Avengers Assemble!

[Feraud]

We've discussed comicbook film adaptation so is there any interest in the upcoming Avengers movie?
The film hasn't yet opened in the U.S. but has pulled in a whopping $185 million overseas.
[video=youtube_share;eOrNdBpGMv8]http://youtu.be/eOrNdBpGMv8[/video]



The first Avengers comic came out in the early 60s so the topic has vintage cred.

 

[AmateisGal]

My family - including my tween daughter - are ecstatic about this film. We can't wait to see it!!!

 

[Doctor Strange]

Are you kidding? I'm going on opening day! I've been waiting for a movie like this since the 1960s! (I refuse to wait until my kids get back from college to go with them!)

I flat out loved Thor, and liked Captain America: The First Avenger and Iron Man alot. But I thought Iron Man 2 was terrible - I'm not sure how they botched it so badly. And I much preferred the earlier, smarter/artier Ang Lee Hulk to the workmanlike The Incredible Hulk... though everything I've read indicates that the new Mark Ruffalo version of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers is a big improvement on both.

And, as expected, the story input and direction by the brilliant Joss Whedon is the icing on the cake. I'm not at all surprised the film has done boffo biz overseas, it's going to be a huge hit here.

Anyway yeah, I'm crazy psyched...

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Watching the trailer (without sound) made me think of post 911 paranoya. The trailer to the new Batman movie too. I don't know. I would like a comic adaption without this. Exloding streets and building. Soldiers in the city...

 

[AntonAAK]

I am very excited about this. It has opened here but I haven't had a chance to get to see it yet. I will at the weekend.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Definitely will see this, even though I never read the right comics as a kid to know who anyone is!

Why do they release American films outside North America before domestic release? North Americans have been supporting Hollywood's successes, failures, and mediocrities for decades so they least they could do...

 

[Worf]

I'm a card carrying member of the "Merry Marvel Marching Society". I've my Marvel Cred as Doc Strange can attest to. I think with last years "Captain America", "Thor" and the two "Iron Man" movies, Marvel has set themselves up for a blockbuster summer. The only thing I worry about is that glmpses of the villian don't make him seem very dangerous. I'm not sure if it's Loki returned from "Thor" or somone who just looks like him. And the guy playing Hawkeye doesn't do much fer me either in the previews but I'll hold off judgement till I see's it. Won't go opening weekend, but I'll get around to it.

Worf

 

[Edward]

I flat out loved Thor, and liked Captain America: The First Avenger and Iron Man alot. But I thought Iron Man 2 was terrible - I'm not sure how they botched it so badly. And I much preferred the earlier, smarter/artier Ang Lee Hulk to the workmanlike The Incredible Hulk... though everything I've read indicates that the new Mark Ruffalo version of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers is a big improvement on both.

Interested in your opinions on that - I know you're a long time fan. Funnily enough, I just watched Iron Man 2 on HBO Asia tonight, and enjoyed it a lot (again). The plot is to some extent a bit of a retread of the first one, granted, but it was fun.

As to the Ang Lee take on Hulk, I veer between hatred of and disappointment in it. The visual style was great, but I hated the whole father-fixation plot, the father becoming a monster too was stupid, and I loathed the monster poodle - that really was awful. I could actually hear Fonzie strapping the water-skis on at that point. Those things excised, it could have been great - I loved the sight of him swinging the tank by its gun barrel. And the comic-book frames in the visuals were superb. Much preferred the more traditional take of the Incredible version. I would love to see a decent take on the original origin story on the big screen...

And, as expected, the story input and direction by the brilliant Joss Whedon is the icing on the cake. I'm not at all surprised the film has done boffo biz overseas, it's going to be a huge hit here.

Anyway yeah, I'm crazy psyched...

I'm open minded.... I want to see it and I'll judge it on its merits. I'm just a little wary of whether it might not be too much of a good thing: historically, Hollywood takes on the superhero genre have always foundered when they try to add too many big characters to the mix. For instance, Sam Raimi's third installment in his Spiderman run. The Sandman was the story he really wanted to tell - and, of course, they needed to bring the whole goblin thing full circle as that was the running theme. That was already a lot to fit in, but then the studio pressured him into sticking Venom in as well to appeal to the fan crowd.... Not a bad film, all told, but it could have been so much better with less going on overall.

