So, really, guys, are you all just totally above something being cool for the sake of its special effects and fun action sequences? I haven't written about The Avengers so far because it's just been a comment here, a comment there. But all of them are amounting to "meh" and the cumulative effect is getting to me. MEH? How can you say "meh" to Thor's hammer striking Captain America's shield and the ear-shattering gong that results? How many times have comics fans wondered what that would sound like if it ever happened in real life? Amazing! How can you say "meh" to the Hulk ripping apart an alien ship, hopping in mid-air from ship to ship to building, wreaking havoc all along the way? How can you say "meh" to Iron Man in the propeller of the Heli-Carrier (the Heli-carrier! In glorious CGI for the first time in a film ever! Awesome!) spinning faster and faster and is he going to get out in time? Did any of you read superhero comics as a kid (I'm pretty sure you did, John, but you were probably cynical about them even then)? Maybe none of you even has any business watching a film like this, or any superhero film for that matter. I LOVED the Avengers and if not for my surgery, might well have gone to the theater to watch it a second time. Whedon does a great job with the dialogue (anyone read any of his work on Astonishing X-Men? Runaways? No?) and has a great sense for the characters, especially when the interact with each other. You get a clear sense that these characters are from different worlds and what they have to overcome to be able to work together to save the world. I read comics because they're fun and I like the characters and the action and the suspense and The Avengers captured that kind of comics reading experience really well. There's not supposed to be gritty realism and grey morality in this kind of movie. It's all bright colors and sacrifice and heroism and saving the world (a modern day western, John?) and Avengers gets all of that right. Bring on the sequel! And you chuckleheads can all stay home. Sheesh. "Meh." Seriously.
Oh, while I'm ranting, why is it okay to hate on films like Transformers? They're fun, they're exciting, they get your adrenaline going, they let you escape your boring existence for a little while. Why is that so wrong? [Okay, I'll admit that I do have some issues on a global responsibility level with the amount of money that goes into making a film like that, but even a modest art film that spends a few million bucks on a picture is still spending money that could feed a hella lot of people. But that's a total digression and I try not to think of it too much. Sigh.] Nevertheless, to call them "shit" when loads of experienced people have worked really hard on sets and designs and costumes and choreography for many months and even years seems to be disrespectful and unfair at the very least. A lot goes into those films and they make a load of money. These people are the best at what they do, even if it's not to my taste. And, yes, I'm still dwelling on those offhanded comments, Jeff. Sorry :P.
I'm gonna get lambasted for this post, I just know it. I love you guys :).
And Inception is freaking brilliant. Possibly Nolan's best creative original endeavor. So there.
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