“Freedom is life’s great lie. Once you accept that from your heart, you will know peace.”
No, that is not a statement made by a political activist- I’ve had my fair share of those these days. This is a pearl of wisdom given to the audience in the opening scene of Marvel’s long-Awaited “The Avengers”. This highly-anticipated superhero movie, five years in the making, premiered in Egypt with a private screening organized by EventGate on Sunday, April 29th.
Like any good action movie, The Avengers starts off with a bang – literally. In the first 5 minutes of the movie, Earth (which is pretty much the US as always) is on the brink of intergalactic warfare. Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is Director of an international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Unlike its lame real-life counterpart (ahem the UN ahem), S.H.I.E.L.D is in possession of the Taserakt – a source of unlimited sustainable energy and a portal to the other side of the universe. Loki, an evil ruler with delusions of grandeur that is hell-bent on conquering Earth, uses this portal to transport himself and steals the Taserakt to aid in his plan. Realizing the catastrophe this will have, Nick Fury assembles The Avengers – a superhero task force including Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America and the Black Widow. As the movie progresses, Thor joins The Avengers after the audience discovers – in a plot twist worthy of The Bold and the Beautiful – that he is Loki’s half-brother.
The Avengers is a big box-office smash by all accounts. The special effects are mind-blowing, causing you to sit on the edge of your seat for the majority of the 135 minutes. The movie is also quite fast-paced, so make sure to pay close attention to avoid missing vital plot points. In keeping with this pace, the movie does not give audiences the back-story of the characters at once but as the plot unfolds. While this may be confusing for some, particularly movie goers that are not fans of the comic books or have not seen Marvel’s past movies, it is a more exciting alternative to more traditional and linear methods of storytelling. However, there are points in the movie that are a bit muddled and confusing. The powers of the Taserakt are never truly explained, leaving viewers confused about just why space Gaddafi (a.k.a Loki) and S.H.I.E.L.D are so determined to possess it. There are certain character nuances and plot points that aren’t adequately explained. Luckily, when New York City is being overrun by aquatic-looking space aliens, it is easy not to get too hung up on the finer details.
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What makes The Avengers really special is the attention paid to character development and dialogue. While many action movies rely on intricate explosions over-the-top production value, The Avengers is full of witty dialogue – mixing humor with social and political commentary. It is a delicate balance, trying to infuse humor in an action-packed movie, but The Avengers hits the mark perfectly. It is not just Iron Man’s traditional sarcastic and highly-inappropriate jokes, but all the characters somehow contribute to an underlying humor that runs throughout the movie. Characters are at their best when they are vulnerable and human – an aspect that this movie excels at. While I am a die-hard fan of Robert Downey Jr’s hilarious depiction of Iron Man, I was especially drawn to Mark Ruffalo’s The Hulk. A neurotic and hyper-paranoid recluse, The Hulk is portrayed as a tormented individual torn between two sides of himself – something that may hit close to home for viewers.
At the heart of The Avengers lies an age-old battle – good vs. evil. The characters in the movie represent different facets of this struggle – the cynical Iron Man, the idealistic Captain America, the defeatist The Hulk, and so on. Seeing all these different views embodied by characters and the tensions and issues this causes, adds another dimension to what could otherwise be a simple action movie.
The fact that The Avengers has many characters that can stand on their own could possibly be a recipe for an overwhelming disaster. Humans crave polarity, we yearn for it. We want a “good guy” and a “bad guy”. However, what is great about this depiction of the superhero task force is that there is no main character, no primary protagonist. The audience is forced to let go of that traditional notion, as the story shifts between different characters and places each of the Avengers at the center of their own storyline. This shift between characters allows viewers to forge closer connections and gain insight into each character – well beyond their mighty hammers or shiny suits. That’s what makes this movie so great. It appeals to comic fans and newbies alike because it touches on a universal truth – namely the fight for good – and allows viewers to envision a world where good actually prevails.
WE SAID THIS: My only complaint? If you’re going to make me wear 3D glasses, I better be getting a lot closer to Robert Downey Jr.
