Film Review: The Avengers
I have a lot of feelings about The Avengers. So many in fact, this is the longest review of a film I've ever done. My last record was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, so you.
The best thing about the film was how they all interacted and worked together; all the different combinations of people and what they mean to each other. There isn't one person I thought was failing or let it down. Everyone stepped up and made an awesome film. I still hate Joss Whedon though. Forever.
Tom Hiddleston, you are a fine actor and a brilliant villain, but I will never forgive Loki. I spent the whole of the Thor movie saying "Loki needs more hugs", well bollocks to that. Loki needs a punch in the face. It was very satisfying to have the Hulk smash him off the floor and ceiling. I did like the continued exploration of Thor and Loki's relationship though. And that all Thor wants more than anything is to have his brother back. How he always thought he could get through to him and make him change. I also love that Thor and the Hulk have this animosity between them now, but in such a sweet way. Hulk punching Thor was hilarious. Timing is everything.
Bruce. Oh my God, Bruce! I've never really cared about Bruce or the Hulk before. I quite enjoyed The Incredible Hulk film with Ed Norton, but I still didn't really care about his character. Mark Ruffalo has completely changed that. Bruce was amazing. Funny, intelligent, nervous, edgy, angry and he just fits so perfectly into that group. I was glad for every scene with him in. And I loved that fact that Tony got him. That they could geek out together and be giant nerds, but that Tony knew Bruce had it in him to control the Hulk and be a force for good. The dynamic between them was really interesting and I hope to see more of that in the future. Surely the world has to explode with Tony/Bruce shippers now. And Bruce/Natasha shippers, because that was another lovely relationship.
Natasha in general was amazing actually. Halfway through the film I thought how perfect she was. A complete badass, calm and collected in a crisis. Her manipulating Loki was truly brilliant. Just that instant change from a shaky, "you're a monster" to "so, Banner." And I liked that she took something away from it, even though she knew exactly what he was doing. I adored her relationship with Clint and that it wasn't relationshippy. I mean I get Clint/Natasha, but I just loved the BFF-ness of it and that they didn't need to be a couple. They really did feel like a team who'd been working together for a long time.
Clint, I love like burning and I have since that 3 minute appearance in Thor so I was very happy. Obviously, since he was under a spell, he wasn't used as much as everyone else, which I hope they'll make up for by giving us a Hawkeye/Black Widow prequel movie (with Coulson as their handler because, OT3!!) But his scenes during the last battle in New York were fantastic. I'm really glad they managed to focus on his skills and prove how important he was to the team. My only real disappointment was that out of everyone in the film, the only person who never spoke to Coulson was the one person I was most anxious to have interact with him. I've been shipping Clint/Coulson since Clint appeared on screen in Thor. I would really have liked to have seen him at least finding out about Phil when he came out of his mind control.
Phil was integral to the whole film. He was the most important person in that film and I really don't think I'm overstating that. I loved his phone call with Natasha and oh so casually threatening to blow everyone up if they didn't let him talk to her. I loved that he and Pepper are really good friends. His fanboying of Steve was glorious and made him so human and warm and awkward. But I think the three most important interactions he had for me were Tony, Fury and Thor. Thor, obviously because he a big part in that film and he was one Thor promised his protection to. So Thor's reaction when Loki stabbed Phil, was pretty powerful to me, because he counted Phil as a friend. Fury's relationship with Phil is one I was them to go into a lot more detail about when they make the Nick Fury film. No one is going to make me believe anything other than the two of them were best friends. Fury's reaction though, when Phil was dying, is the reason that I don't think it was anything other than Phil who got stabbed, unless Phil is a sneaky son of a bitch (he is) and didn't even tell Fury what he was doing until afterwards. Part of me thinks it was an elaborate scheme because Coulson and Fury echoed each others words twice - talking about a push, then about an old-fashioned notion - no one actually saw him die, or the doctors call it, and the trading cards which should have been in his locker all point to their being something more to it. The other half of me thinks that his death was noble and brave and to take that back in a year's time might actually not be a great thing, unless there was a really damn good reason for it. And the reason I think that is because of what it did to Tony.
