Avengers

[Chewie]

Live up to the hype? It didn't just live it up, it through a nuclear missile through a portal into space and blew it up!

Word.

[terry the lone wolf]

Robert Downey JR is becoming the real Tony Stark...He renegotiated is contract with Marvel (with help from his CAA buddies) to get a cut of the profits. Some say maybe 50 million dollars. When the final tally is counted it could be more. With that cash you can build your own Iron Man suit..Josh Whedon is torn about directing the sequel. Please he's holding out for more money. The reason why Marvel used him was that he was cheaper than Faveau.

[Dynaman]

Live up to the hype? It didn't just live it up, it threw a nuclear missile through a portal into space and blew it up!

That is the perfect summation of what is wrong with movies these days...

[Fly4victory]

Does this answer your question?

Yes, Thanks for the post areaseven. Thats some good old fashioned campy-ness more from Adam West's Batman or the Superfriends.

Certainly not the Cap beating the enemy to a pulp and then feeding whats left to the Hulk.

[myk]

That is the perfect summation of what is wrong with movies these days...

What, that they provide entertainment? That's a crime now?

[Radd]

You say "tomayto" I say "tomatoe" It's not like there was a complete deconstruction as you so put it. I seem to recall the whole team (minus The Comedian) getting together at the end. ;P

Um...you do realize that is not at all what is meant by a "deconstruction" in this sense, yes?

With regards to Avengers, I enjoyed it, a lot. A lot a lot. The thing is, I feel it was so great precisely because it's done what no other Super Hero movie has managed to do so far, like comics themselves it took bunch of characters you've already been introduced to in five other movies, and brought them together. Building on established plots, characterizations and themes. It's not meant to be taken by itself as a single entity, it's a gestalt.

Not only that, but it used those existing elements masterfully. Particularly Agent Coulson. I've never seen such an energetic, obnoxiously loud crowd suddenly go silent so quickly.

It's definitely a summer popcorn flick, it's not trying to change the world. It's a comic book up on the big screen, that's all it's trying to be and I have to say it pulls it off better than most.

[Dynaman]

What, that they provide entertainment? That's a crime now?

No, slam bang action is a prerequisite of a good movie, it alone does not make a good movie(*). The fact that people are willing to settle for such fare in such numbers is a sad reflection on society.

(*) - Just like a decent salary is not the definition of a good job, sure a decent salary is a requirement for a good job - but it is not the definition of one...

[myk]

No, slam bang action is a prerequisite of a good movie, it alone does not make a good movie(*). The fact that people are willing to settle for such fare in such numbers is a sad reflection on society.

(*) - Just like a decent salary is not the definition of a good job, sure a decent salary is a requirement for a good job - but it is not the definition of one...

There's more to the Avenger movie than "slam bang action," although I will grant you not much. RDJ's performance is exemplary, the banter between the characters, whether that's in the shape of humorous dialogue or raging super-hero fist fights, and the incredible fact that once paper-born heroes are now on the big screen are the rewards for watching this movie.

Critics need to stop looking for gold in a bucket when there just isn't any to be found. Avengers makes NO promises to be the sort of movie that would carry greater substance and weight as some of you feel that it should. Would you expect superb gas mileage, utilitarian cargo space and low maintenance costs on a new Mustang? Would you seek out tire shredding power, timeless styling and head turns from the opposite sex in a Smart Car? No, and no. The Avengers movie is what it is and you have to look at it as such.

As for the Avenger movie being an indicator to the sad state of society? Really? C'mon dude, no offense but lighten up...

[areaseven]

To all those who didn't like the movie or say it doesn't live up to their expectations: What exactly is your benchmark for a superhero movie?

[Keith]

To all those who didn't like the movie or say it doesn't live up to their expectations: What exactly is your benchmark for a superhero movie?

Keeping in mind that The Dark Knight while great is far from perfect. It's a superhero movie that succeeds because of the awesomeness & acting ability of it's central villain, and hopes you just kinda forget that the main hero only has 2 acting modes (douche, & bad gravilly voice).

