Avengers Assemble (2012)

So, here we are. “Avengers Assemble” is the end of the beginning, the culmination of Phase 1 and the make-or-break point for the MCU. Would Marvel’s ground-breaking idea for a shared cinematic universe pay-off or fail catastrophically? Was this film destined to tank or change cinema forever? And what is more, does it still hold up?

Yes it does! “Avengers Assemble” is still as outstanding as it was all those years ago; the magic definitely hasn’t worn off! It brought 6 now iconic heroes together in one of the most thoroughly entertaining and thrilling movies ever made. The action sequences are stunning, the banter is brilliant and the special effects are flawless! It may not be the MCU’s best film on a technical level, but it’s my absolute favourite of the bunch, it may even be my favourite comic book movie of all time!

Before I start gushing about how perfect this film is, I quickly want to mention the bizarre reasoning behind the UK title change. In every country aside from Britain, this movie is known as “The Avengers”, but over here it is called “Avengers Assemble.” This was apparently changed so as not to confuse British audiences with the 1960s spy TV series and the notorious 1998 remake (that flopped) of the same name. To be honest, as stupid as that is (I’ve never met anyone who prefers Patrick Macnee to Robert Downey Jr.) I think that decision was a good one. Whereas most film titles are changed for the worse (“Harry Potter and the SORCERER’S Stone” is a classic example) I actually prefer the title “Avengers Assemble”, so I’m going to use that name throughout this review.

Even now, in a post “Avengers: Infinity War” world, it still blows my mind that Marvel actually pulled off their revolutionary plan and made a film that balanced all of these unique characters and storylines in an efficient and enthralling way!

Whatever controversies may have arisen about him recently, you can’t deny that Joss Whedon was the ideal director for this movie. He knows exactly how to juggle these characters, giving each one a funny line or exciting action moment so that each of them serves a purpose in the narrative. Even the scenes where nothing is being blown up are immensely enjoyable because it’s clear that Whedon relishes putting the Avengers in a room together and beginning a battle of one-liners and sarcastic comments. Unlike his other MCU film, “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, this movie never becomes too snarky or quippy (even if certain characters are far more jokey than usual.)

Speaking of speech, the “Avengers Assemble” script is incredible! It’s structured astoundingly well, each of the three acts improves upon the one that preceded it and builds up to an amazing crescendo that knocks the audiences socks off! It’s jam-packed with some of the most memorable and hilarious quotes in modern cinema that will live on for decades to come!

On a technical level, “Avengers Assemble” is without fault. The CGI is jaw-dropping; everything from Iron Man’s armours to the Hulk and the Helicarrier look better than ever. In fact, Iron Man and the Hulk look far better than they do in later MCU entries, which makes no sense whatsoever!

The film is shot masterfully. The action sequences look as though they’ve been torn from the pages of a comic, which heightens the epic scope and scale of “Avengers Assemble.” I particularly love the use of long takes in the Battle of New York, these moments are action filmmaking at its best, the audience knows exactly where each character is and what their goal is!

One aspect of “Avengers Assemble” that I must mention is its almost holy score, composed by living legend Alan Silvestri (who worked on the “Back to the Future” trilogy.) In my not-so-humble opinion, the Avengers theme is the greatest film theme of ALL time! Every time I hear that piece of music I become an excited 9 year-old again, who was bouncing up and down with glee to see these characters team-up! It’s just so momentous and phenomenal beyond words! It annoys me so much when people moan that there aren’t any good MCU music motifs because there are! The Avengers theme amplifies the awesomeness of every scene, from the 360 degree shot of the Avengers assembling (which we will get to) to Thor’s arrival in Wakanda in “Avengers: Infinity War.” This theme is a titanic masterwork that I will never stop listening to!

“Avengers Assemble” would be nothing without its cast; thankfully the performances in this movie are outstanding!

Robert Downey Jr. is once again spectacular as Tony Stark; he is the king of one-liners ("Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?”) He has great chemistry with every other actor and has such a charismatic screen presence. This film once again reminded me why Iron Man is my favourite Avenger!

Chris Evans is just as good as he was in “Captain America: The First Avenger”, he’s likeable and earnest, but Cap is also conflicted by his place in a world that he doesn’t belong in.

Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow (who is better here than she was in “Iron Man 2”) are excellent. Even Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye gets something to do (even if he is by far the most underutilized character.)

Mark Ruffalo is a major improvement over Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, AKA the Hulk. He brings more energy and darkness to the role that previous incarnations lacked. Hulk is incorporated into the plot extremely well, this is easily the best use of the character in a movie! Also, the Hulk design is so good here, he actually looks like Ruffalo, unlike the Norton version.

Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, is one of the greatest movie supervillains ever, he’s charming and threatening, making him one of the MCU’s best antagonists. Although he’s not as sympathetic as he is in “Thor”, I personally prefer the version of Loki that delights in causing chaos than the angst-ridden and conflicted one.

The action sequences in “Avengers Assemble” are astounding, they’re filmed and edited in a clear and crisp way that makes seeing the Avengers do battle that bit more exhilarating!

But the scene that takes the crown for “Best MCU action sequence” and “Best third act in cinema” is the magnificent Battle of New York finale. This scene is nothing short of iconic, it’s filled to the brim with jaw dropping moments that will go down in film history! From the “I’m always angry” moment to “Puny God” and the goose bump-inducing Avengers assembled shot (which is my all-time favourite movie moment) these are the thrills that the MCU was made for!

I don’t have any issues with “Avengers Assemble”, its pure perfection. But if I had to come up with one tiny criticism, it would be that I dislike Captain America’s costume in this film. The mask doesn’t sit properly on his face, the suit is too fabric-y; the whole thing looks like a cheap dressing-up outfit for 6 year olds!

That inconsequential nit-pick aside, “Avengers Assemble” is a landmark event in film. It’s gripping, witty and downright breath-taking! It’s one of my favourite movies from my favourite movie series; I will never stop loving it!