Tony was Tony. There's not much point going into what makes him amazing. He's amazing. No one could play that part like Robert Downey Jr. No one could just BE someone as perfectly as he is playing him. Tony was the glue binding everyone together, because for all his protestations, Tony wants them to be a family as much as anyone. Possibly more. His scenes with Bruce trying to coax him out, trying to get him to join, trying to tell him - hey it's okay really, we're all freaks - showed a really interesting side to him. Frankly if Steve's the dad, Tony is totally the mother of that group. And they needed a push, sure, because they're six enormous egos all fighting against each other, but out of all of them (apart from Natasha and Clint, who had their own problems right then) Tony was the one who knew Phil best. Tony was his friend. And I think faking your death to make your friend get his ass in gear, might be pushing it. I want Coulson alive more than anyone, but I really liked that his death made everyone want to fight back.
What I can see, in Iron Man 3, is Tony building a LMD of Coulson because Tony's a freak, but a sentimental freak, and he would totally lock himself in a lab and build a robot replica of his friend that no one knew about. Until of course, he had to show it off to Bruce who would get a little weirded out and have a word with Pepper. And Pepper would march in there ready to yell and then the Coulson robot would give her a little half-smile and she'd say fine, he can live with us but you're not allowed to let anyone else see. But that's another story.
Tony and Pepper, were adorable by the way
As were Tony and Steve, really, because there's nothing better at the start of a relationship than snark. And arguing. And name-calling. I love Steve. I think Steve may be my favourite (after Phil, of course) though I did change my mind pretty much every single scene. I enjoyed him being so out of place, because the world is not his world and he has no idea what to do except for what he's always done. I like that he did take charge and there was much dissent apart from Tony being Tony. He's a good leader. He trusts his team. Like everyone else, there was a lot for him to learn and I liked that he was willing to trust Tony and Bruce enough to investigate, even if he didn't want to admit to them that he had doubts. And out of uniform, Steve always feels like the most normal of them all to me; like a real person until he's in action when he becomes Captain America.
I haven't mentioned Hill, but not for any bad reason. I love Cobie Smulders.
I kind of don't want any more individual films. I just want them to make Avengers films now. Or a TV series. An Avengers TV series where they all sit around an argue and ridiculous friends together and then occasionally save the world.
Assorted extra stuff (in some sort of order):
- Phil in sunglasses at night. That's a damn hot way to start a movie.
- Joss Whedon ripping himself off at least twice. The SHIELD base disappearing into the ground a la Sunnydale. And Loki saying to Thor "Are you never not going to fall for that?" reminded me of Angelus saying to Buffy "And you fall for it every single time."
- "Tasha, Barton's been compromised." ♥ Please give the three of them a movie. PLEASE!
- Bruce yelling at Natasha to see what she'd do and her pulling a gun on him. Intense.
- Stark tower. Tony & Pepper and 12%. "His first name is Agent." ♥
- Phil's giant mancrush on Steve. The fact that Natasha knows all about Phil's giant mancrush on Steve.
- The hellicarrier and Steve giving Fury the $10.
- "Mr Stark." "Captain." And the epic love story begins.
- Tony and Thor's fight in the woods. Loki just sitting and watching, amused. The "Amateur" comment was a nice callback to "Run along little princess." in that it was obviously going to piss Thor off.
- "He's adopted."
- Natasha trying to calm Bruce down.
- Loki trying to mind control Tony and his confusion when it didn't work.
- Tony slapping Loki around for Phil.
- "You and I remember Budapest very differently."
- Tony calling Clint Legolas.
- Clint on that roof with that damn bow being so freaking hot and competent. Phil would have been proud.
- Steve telling the cops what to do and them just following his orders because he's Captain America and AWESOME
- Tony taking the nuke into space, but more importantly, JARVIS asking if he should try calling Pepper. Somehow that made the trying to call Pepper thing more perfect. I love JARVIS.
