# The Avengers



## Steerpike

Didn't see a thread on this, so I thought I'd start one. I liked the movie a lot (and I'm getting pretty sick of superhero movies, so that's saying something). I think Whedon did a nice job getting some of his witty banter into it, but didn't stray so far afield that mainstream audiences wouldn't like it. The actors all did a nice job. Plus...Scarlett Johansson is in it.

Any of the rest of you seen it yet?


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## Elder the Dwarf

Dying to see it, but so busy right now... hopefully I can make it in the next couple weeks.


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## Justme

I want to see it so bad, I could taste it. From what I've heard it even surpassed Harry Potter


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## Benjamin Clayborne

Saw it. Loved it. Been quoting it all day. Going for shawarma for lunch on Friday.


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## gavintonks

Really enjoyed it looking forward to iron man3 and batman 3 / saw the first trailer of spiderman but didn't like running as his eyes
looking forward to next star trek and apparently the superman re-make is coming along nicely, heard good reports on th new x-men so would rather watch a good super her than a lot of the bad other rubbish that's floating


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## JCFarnham

The set up movies did their job, but barely. Too many of them, too little in the way of stand alone quality. Was it really worth making them just to hype up one film? Huge risk if you ask me. I'm still dubious after all these years. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed them, but they all could have been FAR better. It almost didn't pay off.

Avengers Assemble on the other hand? It had Joss Whedon behind it. I shouldn't have to say much more, but by god did it show! I always used to find myself saying "you know, I'm watching _this_ film now I don't give a crap about future promises. Make _this one_ good." For once a super hero movie that did it's job, on its own, and not under the promise of something awesome coming next! 

Maybe my expectations where low from all the other dross... but I was a fantastic film all in all. I definitely welcome more of them... in all their mad titan glory haha.


As a side note: I can't talk about this film to the older generation with out the phrase "the avengers" invoking another franchise entirely. If you know what I mean


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## Telcontar

Also loved the movie. Joss Whedon is pretty much my favorite movie-maker now, cuz I also recently saw Cabin in the Woods which he had a hand in and loved that too.

I've never been a comic book reader, so I imagine it's not quite the same for me as someone who knows the source material. This one was definitely better than any of the setup movies, of which I've seen Thor, Iron Man, and Iron Man 2. Still need to see Captain America... I hear that was pretty good, and I liked the character in Avengers.


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## ArielFingolfin

Loved it, loved it, loved it. The dialogue was sharp, and the characters were so strong. One of my friends mentioned that there wasn't much of a plot, but really, what do you expect when a bunch of super heroes get together? People want to see them smash stuff (and each other). I thought it was phenominal.


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## Steerpike

JCFarnham said:


> As a side note: I can't talk about this film to the older generation with out the phrase "the avengers" invoking another franchise entirely. If you know what I mean



Yes, and they made a film based on that franchise back in the 90s. I don't remember it being that good, though (the film, not the show).


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## gavintonks

who can forget emma peel. Johannah lumley and mr steed hahhahahaha
I think the back movies were a cost fcator as it costs such huge amounts of money was a good way to develop and get money in for each step to not only finance but ensure all the software etc was in place already.
The set was the transformers set and software in the climax and parts of star trek, which saves many millions of dollars in development


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## Penpilot

Tight movie. Every character got a moment. Every character mattered and what they did mattered. Just shows you can have the flash and dash AND a story and make big big bucks. This isn't just a good superhero movie. It's a good movie, period.

Although, it could have used a few more Ms. Peel high kicks from Black Widow, and a few more bowler hats and umbrellas.


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## Sheilawisz

I really hope to watch _Avengers_ with my sister this Thursday in 3D... and next weekend, _Battleship_! XD!!


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## soulless

An almost perfect film, roll on the next phase of the Marvel cinematic universe


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## Twilight Flyer

I've seen Avengers twice now..In Denver on opening night, here in Iowa on Tuesday with my wife, and with a 3rd viewing coming on Saturday when I take my oldest son to see it for part of his birthday.  

