Blackhat (5/10): A misfire from Michael Mann

“This isn't about money. This isn't about politics. I can target anyone, anything, anywhere.”

Since his 2004 film, Collateral, Michael Mann has shot his movies almost entirely digitally, but Blackhat is the first time he has done so in its entirety. Since he made the switch from 35mm I’d say Collateral has been his best film, although I was a fan of Public Enemies as well. Miami Vice and Blackhat have been somewhat of a disappointment, despite the fact that Mann continues to direct some great action scenes. Sometimes his films are more stylish than anything else. That is the case with Blackhat, which has a unique style, but the plot didn’t do anything for me and neither did the characters. There are a couple of intense action scenes scattered throughout the 130 minute runtime, but by the time they arrive I had no sympathy for the characters and I felt disengaged with the story. There are many films in which you don’t have to know much about the subject matter to enjoy the film (take for instance Moneyball, a baseball film that didn’t rely on your knowledge or enjoyment of the sport), but Blackhat is a film with a lot of tech jargon centering around hackers and I felt lost at times. Because of that, there were moments I didn’t quite get how they got from point A to point B, but considering this is a film that has divided audiences I would say you have to be interested in the subject matter to enjoy this movie. I simply wasn’t engaged with the premise and I felt there was no character development whatsoever. They were simply pursuing a cyber criminal across the globe in a rather rapid pace without ever stopping to build on who these people were.

Blackhat opens with an explosion at a Chinese factory which was clearly triggered by a cyber criminal through computer malware (the camera takes us through the network and computer connections and so on). Authorities fear this is a terrorist attack so the Chinese and American government decide to work together to discover who is responsible. Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang) is the expert who is in charge of the case for the Chinese and he is partnered with CIA and FBI agents, Carol Barrett (Viola David) and Mark Jessup (Holt McCallany). Chen discovers that part of the computer code used in the RAT was actually designed by him and his college roommate, Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) several years ago. Nick however is currently serving a 15 year prison sentence for having hacked into several banks, so Chen convinces the American authorities to make a deal with him to help them out with the case. Nick and Dawai are reunited, and together they try to solve the case while this dangerous criminal continues to reek havoc across the globe. They’re always one step behind this mysterious hacker whose intentions are unknown to them and the closer they get the more dangerous things turn out to be for the agents.

Mann delivers some great action scenes which include a gripping chase and an intense gunfight sequence, but for the most part the film is dull and boring as we follow these agents trying to figure out what the criminal’s intentions truly are. I didn’t care for the hacker sequences and didn’t understand much of the jargon used. There is also a romantic relationship between Hemsworth’s character and Dawai’s sister, Lien (Wei Tang), that sort of comes out of nowhere and never feels believable. The characters are never developed and it all centers on this persecution around the globe which allows Mann to shoot some gorgeous scenes, but it doesn’t do much for the story. The handheld camera can become distracting at times, but it also shows the immediacy of the situation. Mann makes his film as real and authentic as possible, but unfortunately he forgets to deliver life to his characters and that is what left me disengaged. As much as I like Mann as a director, this didn’t work for me.  

Avengers: Age of Ultron (7/10): And the Build-up continues...

"I know you're good people. I know you mean well. But you just didn't think it through. There is only one path to peace... your extinction."

Age of Ultron doesn't live up to the first Avengers mostly because the novelty of seeing all these superheroes together has warn off, but it is still a very entertaining film with some positive elements to take out of it. First of all, the villain voiced by James Spader is an improvement over most others we've seen in the Marvel Universe. He is actually a menace to the heroes, and although Ultron isn't as charismatic as Loki, he still represents a much more dangerous threat for them so we feel there is much more at stake. The addition of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch also enhances the franchise. Olsen is an actress I've admired ever since her screen debut in Martha Marcy May Marlene, so it was exciting to see her play this role alongside other fantastic actors. Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Quicksilver wasn't used as well as he was in X-Men, but it was still fun to see him on screen. Quicksilver was the highlight for me in the latest X-Men franchise, but here he is simply another new character. It was much more fun to see his quick movements in slow motion instead of at such a rapid pace. The returning characters also enhance the sequel and make it entertaining. Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man is by far my favorite character in the franchise and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk always delivers some of the best comedic moments. Age of Ultron delivers plenty of fun scenes, but it also tries to take itself a bit more seriously, and that didn't work as well for me considering I found Captain America The Winter Soldier to be a slightly better and interesting serious thriller. In summary, it doesn't match the comedy of its predecessor and it doesn't stand out as a more serious film either. The run-time does begin to feel a bit heavy, but I still have to admit that I had a fun time with the movie. There is a lot going on and with the addition of the new characters some of the scenes feel rushed and the plot gets a bit convoluted.