[myk]

I appreciate Dark Knight because it takes the idea of showcasing the imperfections and failed vanities of its hero while simultaneously revealing the diabolical genius of the villain; this was a total mind f**k of a movie because in Nolan's universe there are only sad realizations from its lost, naive "hero" and another guy that just "wants to watch the world burn."

Avengers is NOT this complex of a story and it isn't meant to be. Now, how long do you guys think it's gonna take for this thing to be released on blu-ray?

[Keith]

I appreciate Dark Knight because it takes the idea of showcasing the imperfections and failed vanities of its hero while simultaneously revealing the diabolical genius of the villain; this was a total mind f**k of a movie because in Nolan's universe there are only sad realizations from its lost, naive "hero" and another guy that just "wants to watch the world burn."

Avengers is NOT this complex of a story and it isn't meant to be. Now, how long do you guys think it's gonna take for this thing to be released on blu-ray?

I'm hoping for August/September. Even with these types of ticket sales, theater's aren't what they used to be.

[Dynaman]

To all those who didn't like the movie or say it doesn't live up to their expectations: What exactly is your benchmark for a superhero movie?

The Original (seventies) Superman. (minus the "Can you read my mind" song)

[Dynaman]

As for the Avenger movie being an indicator to the sad state of society? Really? C'mon dude, no offense but lighten up...

Not exactly what I said. The fact that is what movie makers and the public think movies should aspire to is the problem.

There was a time when movies like this where the Saturday morning fare for the kiddies, and everyone treated it as such, while the prestige films where things like "Gone with the Wind", "Bridge on the River Kwai", or "Apocalypse Now". The summer blockbuster turned all of that around - and that is not something to be proud of.

[Penguin]

"Benchmarks" for superhero movies are a totally subjective, personal viewpoint. There's no right or wrong. Much as I love Chris Reeves' classic Superman the Movie, I find the wimpy Clark Kent cringe-inducing and, as a villain, I find Hackman's well-acted but over the top Luthor so camp he belongs opposite Adam West. Times and tastes change so much, that really I could never compare Superman the Movie to The Avengers in a "which is the better superhero movie" manner. The expectations for what a superhero movie should be have changed so much, it does both of them a disservice. Then again, I can also watch West in Batman the Movie, Keaton in Batman, and Bale in Batman Begins all in the same day and enjoy each of them for what they are.

The epic prestige movies of the past were sunk by themselves, to some degree. Failures like Cleopatra helped drive the studios away from that sort of epic. The end of the studio system, where the egos of moguls were enough to get a film made, closed the coffin on them as movie-making became a purely corporate enterprise. The only reason films like Apocalypse Now snuck in the interim was the corporate gang hadn't found their footing yet.

In the here and now, perverse as it is, the potentially more discerning tastes of older moviegoers, who may appreciate more movies like the epics of yore, have driven studios into the arms of a less-discriminating market who will buy a ticket to anything with enough explosions and spectacle in the trailer. Truth is, older moviegoers don't attend in the numbers they used to, for any variety of reasons, and in the process dropped themselves out of consideration. You vote with your dollars, and they don't spend as much money, so they don't matter.

In the end, bemoaning the type of film that gets the big financing these days is basically bemoaning the market-driven economy. Personally, I don't find tilting at windmills all that much fun. I enjoy films like Avengers for what they are, cherish gems like Drive or Lost In Translation when they come along, and cheer loudly when something like Prometheus appears that just might marry high concept to spectacle once again.

[anime52k8]

Not exactly what I said. The fact that is what movie makers and the public think movies should aspire to is the problem.

There was a time when movies like this where the Saturday morning fare for the kiddies, and everyone treated it as such, while the prestige films where things like "Gone with the Wind", "Bridge on the River Kwai", or "Apocalypse Now". The summer blockbuster turned all of that around - and that is not something to be proud of.

So what you're saying is you want more long ,overtly racist, revisionist history pieces. That's cool.

:edit:

BTW, Apocalypse Now deserves special mention as perhaps the single most grossly overrated pieces of crap ever committed to film.

Edited May 18, 2012 by anime52k8

[Dynaman]

So what you're saying is you want more long ,overtly racist, revisionist history pieces. That's cool.