- The end with them all going their separate ways, but as friends. ♥
Man, I want to see it again already.
The best thing about the film was how they all interacted and worked together; all the different combinations of people and what they mean to each other. There isn't one person I thought was failing or let it down. Everyone stepped up and made an awesome film. I still hate Joss Whedon though. Forever.
Tom Hiddleston, you are a fine actor and a brilliant villain, but I will never forgive Loki. I spent the whole of the Thor movie saying "Loki needs more hugs", well bollocks to that. Loki needs a punch in the face. It was very satisfying to have the Hulk smash him off the floor and ceiling. I did like the continued exploration of Thor and Loki's relationship though. And that all Thor wants more than anything is to have his brother back. How he always thought he could get through to him and make him change. I also love that Thor and the Hulk have this animosity between them now, but in such a sweet way. Hulk punching Thor was hilarious. Timing is everything.
Bruce. Oh my God, Bruce! I've never really cared about Bruce or the Hulk before. I quite enjoyed The Incredible Hulk film with Ed Norton, but I still didn't really care about his character. Mark Ruffalo has completely changed that. Bruce was amazing. Funny, intelligent, nervous, edgy, angry and he just fits so perfectly into that group. I was glad for every scene with him in. And I loved that fact that Tony got him. That they could geek out together and be giant nerds, but that Tony knew Bruce had it in him to control the Hulk and be a force for good. The dynamic between them was really interesting and I hope to see more of that in the future. Surely the world has to explode with Tony/Bruce shippers now. And Bruce/Natasha shippers, because that was another lovely relationship.
Natasha in general was amazing actually. Halfway through the film I thought how perfect she was. A complete badass, calm and collected in a crisis. Her manipulating Loki was truly brilliant. Just that instant change from a shaky, "you're a monster" to "so, Banner." And I liked that she took something away from it, even though she knew exactly what he was doing. I adored her relationship with Clint and that it wasn't relationshippy. I mean I get Clint/Natasha, but I just loved the BFF-ness of it and that they didn't need to be a couple. They really did feel like a team who'd been working together for a long time.
Clint, I love like burning and I have since that 3 minute appearance in Thor so I was very happy. Obviously, since he was under a spell, he wasn't used as much as everyone else, which I hope they'll make up for by giving us a Hawkeye/Black Widow prequel movie (with Coulson as their handler because, OT3!!) But his scenes during the last battle in New York were fantastic. I'm really glad they managed to focus on his skills and prove how important he was to the team. My only real disappointment was that out of everyone in the film, the only person who never spoke to Coulson was the one person I was most anxious to have interact with him. I've been shipping Clint/Coulson since Clint appeared on screen in Thor. I would really have liked to have seen him at least finding out about Phil when he came out of his mind control.
Phil was integral to the whole film. He was the most important person in that film and I really don't think I'm overstating that. I loved his phone call with Natasha and oh so casually threatening to blow everyone up if they didn't let him talk to her. I loved that he and Pepper are really good friends. His fanboying of Steve was glorious and made him so human and warm and awkward. But I think the three most important interactions he had for me were Tony, Fury and Thor. Thor, obviously because he a big part in that film and he was one Thor promised his protection to. So Thor's reaction when Loki stabbed Phil, was pretty powerful to me, because he counted Phil as a friend. Fury's relationship with Phil is one I was them to go into a lot more detail about when they make the Nick Fury film. No one is going to make me believe anything other than the two of them were best friends. Fury's reaction though, when Phil was dying, is the reason that I don't think it was anything other than Phil who got stabbed, unless Phil is a sneaky son of a bitch (he is) and didn't even tell Fury what he was doing until afterwards. Part of me thinks it was an elaborate scheme because Coulson and Fury echoed each others words twice - talking about a push, then about an old-fashioned notion - no one actually saw him die, or the doctors call it, and the trading cards which should have been in his locker all point to their being something more to it. The other half of me thinks that his death was noble and brave and to take that back in a year's time might actually not be a great thing, unless there was a really damn good reason for it. And the reason I think that is because of what it did to Tony.
