Ok. There are a whole lot of comic books films out the last few years. And now they’re rebooting Spiderman. (Really?) So with all these films out it can be hard to want to see any of them unless you’re a hardcore comic book fan.  I’ve seen most of them and many of them were ok.  Not blow me away fantastic (except maybe the first Iron Man.)  So when I heard that Joss Whedon was going to be writing and directing The Avengers, which puts a ton of Marvel characters in one film, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.  Whedon has a history for making some great sci-fi and has a rabid fan base. (Hello Firefly.) 

As I just recently watched The Avengers, in 3D, I couldn’t wipe the grin from my face.  Not only did Whedon nail it, he seemed to have a great time making the film.  Why should you see it?

It’s Funny!

Don’t worry, I won’t give away any spoilers.  But I will say this film had me cackling through at least half of it.  The chemistry is spot on, especially with Thor and The Hulk and Tony Stark and Capt. America.  And it helps that half the cast seems to be taking their roles very seriously and the other half seem to be laughing at some private joke.  The results are hilarious moments that are a lot of fun to watch.

Eye Candy for All

It’d be stupid not to acknowledge the fact that this cast is beautiful.  From Chris Hemsworth’s bronzed god to Scarlett Johansson’s full figured beauty, they are a sight to behold.  Not that a beautiful cast is always needed, but come on it’s certainly enjoyable to watch.  Even Mark Ruffalo has a scruffy charm as Dr. Banner/Hulk.  

Special FX

I saw the film in 3D, and I’m not usually a fan of 3D but I had passes.  And surprisingly it was pretty good!  I didn’t notice the effects until the last 3rd of the film where it really kicked into high hear with these crazy looking alien ships. Which, by the way, were so brilliantly designed in all their creepy glory.  It was like some underwater nightmare.  In an age where special effects can be cheesy and over the top, it was refreshing to see them executed with panache and they helped the movie rather than hinder it. 

Loki, Loki, Loki

I find it so hard to love a villain.  They tend to be either one dimensional and cliche or having to redeem themselves at the end and learn some forced lesson.  Not so with the deliciously bad Loki.  He has so much pain and bitterness going on it gives him a great backstory.  But they let him be bad and wallow in his torment.  He doesn’t have to have a change of heart and suddenly care for his brother Thor.  He’s literally eaten alive by his disdain.  He almost comes across like a child that’s been refused his favorite toy.  And I love that complexity.

It Has Heart

Yes, as silly as that sounds, the story was good. It was engaging and I cared about the characters because they were driven with a sense of morality and the relationships were genuine.  And with comic book films that can get overlooked.  Luckily this one had heart in bucket loads! And it was so nice to see Pepperpots and Stark have chemistry again.  

If Whedon is behind the next one, you can bet I’ll be there.  The Avengers was the most fun I’ve had at the movies all year.