Avengers Assemble

 I wanted to do this review a lot sooner. About 20 minutes into the film to be precise. I was sure my mind was made up but I resisted what I call "The Bay Illusion", when a film is all shiney and you are unable to make a thoughtful critique because the more base part of your brain is being massaged, and waited a whole week to mull it over. Not to say this is another Bayformers, all razzamatazz and no substance. Far from it. So a quick plot recap, the Tesseract from Captain America: The First Avenger is being looked after and researched by Nick Fury's (Sam Jackson) world peacekeepers Shield. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has made a deal with an alien race. He will give the Tesseract to them in exchange for an army and promptly steals it from Shield. Shit then gets real. Fury assembles the worlds mightiest hero's: Iron Man (Robert Downy, Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evens), Loki's brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Bruce Banner aka The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) to put a stop to Loki's plans.

"HULK WRITE STRONGLY WORDED LETTER!!!"

Now on paper this film is fantastic and a nightmare at the same time. Tying together five films and several protagonists into one film is just a brilliant idea and Marvel Studios should be commended for it. However, how they were going to do that remained to be seen. Thankfully, writer and director Joss Whedon has done it. Its a bit stretched at time but each character has their own moment. When Hulk meets Loki it is the highlight of the film. Whedon is just that good, a giant CGI rage monster gets the best scene of the film. Tom Hiddleston as Loki steals every scene he is in (bar his encounter with Hulk) as a interesting combination of a Scooby Doo villian and Hanibal Lecter. Think M. Bison from the Street Fighter film and you are on the right track.
  I do have some problems with Avengers Assemble but. Even at two and half hours long it feels short and a bit empty, but really that was going to happen no matter what. The film is packed but there is so much that has to be left out just because there is simply not enough time. A bit strange I know. Think of it as they have big feet, but these shoes are enormous. Another problem is the film's alien army, The Chitauri, get no real development and merely serve as an army of mooks. Honestly, Avengers Assemble feels like another origin movie rather than a pay off of several years and movies of setting up. Really I think my problem is I expected a massive pay off when really this is just a toe being dipped into the water to see if it works. It does work make no mistake, but you need to approach it from the right mindset to avoid a vague feeling of it being empty or unfinished (A common complaint I've heard).
  So to round up. This is a great film. Only die hard fans should find any real flaw to it and newcomers don't even have to see the previous films to get Avengers Assemble. The previous films just add a bit more context and some tidbits here and there for viewers to pick up on.

10 out of 10, highly recommended.