Posts Tagged ‘ironman’

The Avengers Movie Review

The Avengers had a lot to live up, four years of anticipation leading to this one film, and that’s not even counting all the years fans of the comic have been waiting. With enough attention given to each character, the sharp performances that create these characters on screen, and the epic nature of the action therein, the experiment Marvel Studios has conducted finds its result. This one film has so much riding behind it that it’s a wonder anything as grand and awesome as The Avengers movie we’ve gotten is possible at all. This isn’t the end, though. Another post-credit sequence sets the stage for what is sure to be The Avengers 2. If that future film delivers similar entertainment value, by all means Marvel Studios should assemble away

Chris Evans as Captain America. Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk. Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. And they’re all under one roof. Since 2008, The Avengers has been on the minds of moviegoers everywhere. Thanks to deft screenwriting and a grandeur Joss Whedon brings to its execution, that film is here, and it delivers. It may not be the most accomplished of comic book movies or even the best Marvel Studios has to offer from recent years, but The Avengers blazes a trail like few others, satiating the appetites of superhero junkies the world over.

Padded though it is – Much of that comes from building the aforementioned characters as well as various others – the story is somewhat stripped of convoluted twists and overly expanded ideas. Loki, the God of Mischief played once again by Tom Hiddleston, has found his way to Earth. His alien benefactors wish to invade our planet, and the one item Loki needs to open a portal to their world is in the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D. Naturally, once comic book ink starts hitting the fan, S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, brings his Avenger candidates together to try and thwart Loki’s plan.

It’s realized very early on in The Avengers that Whedon was a great choice to handle this material. The man who brought us Serenity and “Firefly” clearly knows how to construct a team-oriented narrative. He has a grasp for relationships, which characters get along with which, and which of these superheroes literally go hand-to-hand in steam-blowing combat. Each of them have their built-in qualities that obviously must be addressed. Steve Rogers/Captain America is still playing the “fish out of water” role while he adjusts from a 70-year nap in a block of ice. Bruce Banner/Hulk, after being pulled in by S.H.I.E.L.D. from hiding, is just trying to keep himself calm. The arrogance level between Tony Stark/Iron Man and Thor is enough that it’s a sure sign these two will butt heads even though Stark’s cynicism puts him in the driver’s seat for comic relief.

The action is paced smoothly, smaller battles coming in here and there before major set pieces begin showing themselves at the mid-way point. However, soup to nuts, The Avengers looks and feels like an action movie. Much of the film involves two or more characters bickering and bantering, but unlike some of the pre-Avengers movies, the scope when things being to explode is undeniable here. When Loki’s plan begins moving and the Avengers are forced to suit up and save the world, it feels precisely how it should feel. The world is at stake, this group of special individuals is the only thing that can save it, and some of them may be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. Whedon knows emotional weight when it comes to group efforts. Serenity and the state of the crew when that film was over is a testament to this opinion. This movie is a must see and clearly one of the best movies of the year.

Disney using Marvel on Iron Man 3 and Avengers

Big news on the distribution side of things today. Disney officially announced via press release that they’ve reached an agreement with Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios and will be taking over the release of Marvel’s The Avengers, out on May 4th 2012, and Iron Man 3. As we all know, late last year The Walt Disney Company bought comics publisher Marvel for $4 billion in what was a massive, unprecedented deal that changed many things in the entertainment
world. Its taken a little while for everything to roll over to Disney, and that includes who has the distribution duties on movies. Now the transition point has been set.

So what does all this mean for you guys? Not much, really, just the knowledge that Paramount, who released Iron Man 1 and 2, will still be handling Thor and Captain America’s releases next summer. They’re a great studio, they’ve done a fantastic job with Iron Man, I’m sure they’ll finish very strong. Then, starting in 2012 when The Avengers hits theaters, Disney will take over the marketing & distribution duties and “do their thing” with that epic ensemble flick, which will be quite a monumental task to open. Paramount gets a little $115 million bonus for releasing those two movies as a base guarantee. And it was also just announced that Iron Man 3 will get a release on May 3rd, 2013, a year after The Avengers. Plenty more Marvel to come!

“We appreciate the tremendous momentum that Paramount established with these iconic Marvel characters and look forward to propelling the brand even further in the coming years,” Disney’s new Chairman Rich Ross said. Love that PR lingo! Paramount’s Brad Grey adds, “We look forward to working together on Thor and Captain America, and we wish Disney and Marvel the utmost success, in what we know will be a very productive and wide-ranging partnership.” Both studios are good, but I’m interested in seeing how Disney’s marketing differs. Most of all, I’m just looking forward to finally see all of these movies. Bring it on, Marvel!