The main problem  with these Marvel movies is that they're getting more and more difficult to view as individual films. They seem to be always building up to something and I expected all the build-up in the previous films was going to lead to something important in this second Avengers movie, but what we get instead is more of a build-up to the next phase of the Marvel universe. Ultron presented a great threat to the heroes, but everything was rushed and it seems it was resolved all too easily by the end. It's still hard to resist a film with so many likable characters and charismatic leads, but I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed with Age of Ultron when the introduction of the main villain seemed promising. Spader's voice work stood out for me in this film as one of the best performances. I was also happy to see Jeremy Renner get much more screen time with his character, Hawkeye, as well as Scarlett Johansson with Black Widow. This is probably as close to an individual film about them we'll get. Captain America and Thor however, are underused and I really didn't care too much about them here.

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My Review: Thor: The Dark World (6/10)

"You must be truly desperate to come to me for help."

Marvel Universe Season 2 Episode 2

The second phase of the Marvel universe began this summer with Iron Man 3 which was a film I enjoyed very much, but really hasn't seemed to stick with me. I'm afraid the same problem can be said about Thor: The Dark World, which was an entertaining movie but I don't think I'd enjoy it as much on a second viewing. Most of these films are fun and exciting as you experience them for the first time, but the magic seems to vanish for me after a few weeks. Perhaps The Avengers was so great that these sequels don't seem to live up to the standard set by Joss Whedon. I still had a great time in the movies and enjoyed the sequel to Thor considering I wasn't blown away by the first film either. By now Thor knows exactly who he is and doesn't have to prove anything to anyone, so we get to see him in action with his might hammer quite a bit. At times the film has a sort of Star Wars vibe to it mixed with The Lord of the Rings (with Jane reminding me of Frodo), but the final action scene suffers from something we've seen in way too many superhero films recently: buildings getting completely destroyed and blown up. It also mixes some elements near the end that we've seen in Jumper, but all in all the film succeeds thanks to the great chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. The way they played off each other and interacted was the highlight of the film, and Hiddleston was extremely funny here. I wasn't a huge fan of his in the first Thor, but after The Avengers I began to enjoy his performance, and his character in this sequel is better than ever. I wasn't blown away by the action scenes, but I did like the smaller comedic and light moments which the film had to offer. The film is entertaining enough to garner at least one watch.

The film picks up after the events of The Avengers with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) back in Asgard serving his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) trying to restore peace to the nine realms that his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has altered. Loki is sentenced to prison after his mother Frigga (Rene Russo) insists he shouldn't be killed. It turns out to be a good decision because Thor will need his service after the city is attacked by a race of beings known as the Dark Elves. Their leader, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), is searching for a weapon known as the Aether which had been taken away from him thousands of years ago by Odin's father. Since the aether couldn't be destroyed, the Asgardians had to hide it. In the meantime Jane (Natalie Portman), who hasn't seen or heard from Thor since he left two years ago, along with her assistant Darcy (Kat Dennings) discover an anomaly very similar to the one that had brought Thor to Earth in the past. When she goes to investigate she is sucked by some sort of wormhole and ends up right next to the place where the aether had been hidden. After Heimdall (Idris Elba) warns Thor that Jane has disappeared, he goes after her, but somehow Jane has awaken Malekith which is what provoked his attack in Asgard in the first place.

Thor: The Dark World is pretty generic and follows a similar formula of most superhero films. That is the reason why so many scenes remind us of other scenes we've seen in other action films. I was never at the edge of my seat during any of the action scenes, but I did have a great time with the light and funny moments. Some people actually enjoyed the action sequences in this film, but it really didn't do anything new for me. The highlight of the film for me was Tom Hiddleston and the scenes he was in were probably the most memorable of the movie. Jamie Alexander, Zachary Levi, and Ray Stevenson all return for their supporting roles here as Thor's soldier/warriors but their characters aren't really developed too much. It is strange to see a summer blockbuster film in November but I guess that the timing was right considering all the superhero films that came out this year. Thor doesn't stand out (and I guess none really did this year), but it is still an entertaining movie. This Marvel universe is growing so fast with all these films that at times it feels like a TV series. So I guess it was a good idea that they brought in the Game of Thrones director, Alan Taylor. He has made an enjoyable film.

