Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jeff "

  
  The Avengers is a stellar action packed superhero epic directed by the great Joss Wheddon. This film has got to be the best superhero film since The Dark Knight. I found the film really exciting, brilliantly conceived to deliver the ultimate in thrills. Everything about the film is… More
  The Avengers is a stellar action packed superhero epic directed by the great Joss Wheddon. This film has got to be the best superhero film since The Dark Knight. I found the film really exciting, brilliantly conceived to deliver the ultimate in thrills. Everything about the film is flawless. The performances are great, the story is engaging and above all, the action is constantly exciting. The film is a thrill ride from start to finish, and Joss Wheddon's directing is immaculate, precise, and it's clear that he has a great understanding and respect to deliver a film that lives up to the hype, and in this case, it definitely does. This film is one of the best action films in recent memory. The beauty part about the film is that with every action scene that you think is awesome, there's always something that pushes the film even further. Another standout for me was Alan Silvestri's epic score, which added so much depth to several key scenes in the film. The Avengers brings back the smarts in an action film. In other words, this isn't your mindless action film in the style of a Michael Bay film. The film boasts a thrilling story with wit and charm. Also the comic relief scenes are good and are actually funny. Unlike many other action films which try too hard at delivering funny content, but ultimately falls short; The Avengers used that to its advantage and Wheddon was able to deliver a film with effective gags. Some standout performances here were Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, and as the

• Christopher H

  
  After five movies of build-up, four of Marvel's superheros finally assemble in this mega-blockbuster extravaganza. This movie is simply awesome and kick-ass in every aspect from the story, characters, acting, humor, and visual effects-driven spectacle. The final battle between… More
  After five movies of build-up, four of Marvel's superheros finally assemble in this mega-blockbuster extravaganza. This movie is simply awesome and kick-ass in every aspect from the story, characters, acting, humor, and visual effects-driven spectacle. The final battle between the Avengers and Loki's army in the middle of a downtown area is summer blockbuster action at it's very best. Every member of the Avengers from Iron Man to even Hawkeye get their times to shine; in both the action sequences and character development. However, the true heart of the film is the joys of seeing larger-than-life figures interacting with each other. The film focuses on each of the superheros along with members of Shield learning to work together in order to take down a common enemy, and these scenes are just as compelling as the action sequences thanks to director Joss Whedon's signature witty dialogue and total respect for each individual character. Each member of the cast brings their A-game to their respective roles. One cast member that deserves special mention is Mark Ruffalo, who proves to be a great Bruce Banner. His interpretation of Banner is different from Edward Norton, but just as compelling. Another thing that deserves mention is how Whedon seamlessly nails the look of a comic book without looking cheesy or over-stylized, which is probably the first time I saw that done successfully in a comic book superhero movie. There are so many things that could have went wrong with this superhero all-star concept and Whedon pull it off with such slickness that he makes it look easy. Not only is "The Avengers" incredibly smart and fun, but it also manages to be not only the best Marvel movie but one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.

• Al S

  
  A true instant classic. A total blast that is truly exhilarating. This is without a doubt the greatest superhero movie ever made. A spectacular and robustly entertaining action-packed adventure. It`s a must-see for fans of the genere and just for movie fans in general. It`s fierce,… More
  A true instant classic. A total blast that is truly exhilarating. This is without a doubt the greatest superhero movie ever made. A spectacular and robustly entertaining action-packed adventure. It`s a must-see for fans of the genere and just for movie fans in general. It`s fierce, vastly epic, stylish, witty and flat-out amazing. A two-hour mash-up of brilliance and spectacle. A smart, mind-blowing, eye-opening, wickedly funny and adrenaline-charged action thrill-machine from start to finish. Other then being packed with awesome special effects and incrediable action sequenses, theirs a great story with plenty of heart and well-drawn and compelling characters. The performances are well-done and nearly perfect, the all-star cast deliver the goods and give great depth. Downy Jr, Evans, Hemsworth, Ruffalo, Renner, and Johansson are the real deal dream team and they shine with their chemistry. Robert Downy Jr. is brilliant. Chris Evans is excellent. Chris Hemsworth is terrific. Mark Ruffalo is fantastic. Samuel L. Jackson is perfect as Nick Fury. Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson are awesome. A masterpiece. Director, Joss Wheadon`s finest hour, he knows how to balance the characters, the humor and story to that it suits everyone. Wheadons`s vison is outstanding and does great justice to the piece. An unforgettable movie experiance. A pure knock out of superpower that you wont forget. This is one unstoppable and incrediably fun movie.

