The Avengers

Marvel

So, I finally got a chance to see The Avengers last night and I have to say LOVED IT!! I've been a total Marvel fan for years, so I've been waiting for this movie for awhile. And it was co-written and directed by Joss Whedon; who could be better?

I won't give any spoilers here because I hate it when I really want to see a movie or read a book and someone comes along and tells me the best or worst part. I will say that the casting in this film was spot-on in my opinion. These talented actors have truly come to embody their characters. I'm sure it helps that this is the second film for most of them, and the third for Robert Downey, Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man. I love him as Tony Stark! He is so perfectly arrogant and elitist. It's fantastic! And Mark Ruffalo gave a great performance in his first time out as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. I really enjoyed the previous Hulk film with Edward Norton, but Mark Ruffalo is better.

The Avengers is filled with the expected drama of getting the team to come together to save the world and has a ton of action. Each characters first appearance seems perfectly timed to help the story along. All in all, it was a great addition to the ever growing Universe of Marvel movies. And by the way, don't forget to stay at least part way through the credits. As I'm sure you know if you've seen the previous films, a cliffhanger/teaser awaits if you do. If you enjoy Super Hero movies or Marvel comics, be sure to check out The Avengers. You won't be disappointed.

I would recommend watching the previous films before seeing The Avengers. I was surprised at how many MacGuffins that referred to the other films could be found in each movie. To understand all of the references, the movies should be watched in this order:

          Captain America: The First Avenger

Iron Man

Iron Man 2

The Incredible Hulk

Thor

There are a million in-jokes between the films that are a lot of fun if you're a Marvel fan. And speaking of in-jokes, don't forget to keep an eye out for Stan Lee, the founder of Marvel Comics. He makes a special cameo appearance in nearly every Marvel film, including The Avengers, that I always look forward to. If you want to know where to find him, here's a list of the scenes to watch for in each movie.

Captain America: The First Avenger - When the Senator is attempting to present Captain Steve Rogers with a medal, an assistant comes to the stage to tell him that Captain America won't be coming. A 4-star general in the audience (Lee) says, "I thought he'd be taller."

Iron Man - When Tony Stark attends the Firefighter's Family Fund Benefit, he walks past Lee with two blondes and says "You look great, Hef."

Iron Man 2 - At the Stark Expo, Tony is introduced to a few members of the press; Larry King is played by Lee.

The Incredible Hulk - Lee plays the unsuspecting man in Milwaukee who "drank one of those guarana sodas. Guess it had a little more kick than he was looking for."

Thor - Lee is the man driving the pickup, who tries to pull Thor's hammer Mjölnir from the crater, and ends up tearing off the bed of the truck, saying "Did it work?"

The Avengers - Of course, Lee also makes a cameo in The Avengers as well, but I'll let you watch for him yourself.