My Review: Rush (8/10)

"The closer you are to death, the more alive you feel. It's a wonderful way to live. It's the only way to drive."

Ron Howard is back on full gear after a couple of setbacks with The Dilemma and Angels and Demons. Rush is one of his best movies and he really does the title justice because you actually feel the rush of Formula 1 driving in this film. This is a great sports biopic that follows a lot of the well known sports cliches, but it works nonetheless thanks to a superb story and some great characters. The difference with the sports formula here is that there is no clear villain as both characters are strong rivals who despite their differences are still likable and sympathetic. They are very different in their approach to racing, but the film doesn't seem to take sides or try to tell us which driver we have to cheer for. Howard's film is intense and exhilarating, one you will enjoy even if you're not a Formula 1 fan. If you have never heard of the real life rivalry during the 70's between drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt then you are in for a thrilling ride here because the story is really gripping and powerful. If you are familiar with the story it is still enjoyable because the racing scenes are gripping with some insane camera angles and some great editing while the two lead performances are strong. This is the second time that Academy Award nominated screenwriter, Peter Morgan, collaborates with Ron Howard after Frost/Nixon, and once again they succeed in delivering a powerful biopic. This isn't Morgan's first screenplay related to sports either as he also wrote the script for The Damned United, one of my favorite sport movies of all time. These two should continue to work together because Rush is exciting and thrilling regardless wether or not you like Formula 1 racing. 

Ron Howard takes us back to the 70's to relive the classic rivalry between two successful Formula 1 drivers: James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl). Hunt is a British playboy who is passionate about driving and will do what it takes to win each race without considering the risks, while Lauda is a meticulous, extremely disciplined and calculating cold blooded Austrian driver. Despite their opposite personalities, they both have one thing in common: winning. Their rivalry began during the early 70's when they were both facing each other in lower divisions, and it escalated when they both reached Formula 1. The climatic moment takes place during the 1976 championship where a series of spectacular events unfold including a near fatal accident by Lauda and a nail biting season finish. The risks were high in this high speed sport where the safety conditions we have today didn't exist then. The film however doesn't just focus on their rivalry on the tracks, it also follows their personal lives off the track giving the characters more depth. We get a glimpse into Hunt's reckless marriage with Suzy Miller (Olivia Wilde), and Lauda's relationship with Marlene (Alexandra Maria Lara). The rivalry between these two men may just be the extra push they need to become better drivers, but it can also lead to taking more risks in a deadly sport. 

Rush was a pleasant surprise because it wasn't just another sport movie about two bitter rivals; it actually was a film about two rivals who brought the best out of each other and that is what made this biopic so much more interesting. It's that fierce competition between two talented drivers in a fast paced film that leaves you with a sense of rush and raises your pulse. Howard also does a great job at recreating the 70's and delivering some exciting racing scenes. Hemsworth proves he is more than muscles and Bruhl is just as exciting on screen. I wasn't surprised by Bruhl's performance because he had one small scene in Inglourious Basterds that really blew me away, but I really hadn't discovered this side of Chris Hemsworth who proved he has a career after Thor. Rush is such a dynamic and fun viewing experience, one you won't want to miss. The difference between these two lead characters and the way they play off each other is what ultimately drives this film to succeed. I can't think of any other racing movie that worked better than Rush, and I still haven't mentioned how exciting that final race scene played out in the rain with the slow-motion camera. It was breathtaking, give Rush a chance.