• Emily A

  
  Very big, very exciting, huge fun. But most important, well-plotted and driven by its interesting and endearing characters. The biggest pleasure to be had in this movie, I think, is the chemistry between the already familiar characters. As a fan, I really appreciate all the time and… More
  Very big, very exciting, huge fun. But most important, well-plotted and driven by its interesting and endearing characters. The biggest pleasure to be had in this movie, I think, is the chemistry between the already familiar characters. As a fan, I really appreciate all the time and effort they spent in hashing out the continuity of this world throughout the films that led up to this one, and all the characters and storylines culminate beautifully. I loved seeing which characters clash and which ones mesh. Bruce Banner and Tony Stark get along like a house on fire, while Steve Rogers finds Stark relentlessly antagonizing. It's a little counterintuitive to see Sam Jackson playing the straightman and Scarlett Johansson playing someone really competant, but the whole thing makes it work. I really can't think of a single weak link in this movie, except that Hawkeye was a bit of a waste of Jeremy Renner. Man, this was like the perfect summer superhero blockbuster. Joss Whedon really cares about good movies. I hope he stays on with this franchise.

• Adam K

  
  Whilst its worth renting on DVD, seeing "The Avengers" at cinemas is ultimately a disappointment. I went into the Avengers perhaps with the wrong mind-set. I'd mis-judged what I was expecting, and because of that, and those credentials, the Avengers, whilst entertaining… More
  Whilst its worth renting on DVD, seeing "The Avengers" at cinemas is ultimately a disappointment. I went into the Avengers perhaps with the wrong mind-set. I'd mis-judged what I was expecting, and because of that, and those credentials, the Avengers, whilst entertaining failed to deliver anything to wow or scream about. I entered the cinema with the mind-set, seeing how good reviews it was getting, that I should judge this film on the basis of any good film, rather than as my usual response to the Marvel film series, as a marvel film, which means less expectations. With the "Avengers'" I changed that, and it didn't go well. Spending around the past five to ten years, depending on who you believe, stuck in development hell, and with each successfully made Marvel film hinting and teasing audiences into the assembling of the SHIELD team, the film has been hyped and hyped. Telling the story of an evil brother of Thor, played painfully by Tom Hiddleston, who steals a cube which could destroy the world, a team of superheroes are assembled to track him down and stop him. With a cast of previous Marvel superheroes combined together, there is the surprise of none of the superheroes performances reaching any decent standard. Robert Downey Jr is typically disappointing in his Iron Man role, whilst Chris Hemsworth delivers a slightly bemused performance as Thor, leaving you questioning the character himself. The best performances come from minor characters, such as Clark Gregg who plays Agent Coulson well, with a powerful set of lines behind him. Samuel L Jackson brings some light relief and an admirable attempt at Nick Fury, with a film just for himself in the possibilities of 2013 and 14. Don Cheadle also makes a good fleeting appearance. The story itself is not too bad, with a good script being wasted on actors like Chris Evans, whilst cinematography has a mixture of excellent and laughable moments, with some excellent CGI pull back alongside ridiculous moments. What really stands out in "Avengers" is incredible set pieces, wonderfully directed by Joss Whedon, which impress even the most hardened of superhero genre haters. Despite this, the rest of the direction lacks in the ability which made Whedon so impressive on shows like "Buffy The Vampire Slayer". In the end, "Avengers" had a choice. It could be a good superhero film, or it could be a good motion picture. Whilst it succeeds excellently in the first category, and will win and satisfy devotees to the film, it ultimately lets you down in the second. In the end, this is why "Avengers", I believe, will only be remembered for so long, except in the hearts of Marvel fans.

• Raymond W

  
  With just the right amounts of action, comedy, drama, suspense and everything else, Joss Whedon has created possibly the best movie of the summer. Fantastic performances all around, superb special effects, a great story; what more could you ask for? The humanity of all the heroes is… More
  With just the right amounts of action, comedy, drama, suspense and everything else, Joss Whedon has created possibly the best movie of the summer. Fantastic performances all around, superb special effects, a great story; what more could you ask for? The humanity of all the heroes is never left out, the sets are outstanding, and is at times jaw-dropping. Definitely living up to it's hype, The Avengers can be enjoyed by all, even if they haven't kept up with the original Marvel superhero movies. Note: Stay to the very end of the credits. It's worth the wait.

• EightThirty .

