Movie Review: The Avengers

The Avengers: http://marvel.com/avengers_movie/

If ever there was a popular culture movie that delivers shock and awe in a sensory smorgasbord which at times almost overwhelms the observer, then this is it. Any number of cliches could apply - "bigger than Ben Hur", "more epic than Gone with the Wind" (both perhaps not films that would be overly familiar to 'Generation Y'!) or perhaps (in a tribute to one of the key characters) even "more malevolent than Lord Valdemort" ("Harry Potter").

I almost did not get to see this movie. What started out to be an innocent plan for a birthday treat culminated in arriving in a shopping centre carpark that was at the time fairly reminiscent of scenes from "Mad Max", and a hasty retreat was beaten once it was clear that there was absolutely no parking to be had.

Things went more smoothly a couple of days later in the evening. (Memo to self: do not under any circumstances go anywhere near a large shopping centre on Saturday mornings!). Having seen "Thor" on an international flight last year provided some background to the current state of affairs for the two heirs to the throne of Asgaard, Home of the Gods, namely Thor and his adopted brother Loki, who is the chief protagonist, having more or less sold the rights to the enslavement of Earth to the highest bidder in the cause of his own aggrandisment.

For those who love Marvel Comics, many of your heroes come together over the course of the movie in a gathering of the clan, without which the Earth would fall to merciless and blood-thirsty alien invaders, who are visually not unlike the Orcs in "The Lord of the Rings". The plot is not that substantial, but takes up old and noble themes - the lust for power bringing about its own downfall, the indominable spirit of Earthlings, the fellowship of a small but courageous band uniting in an apparently hopeless fight and ultimately triumphing over adversity, and lastly, "he who dares, wins".

We see (as the main characters) Commander-in-Chief of S.H.E.I.L.D. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), The Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, the Super Spy) (Scarlet Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans), Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Dr Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Australia's own Chris Hemsworth) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) (who is initially brought under the influence of "the dark side" but is later freed to join in the fight) take on Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and his allies. Along the way a gentle and loyal foot soldier (Agent Phil Coulson - Clark Gregg) loses his life with the effect of bringing this disparate band together and galvanising them into common action. In the final battle the cocky, arrogant and brilliant Iron Man discards his insouciance in order to take on the mission of destroying the aliens and saving Earth even though there is a almost no chance of survival.

There are epic (and loud) battles, and most of Manhattan seems to be destroyed in the process as well as some pretty amazing fights between the superheroes before they settle their differences. Thor, Iron Man and Captain America end up flattening a whole forest with a Tunguska-type blast before Iron Man asks "Are we done here?".

Despite the high drama and high stakes there are certainly other moments of humour. In one scene Thor and The Hulk take on a monster together and defeat it. When they have finished, The Hulk swats Thor to one side "just for the hell of it". At another point, The Hulk is battling with Loki, and after Loki's 'high faluting' claims of superiority ends up pounding him into the ground and uttering the exclamation "puny god!".

The aliens enter the atmosphere through a rift high in the sky. At first their flying scooters do not seem much of a threat, but then a terrifying flying monster blacks out the sky. It is part metal, part machine, part fish-like monster with sharp metal teeth (not unlike the creature in "Alien") and a jagged alligator-like tail that swishes menacingly from side to side. Together with its siblings it proves to be a formidable (but not indominable) foe.

The malevolent, power-drunk and merciless Loki seems hell bent on revenge against both Thor (whom he sees as having ursurped his entitlement to be the heir to Odin in Asgaard) and Thor's beloved Earth. (In the movie "Thor", he was exiled and 'fell to earth' as a mere mortal to learn the error of his ways and the meaning of true humility before being restored to his proper place in Asgaard.) Loki, with his silver tongue and powers of manipulation, was always a dangerous adversary, but here he appears to have morphed into a twisted embodiment of pure evil. Loki seems to send a chill up your spine in a strangely familiar way, and then you realise that he could easily be an older alter-ego of Tom Riddle, the precursor of 'He who shall not be named' in the "Harry Potter" books and films.

Directed by Joss Whedon of “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer”, “Angel” and “Firefly” fame, this movie has an excellent ensemble cast, spectacular special effects and the happy ending that we have come to expect from superhero movies. However, at the end there is a small cameo from one of the aliens on a rocky outcrop in space, where he smiles a crooked smile and states almost with relish that they now know that Earthlings are worthy adversaries who will fight to the death ...

Check your cynicism at the door, buckle up your seatbelts for the willing suspension of disbelief, and enjoy the ride!

Note:
For those of you interested in seeing more of Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, he can be seen as a curly blonde mop top Detective Martinsson in Kenneth Brannagh's adaptation of Henning Mankell's "Wallander" crime stories. This is currently screening on ABC1 and is also available on DVD. The Swedish locations are authentic but to me it is a bit bizzare that everyone is speaking in proper British accents! I do prefer the Swedish production (which is screened by SBS) but Brannagh does a good job in playing a troubled and dissolute Wallander who has not lost his magician's touch for solving crimes.