Yeah, I guess it's OK.  

Top notch movie, all the way through.


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## ArielFingolfin

I have to say though, going see it at the midnight premiere was almost as much of a nerd-fest as when I went with my ex to get his Halo game at the midnight release. Not quite, but pretty close.


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## Ghost

I don't like superhero movies much, apart from a couple of X-men movies. I actually liked this one. It was entertaining in all the good ways, and I actually _liked_ Captain America and the Hulk. I didn't expect to because I always thought those guys were cheesy.


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## edd

one of the best movies i have seen in a while.


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## Elder the Dwarf

Saw it, loved it.  It is exactly what you want out of a superhero movie.  It was funnier than I expected with some really great action scenes.  Plus, I thought the acting for the most part was very good.  You have to love Downey and Chris Evans did a really good job.  Chris Hemsworth (I think) was much more believable this time than he was in Thor.  Renner, ScarJo, and Ruffalo were all great as well.  One thing that really surprised me was how well they did Hulk.  I've never been a big Hulk fan but I really enjoyed the Hulk scenes in this movie, at least near the end.  Don't go expecting a deep, moving story.  Go expecting to have a lot of fun.


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## Devor

It was a great film.

It lacked the deeper character development you saw in Captain America or Spiderman, but there was still as much development as you would want from a team movie.  The action and the banter were very well done.  Whedon, I think, silenced anyone who still doubted his abilities with this movie.

If action and banter are what draw you to a movie, then this was definitely one of the best movies of its type in all time.


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## Ophiucha

I thought it was very well done, particularly given what there was to work with. Most movies can't handle a whole load of main characters, but I thought they pulled it off nicely. And I'm jonesing for a Hulk film with this guy in it; he's much better for the role than either of the previous actors. Could have used more Thor-based humour, though. Thor's film was basically a comedy, but he didn't get much of a chance to do anything but slam things with his hammer in Avengers.


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## Devor

Ophiucha said:


> And I'm jonesing for a Hulk film with this guy in it; he's much better for the role than either of the previous actors.



They can do another Hulk movie with this guy - sure - but it needs to be a different story.  They need to set it in Africa, base him out of the hovel that Black Widow finds him, and pair him off with a supervillain.  If they make another Hulk origins film..... and just have him smashing tanks..... grrr.


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## Ophiucha

I think he was in India, but yeah, that could be an alright story.

Personally, I don't want another origin story film or another "him on the run from the government" film, either. I'd like to see one with him struggling with his identity as a superhero. Have it take place after the Avengers, and think about what it means to _be_ an Avenger. He could have a right proper identity crisis, since he's been in hiding and keeping the 'other guy' inside for years, learning to control it perfectly but never really trusting it to take over except far away from civilization, in the forest or mountains. And we could bring back Thunderbolt Ross and have him turn into the Red Hulk - having to see what a truly evil Hulk would be and accepting the good parts of his counterpart along with the bad. Then he could be a more... _willing _part of the team in Avengers 2.


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## Endymion

I am a comi book fan so yeah I saw it the same day it came out. 
It was a really nice movie and did not disappoint. Hulk was great but they focused to much on Iron man ( it was more like an Iron man & the rest of the heroes). It was fun but not that spectacular. The king of the comic book movies is still, The Dark Knight.


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## Justme

I think the part of the movie, where everything jelled was when the one agent who Loki killed died. It's really hard to, even in the real world to truly appreciate those quiet people who support your causes. The man reminded me of the slavishly adoring little brother who you rough up his hair and then leave behind. Up until then, everybody except Capt. America were individuals, instead of team players. His death changed everything and did so, in the nick of time.


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## Aravelle

Justme said:


> I think the part of the movie, where everything jelled was when the one agent who Loki killed died. It's really hard to, even in the real world to truly appreciate those quiet people who support your causes. The man reminded me of the slavishly adoring little brother that you rough up his hair and then leave behind. Up until then, everybody except Capt. America was individuals, instead of team players. His death changed everything and did so, in the nick of time.



