The Avengers

Shot Like a CW Show, Earns It Anyway

Superhero/Action ‧ 143 minutes ‧ PG-13 ‧ 2012 ‧ 4 min read

"That’s my secret, Captain. I’m always angry."

The Avengers (2012) is directed by Joss Whedon and brings together Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner for the first time on screen. It's funny how every good review of this film is actually about the film, while every negative review is calling it fascist, saying it ruined cinema, or crying about the MCU.

Anyways, this is a solid film. It has one or two genuine groaners and some very 2012 dialogue that hasn't aged particularly well, but also way more heart and care than expected. You can tell everyone involved wanted this to work.

What impresses most is how naturally all the plotlines converge into one story. Everyone gets a purpose, everyone gets a character arc, and everyone contributes to the final battle in a meaningful way.

The biggest issue is honestly the presentation. The film is weirdly shot like a CW show at times, which is bizarre considering the budget. The lighting is flat, a lot of the compositions feel surprisingly plain, and there are scenes that lack the cinematic weight you'd expect from the first Avengers movie. It's missing that extra layer of style that could have elevated it from a good blockbuster to a truly great one.

The action is also a bit inconsistent. There are some memorable moments, especially once the Battle of New York begins, but a fair amount of it feels more functional than exciting. Thankfully, the final battle absolutely earns its reputation. Seeing all six heroes finally operate as one team is still incredibly satisfying, and that iconic 360-degree shot remains one of the MCU's defining moments because it actually feels earned.

This movie also gets unfairly blamed for every trend people dislike about modern blockbusters. It didn't invent quippy dialogue, cinematic universes, or franchise filmmaking. It just happened to be wildly successful, so everyone copied it. That's not really this movie's fault.

This is a good film. Not a masterpiece, not the greatest superhero movie ever made, and definitely a product of its time, but it's a genuinely fun ensemble film with a surprising amount of heart. The Avengers gets a 4 out of 5.

(Go argue with a wall.)