My Review: Red Dawn (5/10)

¨We´re not doing too bad for a bunch of kids. We´re gonna fight. We´re gonna keep fighting cause it´s easier now and we´re used to it.¨

I agree that this was a totally unnecessary remake and that the plot is beyond ridiculous, but I still had a decent time with Red Dawn as long as I didn’t try to think too much about the unbelievable scenario. The real reason why this movie failed is because they took the ridiculous plot way too seriously when they should have played with the concept a little. A much lighter and playful approach would have made this film work. I really don’t understand why the producers thought a remake like this would be a good idea considering the original film wasn’t all that great either. I think it´s about time the film industry begins taking bigger risks instead of recycling the same material over and over again and only adding new faces and better visual effects. This version of Red Dawn was directed by Dan Bradley who is known mostly for his work as a stunt coordinator in big budget films like the Spider Man and Bourne franchises. This was his directorial debut and of course it has several flaws and a rather terrible and unsatisfying ending, but it still managed to maintain my interest throughout most of the film. It was adapted from Kevin Reynolds´s story of the 1984 film by Carl Ellsworth (Disturbia and Red Eye) and Jeremy Passmore, but their script wasn´t much brighter. I think that if the film didn’t take itself so seriously and played more with the ridiculousness of it all then it could have been much better. It never ended up embracing the absurdity of it all.

The original Red Dawn dealt with the invasion of Soviets, but since we are in different times this time the enemy is North Korea. The story is very fictional and you have to be very imaginative in order to go along with the entire situation. The story takes place in a small American town in Washington while the local High school team has suffered a defeat under the leadership of its star quarterback, Matt Eckert (Josh Peck), while his father Tom (Brett Cullen) and older brother Jed (Chris Hemsworth) watch from the sidelines. Despite the loss, his girlfriend Erica (Isabel Lucas) manages to lift his spirit and they all go out to celebrate at the local bar until they are interrupted by a blackout. Everything changes the next morning when a swarm of North Korean soldiers come parachuting down several jet planes and begin taking everyone hostage. Jed, who has recently returned from his service in Iraq, manages to escape along with his brother and several other friends to the woods. Together they decide to fight back the invaders and disrupt their plans. The young kids form a revolutionary group and call themselves the Wolverines, like the school mascot. Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, and Connor Cruise all form part of the rebellious group that is led by Jed. It is impossible for a group of young teenagers to take down such a big military force, but somehow they manage to create chaos and inspire the rest of the American citizens to fight back.

The film was shot in 2009 but due to some production problems it was finally released last year. I don’t think they should have gone with all that trouble because the outcome wasn’t really satisfying although the recent fame of Chris Hemsworth (Thor and The Avengers) and Josh Hutcherson (Hunger Games) may have helped the box office. Hutcherson who worked with Hemsworth´s brother, Liam, in The Hunger Games doesn’t really have an important role he. The true stars of the film are Chris and Josh Peck (from the Josh and Drake show) although there really wasn’t a strong performance in all the film. It´s hard to believe the actors when the script is pretty much unbelievable. The entire film feels like watching a couple of friends play Modern Warfare. The film could have worked better as a television miniseries or something like that, but as a two hour film everything felt way out of place. This is Friday Night Lights meets Pearl Harbor.   

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My Review: The Cabin in the Woods (7/10)

¨They have to choose what happens in the cellar. Yeah, we write the game as much as we have to but in the end, if they don't transgress they can't be punished. ¨

I`m not big on horror films since I generally consider them to be very predictable and cliché. I can’t remember what the last horror slasher movie I enjoyed was since the few I do enjoy have to do more with psychological scares. All these movies are the same, but to my surprise it wasn’t the case with Cabin in the Woods. I had no idea what direction this movie was moving towards and despite not being a fan of the genre I was able to appreciate Cabin in the Woods thanks to the unpredictability of it and some interesting performances. The less you know about this film before watching it the better. Like the tagline of the movie suggests, this film works as sort of a satire of all the slasher films we`ve grown up with. ¨If something is chasing you…split up, ¨ is one of the taglines that is so cliché about these movies and it`s addressed in this film as well. There are several elements that are sort of dissected in this movie and analyzed through satire and that`s what I enjoyed the most about Cabin in the Woods. I didn’t care for the scares (which aren't here) or the gore, what I really liked was that this film was making fun of the genre while at the same time paying homage to it so that fanboys would also enjoy it. It works almost in the same way that Scream did in the late 90`s by making fun of the stereotypes of the genre. This film has an ending every fanboy will enjoy. It was a little too much for me since I`m not a big fan of the genre, but I still have to admit I was really surprised by this film. It is definitely one of the best horror movies I`ve seen in a very long time.