  
  24/05/2012 (CINEMAS 3D)

• KJ P

  
  After all these years of waiting, getting bits a pieces of story that will eventually lead to the assembly of this "Avengers" team, I must say that this film goes above and beyond that boundaries of any of the Marvel films in the past. The backstories are meant for the… More
  After all these years of waiting, getting bits a pieces of story that will eventually lead to the assembly of this "Avengers" team, I must say that this film goes above and beyond that boundaries of any of the Marvel films in the past. The backstories are meant for the individual films throughout the past four years and the assumed underdeveloped characters on the S.H.I.E.L.D team all get their character arcs at some point in this film. Now, a cube stolen by Loki must be retrieved and destroyed or removed, for the safety of the world. This is the opportunity to Assemble a team of heroes to fight back. This sparks a war that even a non Marvel fan will "marvel" for the rest of their lives. The script is superbly written, the one-liners and jokes are gut-splittingly hilarious, the characters (along with the acting) is fantastic, the action is some of the best ever delivered by Marvel, and by the time this film concludes, you have no choice but to stand up and cheer. "The Avenger's" is easily one of the best Marvel films to date, and I 100% recommend this amazing feature to everyone. This film will not let you down. Pure super heroic art!!!

• Sophie B

  
  I've never really been a superhero comic book fan but when I saw the trailer, I knew I had to see the film. Absolutely brilliant. I was concerned how they'd show all these powerful characters in one film but they did it extremely well. There's a perfect balance of… More
  I've never really been a superhero comic book fan but when I saw the trailer, I knew I had to see the film. Absolutely brilliant. I was concerned how they'd show all these powerful characters in one film but they did it extremely well. There's a perfect balance of seriousness and hilarity: 'We have a Hulk' 'Hulk... Smash' 'Puny God' (the list goes on) which flows perfectly with the moments of intense emotion. I never knew I'd feel so much watching Iron Man during those last action scenes. A very talented team but I must say Hiddleston as Loki is perfect. Very subtle and interesting performances. I've seen this twice in the cinema already and would watch it again and again. The visual effects are incredibly convincing and it leaves me wanting more. Highly recommended for anyone.

• Julie B

  
  A super fun start to the summer blockbuster season. Bring it, Battleship!

• c0up  

  
  'The Avengers'. An absolute blast from start to finish! Whedon has pulled off the ultimate Summer blockbuster! Superhero ensemble films are never easy to get right, and even the best of them to date, like X-Men: First Class, though thoroughly enjoyable, still fall flat in… More
  'The Avengers'. An absolute blast from start to finish! Whedon has pulled off the ultimate Summer blockbuster! Superhero ensemble films are never easy to get right, and even the best of them to date, like X-Men: First Class, though thoroughly enjoyable, still fall flat in parts, with their throwaway, not-so-fleshed out characters. The sheer scope of The Avengers is insane. The Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury and Phil. Dear old Phil. What's crazy is that this thing works SO well. Massive props to Joss Whedon. His direction was fantastic, but that screenplay [along with Zak Penn], just genius. He's no doubt had some help with the Marvel films of the last few years doing most of the character background and intros, but he uses what we know about each of these characters and mixes it all expertly into a giant pot of awesome. Time and time again, with Tony Stark mostly acting as catalyst, we're treated to hilarious exchanges between the superheroes. The dynamics could have gone so wrong. Instead, Whedon nails it every time. What's better is that the characters we don't know so well become fully realised. When I first saw the trailer, and that ridiculous shot of all the Avengers grouped together, Hawkeye with bow in hand, and Black Widow reloading a pistol, I thought, "Oh good lord, they feel so out of place". They never do, even though they may be outclassed on the powers front. How Hawkeye and Black Widow are handled especially in the first half of the film works very well. HULK. SMASH. Tony Stark may have the lines and that ridiculously amazing tech, but he ain't nothing on that big ol' lovable green bundle of joy! The Hulk elevates The Avengers to a whole other level. Every moment he's on screen is magic, and the really big moments of the film that had the audience cheering involved the big guy. Elegantly wreaking havoc while delivering abrupt humour is all in a day's work for the mild-mannered Bruce Banner. Again, there were grumbles, and I had my doubts about Ruffalo; they were alleviated instantly, all while in Bruce Banner mode. This is easily the best version of the Hulk brought to the screen. How much of my soul would I have to give for a Damon Lindelof and Joss Whedon co-scripted and directed Hulk film? One little moment of geeksqueal was the Iron Man repulsor ray that Captain America deflects with his shield to take out a bunch of henchman. The sequel needs more awesome teamwork sequences like this!

