The Avengers

[JayBlanc]

The top four opening weekend box-office movies are now "The Avengers", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", "The Dark Knight" and "The Hunger Games". So be on notice Hollywood, Intelligent Movies for Geeks is where the money is.

The fifth is "Spiderman 3", so I guess there is some money in misleading people into thinking they're going to see an intelligent movie for geeks.

[Alja-Markir]

I have a different definition of Intelligent Movies for Geeks. But then I'm VERY weird.

Still, nice to see Hollywood hasn't completely stopped making decent movies just yet.

~Alja~

[Drinnik]

I'm not a huge Marvel fan, being a DC person myself, so when I saw the helicarrier, my first reaction was, "That was cool when the Master did it."

Though I do think the Valiant looked cooler.

[plummeting_sloth]

Awesome, ever so much the awesome. I don't think I've ever seen an audience enjoy the end of someone's hubris then I did in that theater. Just incredible.

Ow, and for those with sad eye's over a certain characters loss, rumor has it that their death might have been a Fury team-uniting mindscrew in a similar way to the one used in the film.

[aeric90]

Ow, and for those with sad eye's over a certain characters loss, rumor has it that their death might have been a Fury team-uniting mindscrew in a similar way to the one used in the film.

So it's a comic book movie and I know that's possible but from a dramatic standpoint that would really stink out loud. The reason it worked so well is because we were invested in the character and it gave his sacrifice and last moments meaning.

[plummeting_sloth]

Could be an interesting "is it or isn't it" plot point though, if they do another one. Would the team stick together if it turned out it was all a lie. You're right though, it would be an interesting addition to Fury's character but at the sacrifice of everything that made that death meaningful.

[tanatoes]

Saw it on Sunday with a very responsive audience. It makes the experience a whole mot better when you're surrounded by people who laugh, cheer and even sniffle at the appropriate moments. That said:

I felt the script suffered somewhat from a lack of focus. I loved the idea that Loki allowed himself to be captured as part of some convoluted plan - but even when we were told what supposedly his plot was it didn't make any sense. Okay - so he was after the Hulk maybe for some reason - but he didn't actually do anything when the Hulk showed up except escape and get back to invading the Earth.

It is my hope that Avengers 2 will reveal that Loki is playing a longer game and that his whole trip to the hover-carrier was to provoke Fury into creating the Avengers team. My guess is that Loki doesn't much like the idea of working for Thanos and he was trying to subtly stop the invasion without making it too obvious.

That's my head-canon anyhow.

[plummeting_sloth]

I will say this... I think the ordinance at the end probably coulda hit the target without the human guidance. And I did kinda think, sans Loki, the invading army probably could have been beaten by non-nuclear conventional military forces. It wouldn't have been easy but they didn't even have shields.

Not that I would have dared suggest an alternative to the ass-kicking I saw.

[JayBlanc]

I felt the script suffered somewhat from a lack of focus. I loved the idea that Loki allowed himself to be captured as part of some convoluted plan - but even when we were told what supposedly his plot was it didn't make any sense. Okay - so he was after the Hulk maybe for some reason - but he didn't actually do anything when the Hulk showed up except escape and get back to invading the Earth.

I thought the film has explained it well enough. Loki did what any evil mastermind should do. He asked his thralls to tell him who would try to stop him, and came up with a plan to pre-emptively render them unable to stop him rather than wait for them to show up in the third act. Remember, during the confrontation atop Aven--Stark Tower with Tony Stark, Loki assumed he had destroyed the Avengers as a force able to prevent the invasion. And that he did, he just made a few errors of underestimation of their ability to turn back that invasion.

[JackSlack]

I felt the script suffered somewhat from a lack of focus. I loved the idea that Loki allowed himself to be captured as part of some convoluted plan - but even when we were told what supposedly his plot was it didn't make any sense. Okay - so he was after the Hulk maybe for some reason - but he didn't actually do anything when the Hulk showed up except escape and get back to invading the Earth.

No, I agree with JayBlanc. It's well explained enough: His goal is a pre-emptive strike, intending to destroy the entire flying air-carrier by way of Hulk.

[tanatoes]

Well, i suppose the only thing for it is to watch the movie a second time and see if it flows better for me on the second viewing. Oh, the sacrifices I make. (Too bad I'll probably have to wait until Wednesday night.)

[Kapol]

I actually went back to see it again today. It wasn't better since I knew the major things. But it was nice to see all the smaller things that were going on during the entier thing. I do think there was a bit of a flow issue though...

[gcninja]

Oh sweet jesus this is sooooo good. I saw it today after finals and mannnn I loved it. I had to explain to somebody after they saw it (a couple days ago)

So they planned to see it again AND the stinger..
also, anybody else craving shawarma?
E: Also lol at "Lets go Legolas"...
The Puny God had the WHOLE theatre cracking up.

[Nomadic]

The Puny God had the WHOLE theatre cracking up.

Everyone laughed and cheered in a 2/3 full theatre at that scene. I think we all figured the rag doll had it coming by that point.

[gcninja]

Well I mean they're in a room together TWICE in a movie and its like BOOM insta comedy. After all lokis "You will bow down I am god blah blah-" SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM, "puny god" BEST PART

[Nomadic]

Agreed. Though the "I'll take that drink now." line was a close second for one-liners from rag-doll.

[RedNightmare]

When I saw it, the audience laughed out loud as well. I think every audience did, it was just great timing and totally unexpected.

[PlasmaCow]

great film, saw it yesterday afternoon with some mates - one of whom had already seen it in 3d and preferred the 2d version.

Mr Whedon, I tip my hat. Knew you wouldn't fail us.

[Elomin Sha]

Finally saw it today, in 3D, little jarring to begin with. Probably needed to be right up at the back, but it settled down. Hulk definitely had the best scenes in the film. Theatre cracked up a lot.

[DarkAbyssKeeper]

I'd just like to add this to the conversation.



Also, I absolutely loved hulk's curb stomping moment. Perfect example of who not to taunt.

[gcninja]

So was the Hulk trying to bro fist Thor, I was expecting it as it was a LONGGGG scene of just standing there, then BOOM.

[The Jester]

I think it was either on principal, or because of the smacking around Thor gave him earlier on the helicarrier.

[Lorithad]

More of Hulk's ego showing itself a bit. Big fight and nobody's standing except him and one other guy? Wouldn't it be better if hulk was the only one standing?

[gcninja]

So I haven't seen mention of it, but seriously, NO "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE"?!

[Master Gunner]

Not quite. While the phrase is referenced (hard not to be when that's the point of the movie), it is never used. However, apparently that's the name of the movie in some international markets.