BY RICK JACKSON
The much anticipated Marvel's The Avengers (in 3D) is a mishmash of old ideas recycled and spewed out with an inexorable and stylish manner, with nary a thought for the dear moviegoer who has to accept a slow, drawn out story where you are bored much of the time, and when the action does heat up, it is restrained and overacted by an ensemble of actors who are trying too hard to impress.
Based on the Marvel characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby between 1961-1966, which the Science Fiction Encyclopedia calls the golden age of the comic book, the screenplay by Ross Whedon, from a story by Whedon and Zak Penn defies all description as a superhero adventure, and comes across more as a heavy laden special effects extravaganza from beginning to end.
As anyone who has been going to the movies during the last ten years can attest, the individual films featuring the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and Captain America served moviegoers better by scripts that were more developed, and in the spirit of the comic book pages where, for thousands of their readers will be forever fondly remembered.
The prologue of Marvel's The Avengers (in 3D) fits better in the science fiction genre and nicely re-introduces you to the world Lee and Kirby created. However, it is too bad that what follows shows how the screenwriters have turned it all into a repetitious and inane adventure.
Under Whedon's capable direction, you are at least thrilled at times and he ties each superhero together without any awkward moments. You get to see their attributes which is the reason why you want to see them in the first place. For me, however, I found it all so elementary and conveying a sense of desperation because you don't get a chance to see them work well enough as a team. Any real opportunity to use spectacular effects in 3D is lost visually and the depth of photography doesn't quite make the grade, if only occasionally.
Moviegoers I heard between shows were happy with the film and for a lot of filmgoers expectations will be met. The box office for its opening weekend guarantees it a place in movie history which means there is a chance for the filmmakers to work on a stronger story next time, like they did for the second Star Trek film during the summer of 1982 with The Wrath of Khan.
Still, I enjoyed Marvel's The Avengers but I was hoping for something much better. For the average moviegoer who has an open mind and lets hias imagination be free, you just might get the thrill you've been waiting for all year.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: violence and language may offend.
May 6, 2012
Copyright Rick Jackson 2012