If the choice is between that and more films like Avengers, then yes, yes I do...

[Omegablue]

"Benchmarks" for superhero movies are a totally subjective, personal viewpoint.

Summed it up beautifully with just this.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Omegablue

[Oihan]

Um...you do realize that is not at all what is meant by a "deconstruction" in this sense, yes?

I guess emoticons aren't enough these days....

[Uxi]

http://www.funnyordie.com/articles/f814fde23b/the-avengers-request-to-remove-clint-hawkeye-barton?playlist=featured_pictures_and_words

[azrael]

From Hot Toys

Street date: TBA

[Chronocidal]

Finally got to see this sunday, and while I haven't kept up with the recent Marvel movies, this was just awesome. Honestly, I don't care about canon, since I never followed comic books, and I'm already not that picky with things as long as they're entertaining... though, some of the parts I laughed hardest at really weren't meant to be funny at all.

But this movie was just hilarious. Any scene with RDJ being himself had me laughing, and I think I nearly died laughing during the Hulk vs Loki moment.

Mostly though, I was laughing at all the references I kept seeing.. I need to get a shot of the helicarrier in profile, but I'm pretty sure someone was looking at the SDF-1 when they designed the bridge.

Tony Stark is obviously a fan of Ichiro Itano. Missiles everywhere. Even shoulder packs. Not to mention his one-man Daedalus attack.

The other thing that had me cracking up... was really just incredibly stupid, shouldn't have even been funny, and got me weird looks from my friends. Apparently, they decided it would be a good idea to mount twin machine guns in the intakes of the JSF. Now, I know Hollywood loves its "RAT-TAT-TAT" sounds, and they love putting guns in random spots.... but showing tracers spewing out of the intakes of an aircraft has to be a new low.

[Fly4victory]

Would have helped if the advisors hadn't quit.

http://www.wired.com...ngers-military/

Real world stupid crap and bad command relationships all the time.... Hollywood first sign of confusion in the story and bolt out the door.

Edit: Just a minor point but the lift fan intake covers were from the prototype YF-35 and not the pre-production F-35.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Fly4victory

[David Hingtgen]

Edit: Just a minor point but the lift fan intake covers were from the prototype YF-35 and not the pre-production F-35.

X-35B, actually.

Also, EVERY plane had an "FF" tailcode. But that's USAF, not Navy... (of course, SHIELD isn't really either, but IMHO they should have their own tailcode, and any Navy/Marines stuff they have should conform to Navy markings if not unique-to-SHIELD-markings---certainly not Air Force!

[Chronocidal]

Oh, it's not even worth getting started with details that fine. Pretty much nothing was researched. Friend of mine suggested they might have recycled the JSF model used in the latest Die Hard movie, which could explain the out-of-date details. But guns in the intakes? Really now.

Also, the missile used near the end... a rocket powered nuclear JSOW? Wow.

[Fly4victory]

Yes, the details are that important if someone is considering building a SHIELD YF-35B.

YF models are getting hard to come by.

Dave, you take me back. Fond memories of "its not a coolie hat and its not a Stab switch...."

I always hated alpha designations in addition to block numbers.

[BeyondTheGrave]

...This is the reason dropped comics when I was kid, and moved into Anime.

So you stop reading comics and went to another medium that uses the same formula over and over again. (See Naruto, Bleach, One Piece and Gundam)

Heroes can only remain great as long as their villains are equally great. Not just in personality, but visually as well. The villain needs to impale fear into the audience, bring out emotion and stay stuck in our minds. Like Vader in the OT, or Jack and Heath Joker's. Loki was anything but daunting in the film

Heath Leger Joker is highly overrated. The key thing is the villain/ character needs to be memorable.

And his army was a design mess from the Transformer's reject bin.

They're no icons like Stormtroopers, or Frog Soldiers (MGS) or xenomorhps. And it was a real pity cause I was more moved by those last 2 seconds after the credits.

Your complaining about the ALIEN ARMY looking like an ALIEN ARMY. What sense does it make to have the Alien army look like something from this world? And beside they are cannon fodder.