I never thought of it that way, but you're right..


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## Elder the Dwarf

Justme said:


> I think the part of the movie, where everything jelled was when the one agent who Loki killed died. It's really hard to, even in the real world to truly appreciate those quiet people who support your causes. The man reminded me of the slavishly adoring little brother who you rough up his hair and then leave behind. Up until then, everybody except Capt. America were individuals, instead of team players. His death changed everything and did so, in the nick of time.



Yeah, but the one problem I had with the movie was how obvious they made this.  It's like "here's the token bonding moment where we start kicking ass"


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## Justme

Elder the Dwarf said:


> Yeah, but the one problem I had with the movie was how obvious they made this.  It's like "here's the token bonding moment where we start kicking ass"



Well, I think everything is obvious when you are looking back at something. Especially If you are in the third person. The issue is was there an obvious lead in into this, which I don't think there was. If the guy was screaming about teamwork, as Capt. America was pretty much doing, that would be different, but this guy didn't even show up on the radar, until they started reminiscing. I just wonder if this would even of happened, if Nick Fury would not have revealed those pictures. 

How would the whole scene be done better. I don't know If It could be.


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## Devor

Elder the Dwarf said:


> Yeah, but the one problem I had with the movie was how obvious they made this.  It's like "here's the token bonding moment where we start kicking ass"



That's true, but it also showed how manipulative Nick Fury and SHIELD can be.  It looked like the token bonding moment because they _used_ his death to create that moment.



Spoiler: Manipulative Nick Fury



I mean, look at what he did with the Captain America cards - they didn't show it, but he went over to the corpse and smeared them with a dead man's blood.






Justme said:


> If the guy was screaming about teamwork, as Capt. America was pretty much doing, that would be different, but this guy didn't even show up on the radar, until they started reminiscing.



He was in all the individual movies - if you've seen Iron Man and Thor and Captain America, he wasn't off the radar at all.


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## Justme

Devor said:


> That's true, but it also showed how manipulative Nick Fury and SHIELD can be.  It looked like the token bonding moment because they _used_ his death to create that moment.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Manipulative Nick Fury
> 
> 
> 
> I mean, look at what he did with the Captain America cards - they didn't show it, but he went over to the corpse smeared them with a dead man's blood.



Well, Nick Fury did use those cards, but no one knew he'd used them, until he explained it. My question still stands as to how the scene could have been done differently, when the time constraints of a 2 hour movie are considered.


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## ArielFingolfin

I actually liked how manipulative Nick Fury was. I mean come on, just because these people are on the 'good' side doesn't mean they're perfect or are going to be completely honest. He saw a way to motivate his team, and he did it, just like with the weapons, he saw an advantage to be gained and he did what he thought (emphasis) needed to be done. Like Stark said, he's a spy. He's not a knight in shining armor.


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## Justme

Devor said:


> He was in all the individual movies - if you've seen Iron Man and Thor and Captain America, he wasn't off the radar at all.




I've seen them all, but we weren't speaking about those. We were talking about his visibility on the Avengers Movie.


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## Sheilawisz

I watched The Avengers last May 19, the theatre was almost full, we all laughed with the great humour and I really liked the movie, much better than Battleship which was quite a disappointment for me- It started a little slow and at first I did not understand what the heck was happening, perhaps because I did not watch the previous movies about the characters.

The Avengers is pretty spectacular, inspiring and fun =)

My only trouble with the movie was that they sometimes talk, and talk and then they keep talking and talking (too much dialogue makes me get bored) and it really takes awhile before all the energy beams and explosions and monsters show up, but when it started, it was great!!


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## Androxine Vortex

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> Saw it. Loved it. Been quoting it all day. Going for shawarma for lunch on Friday.



lol
This movie was amazing I've already seen it twice. I'm not really into comic book superhero stuff but I have to admit this movie was fantastic.

