Short review: 2 and a half hour nerd boner. The theater could not contain my nerdgasm.
I am a very vocal detractor of Whedon and most of his work. (I like most of his story ideas, but despise his "dialogue" and many of this trademark things). But I have been saying for the last year or so he was the perfect person for this because he does well with ensembles and should deliver enough comic geek moments without putting a stylistic spin on it just to do it.
My hype for this movie was higher than anything I can remember besides the first Spider Man movie (but Whedon's involvement at all did diminish my hype some. But the notion of an Avengers movie was so strong it overpowered my Whedon hate), and it exceeded it in every possible way. I felt like a kid again when I first got into Avengers. Seeing all the ridiculous and crazy stuff only possible in a comic book brought to life PERFECTLY for the first time.
This was not trying to be some comment on society or tell a deeply personal story or anything like Dark Knight was trying to do. It was trying to kick our asses with spectacle and fun. It wanted to put the audience back to that child like glee of seeing the impossible and extraordinary happen on screen and good triumph over evil. And it fucking delivered. It went to 11, circled back around, and came back to 11 again.
I want more, and I want it now. I am glad that it seems the world is loving this as much as I did. This was one of the best theater going experiences I have had in years, and it should be experienced with a packed house of enthusiastic move goers. This film is not going to win any prestige Oscars (sound design and effects? Most definitely), nor is it going for prestige. It just wanted to entertain.
I am still riding the high 24 hours later and I need another fix. ASAP.
EDIT: And I totally called it weeks leading to the release. Proper title of the film is: HULK SMASH! Guest Starring The Avengers.