Another issue is that Loki, Thor and ect could be killed by arrows and knifes in the Thor film. But at the end of Avengers, Hulk smashes Loki to tiny bits through the floor many times, and not a scratch on Loki afterwards. Okay, so blade can go through Asgardian/Frost giant skin, but being plummeted through concrete and steel doesn't even leave a bruise? Please, let's not go with whatever technical laws of the Marvel Universe. That is a massive writing continuity error.

Clearly Loki just didn't jump back up on two feet immediately afterward. Asgardian armor and weaponry is probably made differently than human armor and weaponry. Why else would Shield have phase 2.

What, that they provide entertainment? That's a crime now?

According to some then yes. less fun more drama and ultra generic story. Staring Shakespearean actors

They must inspire and talk about the issues that will be outdated in 5years. Example Avatar.

Edited May 25, 2012 by BeyondTheGrave

[Oihan]

Heath Leger Joker is highly overrated. The key thing is the villain/ character needs to be memorable.

Highly overrated? You're joking, right?! In my honest opinion, he's one of biggest reasons why the movie was so damn good!

The Dark Knight:

• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actor
  
• Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
  
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
  
• GQ Australia Men of the Year Awards (Best Actor)
  
• IGN Movie Award for Best Performance
  
• IGN Movie Award for Favorite Villain
  
• Iowa Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
  
• New York Film Critics Online Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• North Texas Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• People's Choice Award for Best Ensemble Cast
  
• People's Choice Award for Best On-Screen Match-Up
  
• Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Scream Award for Best Fantasy Actor
  
• Scream Award for Best Villain
  
• Scream Award for Best Line ("I believe that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stranger.")
  
• Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
  
• Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
  
• Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
  
• Nominated – Gransito Movie Award for Best Actor in supporting role
  
• Nominated – London Film Critics' Circle Award for Actor of the Year
  
• Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
  

What, that they provide entertainment? That's a crime now?

According to some then yes. less fun more drama and ultra generic story. Staring Shakespearean actors

They must inspire and talk about the issues that will be outdated in 5years. Example Avatar.

Considering what the movie IS (action packed popcorn flick) with how much money the movie has made and how acclaimed it is - it's a BIT absurd if you ask me.

Edited May 25, 2012 by Oihan

[Keith]

You do realize posting awards doesn't negate a claim of being "overrated" don't you? With that said, he was an awesome Joker.

[anime52k8]

Highly overrated? You're joking, right?! In my honest opinion, he's one of biggest reasons why the movie was so damn good!

All you've managed to prove is that ledger garnered a ludicrous amount of unwarranted praise for an utterly one-note and uninteresting portrayal of the character. He's one of the biggest reasons why the movie was so utterly unwatchable.

[Keith]

All you've managed to prove is that ledger garnered a ludicrous amount of unwarranted praise for an utterly one-note and uninteresting portrayal of the character. He's one of the biggest reasons why the movie was so utterly unwatchable.

Nonono, we're talking about "Dark Knight," not "Batman Forever."

[Mog]

Shiet. . . . I thought he was talking about Batman & Robin.

[pfunk]

lol, I couldn't imagine a better "joker",, nor could anyone. It ranks with the timelessness of The shining and Psycho (original of course)

As for the military quiting, typical big headedness

[azrael]

Stick to the topic folks: Avengers.

[Oihan]

You do realize posting awards doesn't negate a claim of being "overrated" don't you? With that said, he was an awesome Joker.

All you've managed to prove is that ledger garnered a ludicrous amount of unwarranted praise for an utterly one-note and uninteresting portrayal of the character. He's one of the biggest reasons why the movie was so utterly unwatchable.

I was merely pointing out that there are a lot of people who do NOT think his Joker was overrated or "garnered a ludicrous amount of unwarranted praise." These people are on panels...I mean come on. Then you have the general public...like you, yourself, Keith. I'm pretty sure all of that negates an "overrated" claim.

If all of these accolades don't negate such an absurd claim.... How's this for a claim? The Avengers is highly overrated for what it is, should not have made as much money as it did, and should not be praised as much as it has been. I'd love to see how many awards The Avengers will receive.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Avengers is a fun popcorn flick, but nothing more than that.