'The Avengers' kick off Summer with a bang

Back in 2008, Marvel Studios released what may easily have been one of, if not the most, ambitious superhero film of all time at a time in which the genre saw an oversaturation (Looking at you "Ghost Rider"). In John Favreau's "Iron Man," Marvel pitched the ideas to audiences that quality superhero filmmaking has finally been boiled down to a science and with its success, great films such as "The Incredible Hulk," "Thor," and "Captain America: The First Avenger" were born. However, those that stuck with "Iron Man" until after its end credits, know that these quality action films were merely a build up to something that nobody in their right mind would have ever thought to be possible until this day.

I was not immune to such doubt. As an avid fan of comic books, and Marvel by extension, that was enthralled with "Iron Man," the project just seemed too ambitious to happen. I stood firm in my belief that a massive crossover featuring the individual heroes of four different film series and several side characters throughout those series, was simply too much to be captured onscreen, assuming the films leading up to the big event weren't flops themselves.

Even with the revelation that the film would be helmed by veteran storyteller and ensemble cast director Joss Whedon, my reservations remained high. With all of my doubt for the film and all of the challenges that it faced successfully aired, I couldn't be more delighted as to how wrong I was.

As previously stated, "The Avengers" brings together Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, and Thor -played by Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth respectively- as well as "Iron Man 2" and "Thor" side characters Hawkeye and Black Widow  -played by Jeremy Renner and Scarlet Johansson respectively- for a mission that could put the safety of the entire planet at risk. "Thor" villain Loki -Tom Hiddleston-, in a play for power after his failure to conquer Asgard cuts a deal with an alien empire known as the Chitauri to conquer Earth. After witnessing the results of Loki's first strike, SHIELD Director Nick Fury -Sam Jackson- assembles the heroes for the biggest mission that they have ever faced.

Joss Whedon's ability to work with larger than life casts and A-list actors shines throughout the entirety of the film. Contrary to popular belief in regards to how it would turn out, every member of the team showcases a set of skills that prove entirely useful in the situation that they find themselves in. Furthermore, the film takes its time to flesh out and develop every Avenger fully, preventing anyone from feeling shallow. Black Widow and Hawkeye particularly steal the show, holding their own against the rest of the literally colorful cast of characters, with special praise going to Johansson's incredible range of emotion demonstrated within the film.

The heroes return and maintain there own fantastic screen presence as well, from Downey's snark, to Evans damaged idealism, and Hemsworth's otherworldly and antiquated outlook. Of Particular note is Ruffalo's performance as Dr. Bruce Banner, who may not top Edward Norton's take on the Hulk but nonetheless manages to hold his own against the rest of the cast. If he truly is the new face of the Hulk, you'll hear no complaints from me.

The stellar development of each character is attributed to the Whedon's incredibly sharp screenplay and the slow pacing of the film. The character interaction is extremely well handled with dialogue that humanizes these characters without losing the sense of fun or even humor that one would want from a big budget blockbuster.

"The Avengers" is by no means a dumb special effect fest however, as the film takes its sweet time getting to all of the action that it promises. The film emphasizes the interaction and development of its larger than life characters above all else and in that department it generally excels despite and slightly drawn out second act. Once the action kicks in however, it raises the bar for all future blockbusters.

Every second of action in "The Avengers" carries a refreshing sense of weight and clarity to it that most summer blockbusters lack. The fights are not only clearly shot but brutal and may have some of the best stunt and action choreography that I have seen in years, which is accentuated when the heroes are working together. There are 40 glorious minutes of this film in which the Avengers just keep doing action sequences that are two times better than what you just saw them do not three minutes ago, with barely a paragraph worth of spoken dialogue, letting their actions speak for them.

I could have watched that segment of the movie on a loop for 3 hours and it would have been enough for me but this film does that and more within the span of two and a half hours, not wasting a single second.

"The Avengers" has not only raised the bar of quality for the superhero genre but for big budget blockbusters in general and has kicked the summer off with a bang. The film is phenomenal on its own merits but as a reward and finale to four other great films and one of questionable quality, it is a sight so beautiful that I almost got a little bit misty eyed at the end credits.

A+