Tony was Tony. There's not much point going into what makes him amazing. He's amazing. No one could play that part like Robert Downey Jr. No one could just BE someone as perfectly as he is playing him. Tony was the glue binding everyone together, because for all his protestations, Tony wants them to be a family as much as anyone. Possibly more. His scenes with Bruce trying to coax him out, trying to get him to join, trying to tell him - hey it's okay really, we're all freaks - showed a really interesting side to him. Frankly if Steve's the dad, Tony is totally the mother of that group. And they needed a push, sure, because they're six enormous egos all fighting against each other, but out of all of them (apart from Natasha and Clint, who had their own problems right then) Tony was the one who knew Phil best. Tony was his friend. And I think faking your death to make your friend get his ass in gear, might be pushing it. I want Coulson alive more than anyone, but I really liked that his death made everyone want to fight back.
What I can see, in Iron Man 3, is Tony building a LMD of Coulson because Tony's a freak, but a sentimental freak, and he would totally lock himself in a lab and build a robot replica of his friend that no one knew about. Until of course, he had to show it off to Bruce who would get a little weirded out and have a word with Pepper. And Pepper would march in there ready to yell and then the Coulson robot would give her a little half-smile and she'd say fine, he can live with us but you're not allowed to let anyone else see. But that's another story.
Tony and Pepper, were adorable by the way
As were Tony and Steve, really, because there's nothing better at the start of a relationship than snark. And arguing. And name-calling. I love Steve. I think Steve may be my favourite (after Phil, of course) though I did change my mind pretty much every single scene. I enjoyed him being so out of place, because the world is not his world and he has no idea what to do except for what he's always done. I like that he did take charge and there was much dissent apart from Tony being Tony. He's a good leader. He trusts his team. Like everyone else, there was a lot for him to learn and I liked that he was willing to trust Tony and Bruce enough to investigate, even if he didn't want to admit to them that he had doubts. And out of uniform, Steve always feels like the most normal of them all to me; like a real person until he's in action when he becomes Captain America.
I haven't mentioned Hill, but not for any bad reason. I love Cobie Smulders.
I kind of don't want any more individual films. I just want them to make Avengers films now. Or a TV series. An Avengers TV series where they all sit around an argue and ridiculous friends together and then occasionally save the world.
Assorted extra stuff (in some sort of order):
- Phil in sunglasses at night. That's a damn hot way to start a movie.
- Joss Whedon ripping himself off at least twice. The SHIELD base disappearing into the ground a la Sunnydale. And Loki saying to Thor "Are you never not going to fall for that?" reminded me of Angelus saying to Buffy "And you fall for it every single time."
- "Tasha, Barton's been compromised." ♥ Please give the three of them a movie. PLEASE!
- Bruce yelling at Natasha to see what she'd do and her pulling a gun on him. Intense.
- Stark tower. Tony & Pepper and 12%. "His first name is Agent." ♥
- Phil's giant mancrush on Steve. The fact that Natasha knows all about Phil's giant mancrush on Steve.
- The hellicarrier and Steve giving Fury the $10.
- "Mr Stark." "Captain." And the epic love story begins.
- Tony and Thor's fight in the woods. Loki just sitting and watching, amused. The "Amateur" comment was a nice callback to "Run along little princess." in that it was obviously going to piss Thor off.
- "He's adopted."
- Natasha trying to calm Bruce down.
- Loki trying to mind control Tony and his confusion when it didn't work.
- Tony slapping Loki around for Phil.
- "You and I remember Budapest very differently."
- Tony calling Clint Legolas.
- Clint on that roof with that damn bow being so freaking hot and competent. Phil would have been proud.
- Steve telling the cops what to do and them just following his orders because he's Captain America and AWESOME
- Tony taking the nuke into space, but more importantly, JARVIS asking if he should try calling Pepper. Somehow that made the trying to call Pepper thing more perfect. I love JARVIS.
- The end with them all going their separate ways, but as friends. ♥
Man, I want to see it again already.