Oh and I don't care what anyone says, the "Galaga" part was the funniest part of the movie


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## ArielFingolfin

Apparently Thor's "He's adopted" line has the adoption community in a buzz. Some reporter stalked out of the movie theater because of it and wrote a nasty article.


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## Elder the Dwarf

Androxine Vortex said:


> lol
> 
> Oh and I don't care what anyone says, the "Galaga" part was the funniest part of the movie



I was dying.  Sooo funny


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## Steerpike

ArielFingolfin said:


> Apparently Thor's "He's adopted" line has the adoption community in a buzz. Some reporter stalked out of the movie theater because of it and wrote a nasty article.



Some people are hypersensitive. It's a ridiculous thing to be upset over, but you can find someone to be offended about anything.


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## Elder the Dwarf

Agreed Steerpike.  And then there are the people who just feel obligated to be offended by something.  It seems a bit ridiculous to me.


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## Devor

Steerpike said:


> Some people are hypersensitive. It's a ridiculous thing to be upset over, but you can find someone to be offended about anything.



I have friends who were adopted siblings.  They said that line was funny and true, and that they're always comparing themselves like that.  I think people who are upset don't even realize, Thor still _likes_ his brother.  Sort of.

Course, that's not the only line that's got people upset over nothing.


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## Steerpike

Devor said:


> I have friends who were adopted siblings.  They said that line was funny and true, and that they're always comparing themselves like that.  I think people who are upset don't even realize, Thor still _likes_ his brother.  Sort of.
> 
> Course, that's not the only line that's got people upset over nothing.



What other one has people upset. 

I wonder if they'd have been happier if Thor said I'M adopted?


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## Devor

Steerpike said:


> What other one has people upset.



Something that Loki says to Black Widow, basically it's a sexist slur translated into Victorian English.  Whedon said he's proud to have gotten it by the censers so some people are calling him sexist.  You can google it or someone else will share - I try to keep my hands light with this stuff.


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## Steerpike

Devor said:


> Something that Loki says to Black Widow, basically it's a sexist slur translated into Victorian English.  Whedon said he's proud to have gotten it by the censers so some people are calling him sexist.  You can google it or someone else will share - I try to keep my hands light with this stuff.



Oh, yeah. Well, Loki is the freaking bad guy. Idiots.


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## Penpilot

Steerpike said:


> Some people are hypersensitive. It's a ridiculous thing to be upset over, but you can find someone to be offended about anything.




I sir take offence to that. 



Devor said:


> Something that Loki says to Black Widow, basically it's a sexist slur translated into Victorian English.  Whedon said he's proud to have gotten it by the censers so some people are calling him sexist.  You can google it or someone else will share - I try to keep my hands light with this stuff.



OMG... hahaha... Obviously, these people don't know who Whedon is. The guy is an avid supporter of and was honored by Equality now, a human rights org. for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls around the world. This is like calling an priest an Athiest because he cracked a religious joke.


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## Benjamin Clayborne

Steerpike said:


> What other one has people upset.
> 
> I wonder if they'd have been happier if Thor said I'M adopted?



Maybe, but Loki really IS adopted; it wasn't just a joke.

And to be fair, Loki was adopted from a race of homicidal frost giants.


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## Androxine Vortex

ArielFingolfin said:


> Apparently Thor's "He's adopted" line has the adoption community in a buzz. Some reporter stalked out of the movie theater because of it and wrote a nasty article.



Welcome to the age where anything you say or do will hurt someone's feelings.


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## ArielFingolfin

Here's an interesting article I thought you guys might appreciate about the writing of the character Loki: Very Good Writing – Why Loki Won in The Avengers Â« The Mask of Reason


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## Tamwen

Whedon has some of the most amazing female characters. Calling him a sexist is so hilariously backwards.


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## Steerpike

Tamwen said:


> Whedon has some of the most amazing female characters. Calling him a sexist is so hilariously backwards.



Yeah, true. I've been re-watching the Buffy series and enjoying how he presented the various characters in that show.


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