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The chief triumph of Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers” is that it looks truly tremendous on screen. Staggeringly vibrant and awe-inspiring in scale, this heavily-touted superhero mash-up film consistently engages its 3-D format, delivering shot after shot of nifty elements swooping into frame. From compositions to camera angles to primary-hued palette, “The Avengers,” which links the tales of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), has a proud geek aesthetic to match its drool-worthy premise, introducing characters from low, reverent perspectives, and continuing to ogle them like cinematic titans.
It’s no accident that a top collaborative agent (Clark Gregg) has an endearing case of meta fandom, nearly buckling at the knees in the presence of Captain America, and hoping the star-spangled time-traveler will sign a trading card or two. Whedon, that cheeky genre god who already drew attention this year with “Cabin in the Woods,” targets this massive undertaking square at the comic-book fan base, and summons an excitable spirit he only knows too well. That said, “The Avengers” is not a members-only affair. Vast and inclusive in characters, scope, and tone, it’s a popcorn movie most will walk out of with satisfaction.
That alone is an achievement on the parts of Whedon and co-writer Zak Penn, who manage to concoct a story that’s tight, balanced and cohesive, despite the fact that it’s weaving together the threads of not just its four principals, but Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and the evil Loki (Tom Hiddleston), too. Never does it feel like the heroes are fighting for screen time (except in rivalrous ways that are keenly and comically placed in the script), and never does their holy alliance seem like a forced endeavor.
The drawback? “The Avengers” doesn’t have much of substance to offer, as it’s more about the thrill of its joined legends than anything rich or real. But it does prove that all of its lead-up films were not merely commercials for a shameless cash-grab; they were pit stops on the path to a grand entertainment.
The Avengers
PG-13
Three reels out of four
Now playing in area theaters
Recommended Rental
The Grey
R
Available Tuesday
A surprisingly complex and visceral survival story, “The Grey” sees Liam Neeson’s existentially tortured sniper strive to lead a pack of men to safety after a plane crash, all the while evading a ravenous pack of wolves. Taking the unapologetic form of death itself, nature starts closing in on the lost crew, and though some symbolism is heavy-handed, director Joe Carnahan can lay claim to one of winter’s best films.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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