into the credits. Once that’s done, there’s nothing else after the rest of the credits have rolled.
Is there anything bad about this film at all?
Nothing’s perfect and The Avengers is no exception. There’s some truly atrocious CGI moments during the final battle, enough that I actually found them distracting which is quite something for me as I normally don’t see these things. Think man in front of a fireball with a painfully obvious greenscreen halo around him and you’ll know what I mean.
Also during the final battle, there were so many Chitauri flying around on their airborne scooters that it became unpleasant to watch in places, however I don’t think this would be an issue in a 2D showing. Overall though, you couldn’t really have asked for much better.
