Movie Review: "The Avengers"

Movie Review "The Avengers" (2012)

 

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders

 

Director: Joss Whedon

 

The superhero movie "The Avengers" is the sixth movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

My 30 Second No Spoilers Intro

 

In "The Avengers," we get to see many of our favorites from previous Marvel movies. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) the estranged brother of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), is on a mission. He wants to get his hands on a mysterious blazing blue square called "Tesseract," a powerful energy source, and give it to the leader of Chitauri. Why? Because the leader of the Chitauri promises him if he does that, he will be the leader of Earth. Well, we can't have that, now can we? Enter S.H.I.E.L.D. and director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson.) If you're familiar with Marvel movies, you know that one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s main jobs is to prevent attacks from extraterrestrials. Fury heads the "Avengers Initiative" and brings along "the first avenger" Captain America (Chris Evans) along with others, such as the gorgeous Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.)

 

Who Was Good, and Who Wasn't?

 

One of the things I love about Marvel movies is the top-quality actors and actresses. Everyone is good in this film.

 

What I Liked, and What I Didn't Like

 

Like: Not every Marvel movie looks the same, but visually, "The Avengers" looks spectacular. 

 

Dislike: Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce Banner/Hulk. Ruffalo is an excellent actor, but I was used to Ed Norton who played the role in "The Incredible Hulk." Mark Ruffalo said, "I'm a friend of Ed's, and yeah, that wasn't a great way for all that to go down. But the way I see it is that Ed has bequeathed this part to me. I look at it as my generation's Hamlet." So Marvel couldn't work it out with Norton, so they went with Ruffalo. That's fine. Things happen. But I'm just one of those people who likes things to stay the same. 

 

Like: Chris Evans looks and demeanor in this movie are scrumptious. (Can you tell I have a thing for Chris Evans in this particular role?) I also like that Steve Rogers is traditional, responsible, and hardworking. He's not fond of the cocky Tony Stark. (Neither am I, at least initially.)

 

Like: This Marvel movie, in my opinion, is one of the more imaginative. The way they weave in all of the various superheroes is well done.

 

Like: The humor in this movie is well done.

 

Like: The spy Natasha Romanov/Black Widow has some incredible fighting moves in this movie. There's one particular scene, after she says, "let me put you on hold," that I love.

 

Who Will Like This Movie?

 

"The Avengers" is excellent for people who are familiar with the Marvel characters up to "The Avengers" and who want to catch up!

 

Rating?

 

I give "The Avengers" Five out of Five Stars.

 

Movie Review: "Iron Man 3"

Movie Review: "Iron Man 3" (2013)

 

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, James Badge Dale, Jon Favreau, Ben Kingsley, Ty Simpkins

 

Director: Shane Black

 

The superhero movie "Iron Man 3" is the seventh movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

My 60 Second No Spoilers Intro

 

"Iron Man 3," the third movie in the MCU "Iron Man" series, is not only an action movie, but it gives us a more in-depth look into the character Tony Stark. (Although it's not required that you watch all of the MCU movies before this one, I recommend that you do. At this point, beginning with "The Avengers," not knowing how they tie in together is a disadvantage, I believe. You can watch all of the movies in the MCU world at the Disney channel.) In "Iron Man 3," it begins in Switzerland in 1999, where a cocky Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) hooks up with scientist Maya Hansen (played by Rebecca Hall), the inventor of Extremis. Aldrich Killian (played by Guy Pearce), another scientist, wants to work with Hansen and Stark, but Stark doesn't want to work with him. After a one-night stand with Hansen, Stark is off being Stark. Now it's 2012, and Stark begins to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his "The Avengers" experience. His subsequent behavior affects his relationship with Pepper Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow.) That's coupled with a villain known as Mandarin (played by Ben Kingsley) who has bombed various places, including TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. in California, and who terrorizes and injures two people close to Stark. Who is Mandarin, and how did Mandarin get so powerful? What happens to Mandarin in the end?

 

Who Was Good, and Who Wasn't?

 

My favorite actress in this Iron Man movie is Gwyneth Paltrow. Although Robert Downey Jr. is a great actor, Gwyneth is a natural. It never feels forced with her. Ty Simpkins, who plays the role of Harley Keener, a boy who Stark meets, is also good.

 

What I Liked, and What I Didn't Like

 

Dislike: There's a scene where Stark finds himself out in the cold and just covers himself with a blanket he steals off of a statute. The entire time I was thinking how unrealistic the scene is. It's freezing in that scene.  Stark should have been a hell of a lot colder than he was.

 

Like: The famous comic book writer Stan Lee, who died in 2018, was still alive when "Iron Man 3" was made.  I love it when he appears in quick cameos.  R.I.P Stan Lee. 

 

Like: There's a scene in the movie involving an airplane that is incredibly terrifying. I thought the scene was well-done.  

 

Who Will Like This Movie?

 

"Iron Man 3" is excellent for people who love superhero action movies and who want to get even deeper into the psyche of Tony Stark after watching previous Iron Man movies.

 

Rating?

 

I give "Iron Man 3" Five out of Five Stars.

 

Final Words:

 

As with all Marvel movies, make sure you stay until after the credits. This time the ending is a funny one.