Blasphemy? Perhaps. But the best thing about what may be the most rousing and well-crafted superhero movie since The Dark Knight is not the boffo action scenes that culminate in a New York City-destroying finale that rivals Michael Bay's obliteration of the Chicago skyline in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. No, the real appeal of The Avengers comes from the quiet moments among a group of decidedly unquiet humans, extra-humans, mutants, and demigods. In no particular order those are Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), S.H.I.E.L.D. world-government commander Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and indispensable functionary Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). That's a superstar lineup both in and out of character, and The Avengers brilliantly integrates the cast of ensemble egos into a story that snaps and crackles--not to mention smashes, trashes, and destroys--at breakneck pace, never sacrificing visual dazzle or hard-earned story dynamics. Writer-director Joss Whedon is no slouch when it comes to being a comic geek and he handles the heavy duty reins with efficient panache. The effects are of course spectacular. They include a monstrous flying aircraft carrier that is home base to S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury's Avenger Initiative; Tony Stark's gleaming skyscraper in midtown Manhattan; off-world scenes of malignant evil; as well as blindingly apocalyptic fights and the above-mentioned showdown that leaves New York a virtual ruin. Yet it's the deeply personal conversations and confrontations among the very reluctant team of Avengers that makes the movie pop. Full of humor, snappy dialogue, and little asides that include inside jokes, eye rolls, and personal grudge matches, the script makes these superhumans real beings with sincere passion or feelings of disillusionment. The conviction of the actors as they fully commit to their clever lines gives credibility to what comes off as more than simple banter, even during the more incredible moments among them (of which are many). The plot involves the appearance of Loki, disgraced villain and brother of Thor, who was also a key player in his eponymous movie. Loki has come to Earth to retrieve the Tesseract, a blue-glowing energy cube that is valuable beyond compare to forces good and evil throughout the universe. As Loki, Tom Hiddleston is supremely, yea gloriously appealing as the brilliantly wicked regal charmer who captures minds from S.H.I.E.L.D. and attempts to conquer Earth with the hideous army at his command. To say he is foiled is an understatement. His face-off with the Hulk is one of the giddiest moments in a movie filled with lightheaded mayhem, and is a perfect example of Whedon's throwaway approach to translating the mythic mystique of the Marvel comics universe. Though at times deadly serious (as deadly serious as an outrageous superhero destructo/fight-fest movie can be, that is), The Avengers is best when it lightens up and lets the fun fly alongside the powerhouse punches. By the way, a single blink-and-you'll-miss-it powerhouse punch is another moment that makes Hulk the most loveable underdog of a smashing green rage monster ever. That spirit of fun and pure adventure makes The Avengers the greatest kind of escapist Hollywood fantasy $250 million can buy. A blockbuster in the most literal sense. --Ted Fry
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Marvel's The Avengers
Marvel's The Avengers (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging)
Marvel's The Avengers (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)
Marvel's The Avengers (Four-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy + Digital Music Download)
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled (10-Disc Limited Edition Six-Movie Collector's Set) Release Date September 25, 2012 September 25, 2012 September 25, 2012 September 25, 2012 TBA Format/Disc # 1 DVD Disc Two Total: 1 Blu-ray and 1 DVD Disc Two Total: 1 Blu-ray and 1 DVD Disc Four Total: 1 Blu-ray 3D, 1 Blu-ray, 1 DVD and 1 Digital Copy Disc 10 Discs Total Digital Copies No No No Yes (Standard Definition Only)
To Be Announced
Digital Album Download No No No Yes, see full track list in Special Features section below TBA Commentaries Audio Commentary by Director Joss Whedon Same as DVD Same as DVD Same as DVD TBA Featurettes - “Assembling the Ultimate Team” - “Assembling the Ultimate Team”
- “A Visual Journey” Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo TBA Deleted Scenes None - Alternate Opening - Maria Hill Interrogation
- Extended Scene - Loki & Barton Strategize
- Steve Rogers - Man Out of Time
- Nick Fury & World Security Council
- Extended Viaduct Fight - Raw Footage
- Fury & Hill Discuss the World Security Council
- Extended Scene - Banner and Security Guard
- Alternate Ending - Maria Hill Interrogation Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo TBA Other Features None - Marvel One-Shot: Item 47
- Second screen
- Gag reel
- Soundgarden music video - “Live to Rise” Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Same as Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo TBA
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