"If we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it"

Like much of the world, I'm on a bit of an Avengers high at the moment. I've seen it twice - once in French and once in English - and am seriously considering how lame it would be to go again. And again. When I was younger I went through a phase of absolutely hating superhero movies - I think mostly due to the Spiderman trilogy and how incredibly shite it was. The Avengers however succeeds the way other superhero films never seem to, by being both mind-blowingly, awe-inspiringly epic and also strangely relatable and human. This is mostly due to its rather unusual concept: rather than being the now rather clichéd story of a lone outsider (usually a geeky young boy who as soon as he takes off his glasses turns into a fully-fledged hunk) trying to come to terms with who he is, The Avengers features a whole team of superheroes, each with wildly different powers and backgrounds who come together to defeat a super-badass. By putting them all on an equal footing, the dynamic between the characters becomes far more interesting and unique - you really get the impression that you're in their world, rather than the other way around.

Plus they're all just awesome. Robert Downey Jr, long term love of my life, seems born to play the cool, cocky, witty Ironman who strikes up frequent tension with the selfless, slightly lost Captain America (Chris Evans). Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor, remaining as charming and, despite his burly physique, sweet as ever. Mark Ruffalo is heart breaking as Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk), a damaged, vulnerable, self-loathing scientist whose volatile alter ego has the power to make or break the team. Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner round off the troupe, sizzling with chemistry, while the frankly amazing Tom Hiddleston portrays Loki, the deranged, unbalanced yet somehow incredibly adorable antagonist, intent on taking over the world. While the special effects are breathtaking (when the Helicarrier rose out of the sea: dude) it's the relationships and interactions between the characters that truly makes the film. They go from being fractured, isolated and mistrusting individuals to a real team. With incredible direction (what else can you expect from Joss Whedon), a great score by Alan Silvestri, and a tight, brilliantly witty script, this is not a film to be missed. Believe the hype people.

 

 

 

 

 

(Also, quite frankly, everyone in the film is gorgeous. I'm struggling to decide which of them - including Scarlett Johannson - is the most attractive. Still undecided.)