• Justin Y

  
  <i>The Avengers</i> requires some assembly and Joss Whedon assembles it correctly.<p>This film has the potential to easily surpass 3 hours. It doesn't, but nearly 2 and a half hours, including scenes during and after the closing credits, will suffice. The plot… More
  <i>The Avengers</i> requires some assembly and Joss Whedon assembles it correctly.<p>This film has the potential to easily surpass 3 hours. It doesn't, but nearly 2 and a half hours, including scenes during and after the closing credits, will suffice. The plot does lack in depth; however, there is enough story to fill in the holes between the action. The plethora of major characters also bond well together and they each have sufficient screen time, despite the lack of character background and buildup, which is taken care of in the previous films.</p><p>The action is in abundance and done well. Combined with excellent direction from Whedon and the use of some good CG, the finale is one to remember.</p><p>Robert Downey Jr. completely overshadows the rest of the cast and is the life of the film. A lot of the comedy stems from him. The rest of the loaded cast get the job done as needed.</p><p>At the end of the day, <i>The Avengers</i> is a solid action adventure and is well worth the price of admission. "Hulk, smash!"</p>

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"There was an idea to bring together a group of remarkable people, so when we needed them, they could fight the battles that we never could..."</i> Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth… More
  <i>"There was an idea to bring together a group of remarkable people, so when we needed them, they could fight the battles that we never could..."</i> Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Having cracked the problem of super-hero movies with successful runs on Spider-Man and X-Men (both franchises contracted out to major studios), Marvel went independent with assorted features based on their lesser known characters - Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and Captain America - and did very well with a series of one-off movies which were commercially and critically well received. Importantly, these movies were conceived, from the very start, as essential building blocks moving towards this film, which achieves a cinematic first by bringing together a number of characters who have headlined their own movies and who now appear together (OK, so I'm ignoring Abbott and Castello's role in bringing together Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster and the Wolfman. So sue me). The problem was always going to be how to deal with bringing together such powerful characters in a team movie when every one of them is a strong enough character to have carried his own movie - surely either they are all downgraded to sidekicks of each other? Or else the movie will be nothing but a testosterone-fueled pissing contest? It turns out that it is both these things, but the mix is beautifully judged. By entrusting the script and direction to Joss Whedon - ace script doctor, master at working with ensemble pieces, and lifelong comic lover (and excellent comic writer, one might also add), the balance - for balance was always going to be critical in this movie - is perfect. I won't say anything very much about the content, because there is so much in this movie to enjoy. It is simply full of small touches among the bombast, which will bring delight to the average viewer who likes an action-packed blockbuster, and absolute joy to comic lovers. The characters which have been established in the previous movies are all here, and they are all the same people - they haven't been changed for The Avengers, but they have more depth and there is also character development here. The script is terrific and the action is stunning. Oh, and hang on until after the main titles have finished at the end...

• Cynthia S

  
  We have been waiting on this movie for a long time. It's action packed, and very funny...right up my alley! The new casting for the Hulk was great. The characters were well done, and they showed both flaws and strengths. Any fan of Joss Whedon is well familiar with the type of… More
  We have been waiting on this movie for a long time. It's action packed, and very funny...right up my alley! The new casting for the Hulk was great. The characters were well done, and they showed both flaws and strengths. Any fan of Joss Whedon is well familiar with the type of characters he brings to the table. I am so glad that he took on this project. I was very happy leaving the theater, because it reminded me that a superhero story can be told correctly!! Great job!!

• Saskia D

  
  It was fast and funny. All the characters had their moment of glory. Downey Jr. rocked it again of course as the great Tony Stark. Scarlett was actually sort of a bad ass, something I hadn't counted on since she's definitely not one of my favorites.

• Ken S

  
  The first act is a mess and then after that the film is a lot of fun. Kudos to Whedon for finally making the Hulk not suck. (to be fair I like the Ang Le version, Just none of the parts when Bana was the Hulk).

• moon r

  
  Stan Lee (and Jack "the King" Kirby!) are closer to me than some of my own relatives ... I grew up (or didn't!) with them. It is to those who wide-eyed witnessed and triumphed in the height of the Silver Age of Comics, and who sweated dimes and quarters and parents to… More
  Stan Lee (and Jack "the King" Kirby!) are closer to me than some of my own relatives ... I grew up (or didn't!) with them. It is to those who wide-eyed witnessed and triumphed in the height of the Silver Age of Comics, and who sweated dimes and quarters and parents to pay for it, that I speak: here at last brought to film the impossible knucklehead fruition of adolescence long gone to dusty memory, the unending fire, the hope eternal! To a kid such, er, rich prose was the stuff of dreams and Josh Whedon accurately recreates the emotion with this expedition to Valhalla. Who cares who the bad guys are? This fantasy is about the good guys.

