Since day one of Marvel Studios I've been a big fanboy. I love the Marvel comic universe, and Iron Man was a great way to start the ball rolling. The one thing that set Marvel Studios apart from all previous comic movie adaptations is that this wasn't a case of a Hollywood studio licensing properties to make profitable movies out of them. This was a case of an actual comic company wanting to invest into a movie comic universe continuity and to build on this universe through multiple movies each featuring individual comic properties - but all taking place in the same world. It was a dream in the making. Avengers is that dream realized.
Right from the start, the film connects to plot elements introduced in the previous Marvel movies, without wasting extra time rehashing events which the audience is expected to be familiar with. Those unfamiliar with such things won't really be completely in the dark, since much of the actual motivations and events are introduced in the movie itself, yet it is a nice nod to those who have paid attention up to now. The basic outline of the threat is introduced very quickly and once established, the movie shifts into the building of the character arcs. That is where the true beauty of the film shines the brightest.
Never before as a crossover movie of this sort been conceived and executed in such an elegant and faithful way. Not only does the movie never neglect any of the players in the story, but it goes out of its way to allow each and every individual to shine. This doesn't just apply to the major characters, but also the supporting cast. Avengers is SHIELD come to life, and along with it each and every Avenger. The characters who have had their own movies return as they were remembered - surprisingly even Bruce Banner. Ruffalo did an AMAZING job here fitting into the cast, and he nailed the character better than Ed Norton ever did. The character relationships and performances are all strong, and the script kept all the wit and dysfunctional idiosyncrasies expected by fans in an Avengers story.
I was impressed by both the character drama as well as the action sequences. As with comic narratives though, in many cases those are one and the same. The way their characteristics and personalities are reflected in how and who they fight sometimes tell more than what words or normal interactions can. The action itself is really well choreographed, and there's a lot of great framing in the specific sequences which looked right out of a great comic book spread.
My only disappointment with the movie would be how generic and unexciting the alien army at the end looked. It is as seen in the trailers - an uninspired almost-Skrull design which is not quite as imaginative or cool. Still, they managed to get quite a bit of mileage out of that simply because the heroes are so fun to watch in action. Kids will probably enjoy these sequences way more, and if they sell a bunch of toys because of that, they probably deserve to.
The score was surprising robust as well, ranging from a bunch of themes depending on the scenes, and adding quite a range of emotion to various sequences and framing the tone of each act in the movie. I think Marvel basically knocked this one out of the park. Anyone who grew up reading comics and knowing the Avengers for who and what they are will see how much love and care went into not just making this movie, but the patience of building all the previous movies to pave the way for this eventual pay off.
I really hope Marvel continues down this route and continues to expand on this unique business venture. It really shows how huge the gulf is between Marvel Studios and DC/Warner when it comes to knowing how to really take care of an entire comic stable and adapting it to film. When they make a second Avengers film, I hope they manage to introduce a more compelling overall villain. But judging from the tease at the end, I don't think we have to worry about that.
