I am convinced that all people — critics and movie fans alike — suffer from a neurological condition called "Jar Jar Myopia" -- which is basically defined as "a small, hard-to-detect bias bound within all moviegoers that prevents them from sometimes seeing how awful a movie is, especially if the subject of that movie is a beloved character or story from their childhood."
This explains why so many people thought Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace was a five-star film despite the fact that it featured the character of Jar Jar Binks and all the torment that ensues from having to hear him speak.
There is a flip side to this, as well, especially for comic book fans. Many who grew up reading countless issues of beloved comics have their own personal favorite stories, heroes, costumes, villains, and so on, and they have long envisioned what a movie version should encompass. No matter what final product the director ends up putting on screen, fans will scream in frustration because their dream contained some crucial difference.
For me, I have been a huge fan of The Avengers comic book since I was eight and it first occurred to me that the only thing better than an individual comic book featuring Captain America or Iron Man or some other favorite hero would be one that featured all of them, together, fighting even bigger threats.
Well, over 30 years later, Joss Whedon, the ultimate fan boy, finally had the opportunity, budget and technology to make The Avengers into a film (finally!), and I'll be the first to admit, it was nothing at all like I have long imagined it to be.
In many ways, it was so much better.
Visually, it's a living, breathing comic book, full of slick fight scenes that don't pull punches. Thor and Iron Man destroy part of a forest in battle. The Hulk rampages recklessly throughout the S.H.E.I.L.D. Helicarrier. All the while, clever quips keep popping out of everybody's mouths (Robert Downey, Jr. should get a Lifetime Achievement Award for Wisecracking for his work as Iron Man in three films to date). The dialog is pitch perfect.
Somehow, the movie is non-stop action without short-shrifting us on the character development. Even the scenes designed to advance the overall plot don't waste any time with fluff or filler. Whedon shows us everything for a reason (and sometimes that reason is just to produce a big smile on the faces of fans). The first half of the film is carefully crafted so the payoff in the second is well worth the wait.
At the core of The Avengers is a clashing cadre of obstinate, larger-than-life heroes who don't know how to play well together. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a god with little patience for mortals, even super-powered ones. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) is a billionaire-playboy-genius who is one step ahead of everybody else and has the ego to prove it. Captain America (Chris Evans) is a man displaced by time and hasn't adjusted to his modern surroundings. The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is a poker-faced spy who keeps her motives hidden. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is headstrong and not keen on taking orders.
Then, there is Bruce Banner who keeps the "other guy" (Hulk) locked up inside. Mark Ruffalo brings a cool, calmness to the character that was lacking in the films with Eric Bana and Edward Norton. He also displays a refreshing sense of humor. Admittedly, I assumed the Hulk would be the weak link in the film (the Hulk films have been the worst ones Marvel has produced in recent years), but he was one of my favorite parts of the movie, both in a lab coat and as a green rage monster. Either way, the character was just plain fun again.
All actors bring their A-game and make the characters every bit as colorful as their costumes. Also adding a strong performance is Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury, the head of a shadow organization who is willing to manipulate the heroes if it suits a greater purpose.
Tom Hiddleston is memorable as he reprises his role as Loki, Thor's evil half-brother who serves as the cold, calculating main villain. He's the perfect choice (not just because Loki was the original villain in the first appearance of the Avengers series) because his duplicitous tactics serve to bring the group to the boiling point before they even get started.
The tensions remain thick as the situations grows more dire... aliens called the Chitauri invade New York. They get little screen time until the big fight scene at the end, but that is sort of the point. We don't know all the details of why they are attacking, only that it will take the combined might of the Avengers working together to ward them off… provided they can stop fighting among themselves.
Of course, they are heroes, so they can be counted on to fight the good fight. I must say, the climactic battle is worth the price of admission alone and it demands to be seen in 3-D. Demands. It is absolutely awesome.
But then, who am I trying to convince to see this film? Has anybody NOT seen it yet. It reached a billion dollars in worldwide box office in only 19 days. It becomes only the 11th film to reach that pinnacle and it's the only film ever to gross over $100 million during its first two weekends.
Fans are lining up to see the film again and again. The reason is simple. It flat out shines. It succeeds on every level.
Most comic book films to date had been lacking, even with "Jar Jar Myopia" factored in. But, Marvel has gotten much better at them in recent years, all part of its master plan to craft The Avengers. All the effort and hard work has paid off. The Avengers is far better than any of its predecessors as it wisely builds on all of the strengths of the previous films. It takes the action, humor, drama and fun to a whole other level. I can't wait until the inevitable sequel.
For now, though, I am content to where the first film has taken me... back in time to the first time I pried open a comic and let my imagination run rampant with vivid colors and epic battles. It took me back to a place where all things are possible, regardless of logic or reality… a place we all could stand to visit more from time to time.
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