Despite the fact that the trailers give away a lot of the movie I will only give away the basic part. You have the five typical teenagers you see in most horror films decide to go spend a weekend at an old and mysterious cabin in the woods: the jock, Curt (Chris Hemsworth), the slut, Jules (Anna Hutchison), the stoner, Marty (Fran Kranz), the nerd, Holden (Jesse Williams), and the virgin, Dana (Kristen Connolly). The five play characters we are all familiar with in this genre. On their way to the woods they even run into an old gas station with a weird owner named Mordecai (Tim de Zarn) who really only lacks a sign in front of his forehead saying ¨Do not go into the woods if you want to live.¨ Once the teens arrive at the beautiful place they begin to party as they usually do, but later strange things begin to happen and they realize that they might not be alone in that place. You probably have seen this scenario a million times before in these films, but it takes a totally different turn and if you`re a fan of the genre you will be in for a treat. Character actors Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford also give some strong secondary performances as they usually do.

Cabin in the Woods combines a lot of gore with laughs. I can`t say scares because there is hardly any. I like the way the film poked fun of its usual stereotypes and played with them while at the same time paying homage to several classic horror films. This was Drew Goddard`s first film as a director and he really delivers. He had the credentials necessary considering he wrote and produced several Buffy, Angel, and Lost episodes as well as Cloverfield. He also co-wrote this brilliant and bizarre script with Joss Whedon, one of the best screenwriters in Hollywood (The Avengers, Toy Story, and Serenity). The script is smart although I must say that it was bizarre as well, but in a good way. Fans will have a terrific time with this movie, and those of us who criticize most slasher films for their predictability will be surprised by the twists taken here. It is a very original film which isn’t afraid of taking risks or making fun of itself. The highlight of the film for me was Fran Kranz`s performance. Most of the characters in this movie were really likeable, as opposed to most horror films where they are hateful and forgettable. Cabin in the Woods is a very interesting and unique film.

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My Review: Snow White and the Huntsman (5/10)

¨Lips red as blood. Hair black as night. Bring me your heart my dear, dear Snow White.¨

This is as close of a Tim Burton version of Snow White then you`ll ever see (even if Tim Burton himself directs one). The visual style of the film is pretty dark, but fascinating. It stands out in the film, but what the movie has going for it visually, it lacks story wise. The movie dragged for very long periods of time and moved really slowly. If it weren’t for the great visuals I might have not made it through this original version of the classic story we`ve all seen hundreds of times before. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was Disney`s first feature length movie and one of my favorite classics. I recall the darkness of it involving the evil witch, but I also remember the sweetness of Snow White and the playfulness of the seven dwarfs. Director Rupert Sanders does a very good job at setting the dark mood thanks to the strong performance from Charlize Theron, but he fails to capture the sweetness and innocence that embodies Snow White. As much as I like Kirsten Stewart, she really never convinced me as Snow White and that is my greatest complaint along with a lack of a better or more engaging storyline. This film was written by Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, and Hossein Amini (the screenplay writer of my favorite film last year: Drive), but despite being beautifully shot and having great visuals it lacked a bit more heart in the story and a better conclusion. Despite moving so slow during most of the story, it seems to finish rather quickly and abruptly at the end. The movie does have some positive things however, such as Chris Hemsworth`s performance and some of the great actors playing the dwarfs.

We are all familiar with Snow White, although this film does take several liberties and takes us different places (despite having several of the same characters and lines from the original like ¨Mirror, mirror on the wall who is fairest of them all? ¨).  Snow White is played by Kristen Stewart who`s a princess until the day her mother dies and her father remarries Ravenna (Charlize Theron). Once Ravenna becomes Queen she murders Snow White`s father and locks her in the towers. The evil Ravenna begins to rule and the kingdom grows very dark. She`s a witch with eternal beauty thanks to the hundreds of girls she`s killed. Their hearts are the secret to her youth and beauty. She rules along with her brother Finn (Sam Spruell) who is more like her servant. Once Ravenna discovers that Snow White`s beauty is a threat to her powers she sends Finn to bring her in order to kill her, but Snow White manages to escape and hides in the dark forest. That is when Ravenna hires the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to go after her and bring her back, but once the Huntsman meets Snow White he decides to protect her instead. Snow White`s childhood friend, William (Sam Claflin), hears she`s still alive and also begins searching for her in order to protect her and overthrow the evil Queen. Along the way Snow White and the Huntsman run into some dwarfs (played by such great actors as Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Eddie Marsan, Toby Jones, and Johnny Harris) who also decide to protect her from the evil powers of the Queen and so the journey continues.