 

[scottyrocks]

And the comic-book frames in the visuals were superb. Much preferred the more traditional take of the Incredible version. I would love to see a decent take on the original origin story on the big screen...

I was never a big Hulk fan, but I found the comic book frames incredibly annoying. I know its a comic book hero. I didn't need the frames to remind me (and make me dizzy).

 

[Doctor Strange]

Edward - I don't think this is the same thing as the familiar after-the-brilliant-second-one-the-third-movie-gets-bloated-and-self-indulgent syndrome seen in Spider-Man 3, X-Men: The Last Stand, Batman Forever, (Return of the Jedi, Godfather III,) etc. (*) It's true, all of these characters have had their first acts (and even a second for Iron Man), but bringing them together is something new, and Whedon's approach surely brings an extra dimension. With such a large cast, I am a little worried about it not giving all the characters their due, but the reviews seem to indicate that this isn't the case.

(* Yes, I am seriously scared that The Dark Knight Rises will follow this pattern. How do you top the The Dark Knight without going overboard? Well, we'll see this summer.)

And (Edward and scottyrocks) my feeling on Ang Lee's Hulk is sure, A WHOLE LOT of it doesn't work. But the parts that do - like the entire desert escape and chase/jet ride to the stratosphere/de-Hulking in front of Betty in San Francisco - work really well. I always prefer a film that tries a whole bunch of unusual stuff - even if it fails - to a standard, by-the-numbers entry. And The Incredible Hulk, while more of a straightforward action flick, is certainly watchable and has some good moments... but I don't consider it any improvement on the first film. The redesigned Hulk is not any more believable than the first one, and while the replacements in the cast are okay, they're not better. (In particular, I liked Sam Elliot's take on General Ross more than William Hurt's.) Well, the new Mark Ruffalo Hulk is likely to trump both previous versions anyway...

 

[AmateisGal]

I liked both Iron Man movies, and Thor was just plain awesome (though I'm sure it had nothing to do with Chris Hemsworth's bare-chested scene ). I wasn't in love with Captain America - I think it could have been a whole lot better. I'm VERY anxious to see all the characters together.

I just watched the trailer to the The Dark Knight Rises and it looks creepy and awesome and cool. But we'll see. I didn't like the second movie in this installment nearly as much as the first one.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Of course, that fanservice shirtless scene included one of my favorite lines in Thor:

"You know, for a crazy homeless guy... he's pretty cut." - Darcy (Kat Dennings)

 

[m_luvsartdeco]

I grew up reading Avengers comics but for whatever reason I am not very hyped for this one. I will definitely go see it, though. Of all the movies for Avengers characters made, Captain America was probably my favorite...then maybe Iron Man. The other ones fell kind of flat for me.

 

[AmateisGal]

Of course, that fanservice shirtless scene included one of my favorite lines in Thor:

"You know, for a crazy homeless guy... he's pretty cut." - Darcy (Kat Dennings)

lol Yeah, that was one of my favorite lines, too.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Wow! :eusa_clap
I'm there.
Only thing "wrong" with it that I can see is that Antman isn't in it.

 

[Touchofevil]

I have almost every Avengers comic book ever published so obviously I will have to see it!

 

[Feraud]

The reviews coming in are all very positive. Apparently Mark Ruffalo is outstanding as the Hulk.
We're planning on seeing the movie on Sunday. Cannot wait!

 

[Edward]

Managed to catch the trailer last night on tv. Looks great fun at least. "We've got a Hulk."

 

[resortes805]

Saw it this morning; it was alot of fun. Interesting mid-credit cameo by the last guy (being?) I would imagine would be the villain for a sequel.

 

[gtdean48]

My son went to the midnight showing & said it was very good. I raised him on X-men, Batman & Spiderman VHS. He's 22 now.
I haven't seen Capt America or Thor yet. I will before going to see this one.