The Avengers

Before this one was made, many a critic would have said it couldn't be done, this many characters in one single film and for it all to remain a cohesive tale. Well, I guess they were proven wrong then, weren't they?

In comics, crossover events are nothing new. Heck, they happen on a regular basis and the original Avengers most certainly go back a long way. And yes, I know that at times, all the interwoven stuff with standalone and Avengers-films does get a little silly and over the top, but I presume that is one of the reasons so many with me like superhero related things. It is just a lot of fun. 

This particular story starts when Loki (the trickster god and brother to Thor) returns to Earth to get his mitts on the Tesseract (the doohickey). However, he does not do this for himself, but as a puppet for a higher power that is not yet revealed here. 

Yes, I know it is Thanos and you know it is Thanos, but before this one first came out, nobody had a clue, okay? 

Several superheroes team up to incarcerate Loki and decipher the whereabouts of the Tesseract, but - rather realistically - they don't play well with each other. Tony Stark's ego, Captain America's boy scout ideals, Bruce Banner's volatility and Thor's superiority complex... Well, things were bound to go south, weren't they? Especially when it turns out Loki plotted to unleash the Hulk on the helicarrier where they all are, in order to show the world that superheroes stand no chance, because they can't even work together for a common cause. 

A cause which he does provide after slaying Agent Coulson. Bizarrely, their first defeat and this untimely demise brings them all together as Loki now opens a portal in New York through which a vast army called the Chitauri enters our world. This of course, to rule over our planet. 

Funny how we always seem to be the centre of the entire galaxy. Our planet is but one of the bazillions out there, yet our ego in stories is so massive that alien societies can never get enough of that sweet Earth-stuff. Ah well, it's either be ruled or be the smorgasbord. Sometimes both. 

Will our intrepid heroes manage to overcome the odds and save the world for the first time as a team? 

Of course they will. You are not watching this to see them all die, are you?

Yes, it is true that people with an affinity and liking of superheroes and the comics will undoubtedly get much more enjoyment out of this than someone who doesn't have this engrained in their soul. Heck, for the latter category, this will probably seem as a loud sensory overload-fest. But it is not. See, it is not easy to balance so many characters all in one film and have them at least appear to have an equal share of importance, yet here, that is actually the case. Because most of the characters on display here already had standalone films at this point, most of their backstory has already been taken care of and now the film itself can focus on getting the dynamic going. It's a nice touch. And even more strikingly, you don't have to have seen those standalone films, as the story of this one is fairly straightforward, easy to follow and has a nice arc for all involved. You're instantly thrown into the action and it all builds to the massive battle in New York. 

Heck, most were waiting for that epic theme to blast through the speakers with that 360 shot of our heroes standing together in that pose. You know the one. 

Is it easier to enjoy this if you are familiar with the characters? Yes, absolutely. 

Is it still a fun action/adventure romp if you are not? Again, yes.