 I actually enjoyed some of the supporting characters in this film. The actors that played the dwarfs brought a lot of comedy to an otherwise very dark and serious film. Chris Hemsworth was the other actor who brought some comedic relief to the table, and perhaps my favorite character of the film (reminding us as to why Thor was so good despite the ridiculous plot). The film had its entertaining moments, but I just felt it too dark of a picture for my enjoyment and really wished it would have had a better ending. Was it better than I expected it to be? Yes, but that doesn’t mean it was good either. Kristen Stewart is a beautiful actress, but she didn’t fit the role of Snow White, she is not the typical sweet actress, there is some darkness in her as well. This is not a kid’s version of Snow White and is mostly for adults, but I still was left with an empty feeling from the theater as if something were missing. I didn’t have a terrible time with this film; I would give it a 5.8, almost enjoyable.

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My Review: The Avengers (9/10)

¨Maybe your army will come, maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you! Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we'll avenge it!¨

Along with many others, The Avengers was one of my most anticipated films of 2012, and I can honestly say that it didn’t disappoint me one bit. It was even better than what I had anticipated and every single person in the theater seemed to have had the time of their lives. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments where everyone just cheered and the movie never ceased to entertain. The Avengers is one of the best superhero movies ever made, and I would say only The Dark Knight surpasses it, although comparing these two movies isn’t fair because this film is much lighter and self aware of its premise. The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon (who also wrote the screenplay) is masterfully put together, meshing the incredible special effects and action scenes with the beloved characters and perfect cast. Everyone is really great in this film and it entertains from the very beginning. This is what a popcorn summer movie should be. I was worried so much hype for this film could`ve ruined the film for me, but I was wrong. All the hype only built the momentum for this great action comedy superhero flick. Ever since the first Iron Man came out these films (Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk) have been a sort of teaser trailer for this big movie. Those films helped build the characters and build the momentum for what we truly wanted to see: The Avengers. I assume this is how kids actually felt during the early 50`s when they were expecting for the next Marvel comic book issue to come out. This film definitely captured that essence and magic thanks to such a magnificent team of cast and crew.

The movie opens with Loki (Tom Hiddleston) attacking the SHIELD agency directed by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in order to retrieve the cube which would enable him to open a portal to another universe and send an army to destroy earth. Loki is successful and manages to steal the cube and force Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Dr. Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) to join him by taking away their free will. In order to stop Loki, Nick Fury decides it`s time to assemble the team of superheroes which he has kept a close eye on for several years. He sends Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) to get Dr. Banner (Mark Ruffalo) and Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) to call on Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Fury decides it`s time to get Captain America (Chris Evans) back into the action, and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) comes all the way from Asgard to try to stop his villainous brother from destroying Earth. These superheroes are assembled together, but aren`t ready to work as a team. They have some issues at first and have to learn to work together if they want to stop the evil Loki.

 The premise is pretty simple, but what really makes the film work is the interaction between all these great characters. This film could have relied so heavily on the special effects that it would`ve lost the magic of the great characters created by Stan Lee, but fortunately it decides to focus more on them. The tension they face working together is what really makes the movie work. There are plenty of funny moments as we have these superheroes fighting and mouthing each other. Robert Downey Jr. has showed us he can play the part to perfection, but every actor in this film really had great scenes. One of my greatest fears was that so many actors would not have enough screen time, but somehow everyone manages to be in this film for quite a while. Even minor characters such as Black Widow and Hawkeye get great exposure. Another thing I feared before The Avengers was that I thought Loki was one of the weakest villains of all the Marvel movies, but he is really great and dark in this film. He proved to be a great rival. But without a doubt, the best thing and most surprising for me was Mark Ruffalo`s performance as The Hulk, he really owned the movie and he had the best and funniest scenes in the entire film. Pairing him with Downey Jr. was really the best thing the producers could have done. Hulk is perhaps the best character in this film and the one I was least expecting to enjoy. Everyone in the theater was truly satisfied with the film and especially with the Incredible Hulk. He was amazing and so was the movie for that matter.  

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