Kim Gentes

Super action. Mindless destruction. Hilarious slapstick stupidity.

Summary: Combine great action, mindless explosions, galatic super-invasion and rampant super-heros with a Larry-Moe-and-Curly script line? This is the unnerving thought behind the newest Marvel melee "The Avengers". And not only does it work- it works better than any other movie done of any Marvel characters to date! A huge, monster, funny hit!

Full Review: It is rare that an overloaded genre can carve out the word "great" from a much expected, over-budgeted block-buster movie. But such is the case with Marvel Comics movie adapation of "The Avengers". Confession time, I grew up a comic "geek". Ya, you know the kind- reads all the credits, knows the names of pencil artists, inkers, colorists and writers. Knows which alternate universe a story line belongs in. The geeky kind. I grew up, unlike many, enjoying a plethora of story from both the Marvel and DC comic book worlds. I never discriminated on brands, but looked just for great story and art and bought the issues I thought held those in ample store.  DC (think Superman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman) was the world of superhumans that operated on galactic scale, but occasionally were humbled by their core humanity. Marvel (think Spiderman, Hulk, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Iron Man) was the world of humans who dealt trepedatiously with the super powers they all seemed to unwillingly stumble upon.

I always loved the sketch of weakness that formed the core of creator Stan Lee's characters in the Marvel world. It is that core that made his "heros" endear themselves to the millions of readers across the world. And it is that foundational characteristic that is the basis of the new movie "The Avengers". Yes, there are epic battles. Yes, there are demi-god enemies. Yes, there are unstoppable weapons. But the blockbuster "The Avengers" wins not for all that. It wins for its human slight of hand- humor. Forget the plot, forget the fight scenes and destruction. Just give me Tom Hiddleston (evil arch-enemy of Thor, Loki) making a gaudy remark about being god-like, only to have a half-whitted Hulk fling him about like a rag doll. Give me Robert Downey Jr. making wisecracks that are actually funny.

When one goes to see "The Avengers", one expects all the massive overproduction that this Hollywood escape-show delivers. But one doesn't expect the punchy, over-obvious lines to be actually - funny! But they are. The movie rambles well through catacalysm and enjoys such snapshot characatures of its characters that there is plenty of room for superheros to elbow and punch one another through walls.

You won't be dissappointed in any part of this expected escapism, and you will be laughing and smiling through 70% of the film.  If you haven't seen "Avengers", see it now. See it in BluRay on a giant screen, with plenty of pizza, popcorn and drinks. A fun, mindless, funny, action romp.

For parents, the only real question is-  is your child old enough to see big action violence. The PG-13 rating seems overdone but there is a mild drug reference. 

Amazon DVD Link: http://amzn.to/OGKYf7

Review by Kim Gentes