• First L

  
  The culmination of four years' worth of superhero movies, "The Avengers" unites Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and the Hulk as they defend the earth from an alien invasion (led by the villain from the Thor movie, Loki). The team is assembled by Nick Fury (Samuel L.… More
  The culmination of four years' worth of superhero movies, "The Avengers" unites Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and the Hulk as they defend the earth from an alien invasion (led by the villain from the Thor movie, Loki). The team is assembled by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and S.H.I.E.L.D., who are some sort of superhero homeland security department. New to this superhero business are Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), two agents who don't really have any powers other than being super talented at what they do. The plot is, as always, pretty simple: Loki (from the aforementioned Thor movie) has acquired the tesseract (a cosmic cube lost by the Red Skull in the Captain America movie), and is using the power to summon an invasion of Chitauri to take over the earth, which he will then rule over. It naturally falls to Earth's Mightiest Heroes to defeat them if they can. If this were all there was to The Avengers, it would probably still be better than your average, run-of-the-mill action hero movie. But director Joss Whedon underlines the whole thing with a comedic tone that extends beyond giving his characters a few witty one liners. Inbetween the Hulk-smashing explosions there are genuine LOL moments that served to break up the tense action scenes. Robert Downey Jr. has of course, already established his Tony Stark role in two previous Iron Man movies, and here the character bristles with cocky self-assuredness even in the midst of Asgardian Gods and time-traveling super soldiers. But giving Downey Jr. a run for his money in terms of performance is Mark Ruffalo's Dr. Banner. Replacing Edward Norton from "The Incredible Hulk", Ruffalo's angry green monster is a horrifying force even amongst the super-powered. At one point in the film, he tells onlookers "you wanna know how I control (the monster)? I'm always angry!" and then "hulks" up into the thing that is pure rage. It's an interesting spin that keeps Banner's and the Hulk's true nature kind of mysterious. Mysterious and well, comic-book-y. The Avengers feels about as close to a marvel comic as any film that's ever been made. Crazy pseudo science, witty banter, and breath-taking action sequences, it's all here. Those looking for Kierkegaard or Proust should look elsewhere, cause what we have here is the new standard for Marvel comic book movies.

• Luke B

  
  It's finally here. OH MY GOD. As a big comic fan it's amazing to see how far the genre has come in the last decade. We finally get star studded spin-off featuring a large cast of some of the greatest characters. If you've been living under a rock, then you may not have… More
  It's finally here. OH MY GOD. As a big comic fan it's amazing to see how far the genre has come in the last decade. We finally get star studded spin-off featuring a large cast of some of the greatest characters. If you've been living under a rock, then you may not have noticed that over the last five years, Marvel have been churning out their big hitters and building up to The Avengers. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk join forces to stop Thor's brother, Loki and his alien army. Sure, the plot is simple, but that's what we want for a big smackdown. For any team we need a great leader and Marvel have found the best in Joss Whedon. With his familirity with large ensembles he effortlessly gives every hero their due. He also manages to flesh out characters in very short scenes. We get a sense of Stark and Potts relationship, some back story for Black Widow and Hawkeye, the confusion of Rogers and so forth. He does his best work with Hulk. I've loved every incarnation of the Hulk so far, so I was wary of Ruffalo's performance. He captures it perfectly, going for a more nervous and geeky Banner. When the Hulk is unleashed, Whedon makes sure to not take it too seriously. Hulk gets the biggest laughs in this surprisingly comic film. The action is fantastic, with a number of exciting set pieces. The final battle has so many wonderful character moments immersed in the action, and they really do work as a team. There are a couple of shortcomings. The alien race is just pathetic, and never really feels like a threat. Add to that the whole mother ship destroyed and every alien dies plot convenience. The film lacks any real threat. We hear about the many people Loki kills, but we never see anything that relates to this. Without seeing the sacrifices made it's hard to get too involved. There are also a few moments where characters just happen to show up. These are things that are minor nitpicks. After all, the only way to do a perfect Avengers movie would be to have an unlimited budget and unlimited running time. What it does achieve is simply amazing and very exciting for the future of superhero films.

• Randy T

  
  If <i>Iron Man</i>, <i>Thor</i>, <i>The Incredible Hulk</i> and <i>Captain America</i> are on your list of favorite films then you will not be disappointed. Otherwise, it's just a steady stream of overly choreographed CGI.

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