This five-star movie impresses audiences and leaves them wanting more

Ashley Dixon
Staff Writer

Marvel studios presents “The Avengers” – a film that has been shrouded in whispers and rumors since Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) informed Tony Stark (Robert Downey  Jr.) about the “avengers initiative” at the end of “Iron Man” in 2008.

Not only is the film every comic-book lovers ultimate fantasy come to life, it is also a superb “lm that is jam-packed with thrilling action and witty dialogue from all eight of the film’s main stars.

All the praise goes straight to director Joss Whedon and producer Kevin Fiege, who presented all six Avengers to fans perfectly. Whedon’s direction is unparalleled, as each superhero’s personality is developed through rough and tumble action sequences as well as clever and humorous dialogue.

Since 2008’s “Iron Man” we have seen little about the characters origins appeal left and right from Marvel studios, prepping expectant fans for “The Avengers.”

The Marvel Movie Universe team has taken core elements from the original 1960’s comic books and sent their ideas down to the 2000’s Ultimate Universe story line, while flirting with J. Michael Straczynski’s recent story line of Thor.

Fortunately, Whedon and Fiege, as well as writer Zak Penn, all understand the comics and the beloved characters as well as understanding the film and what changes need to be made in order for everything to flow in a concise way.

Marvel’s editor in chief, Joe Quesada, was brought in to oversee production and writing in the early stages. Avengers cocreator Stan Lee was also brought in to oversee production.

The premise of the film is fixed around six superheroes, who must be rallied together by S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Jackson) after Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) evil and mischievous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) steals the tesseract (a self-sustaining, unlimited energy source) with plans on using it to open a portal to space, unleashing his army that will win him the earth.

While some are reluctant, eventually all Avengers are united, with the exception of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) who was taken by Loki as a prisoner.

When first assembled, it’s chaos. Iron Man (Downey) and Captain America (Chris Evans) continuously butt heads, Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson) focuses on the whereabouts of Hawkeye and has an unforgettable showdown with Loki.

Mark Ruffalo steals the show as Dr. Bruce Banner, who was originally brought aboard to aid in the search for the tesseract.

He brings a level of sympathy to the character that has been lacking in past films and when the brutish CGI Hulk is finally unleashed, the audience is left to cower in fear.

Action sequences were held at incredibly high expectations for this film and none failed to disappoint. The brawl between Iron Man and Thor is full of macho combat and clever one-liners.

However the confrontation between the Hulk and Loki may perhaps be the best brawl ever captured on film.

The final battle that takes place in the streets of New York is heroic and dripping with excitement as the Avengers battle Loki and his alien army called the Chituari.

The witty banter, unbelievable special effects and fast-paced action sequences make this film one of the best that has been released in a while, as evident with its record-breaking $207 million income at the box office opening weekend.

Ultimately, the star-studded, highly anticipated flick lives up to all the hype that has been surrounding it.

Both fans and non-fans will have no qualms in the film, and the two post credit scenes have left audiences ever hopeful for a sequel. That will be no easy feat, as it will be incredibly hard to top a movie so great as this.