One reason to watch... Avengers Assemble (2012)

One reason to watch Avengers Assemble - Joss Whedon knows what he's doing.

Pic courtesy of FilmFirstMedia

Avengers Assemble is the most fun I've had at the cinema in a long time. It's one of those films with so much happening on screen that you don't really know where to look, but you have a big grin on your face throughout.

Writer/director Joss Whedon had a mighty task with this - bringing Marvel's finest together and also satisfying his own legion of fans who demand something familiar from the Whedonverse in whatever project he delivers. The shoutouts to Whedon fans that I spotted are nicely done and not at the expense of story he's trying to tell. So don't expect Nathan Fillion to pop up in a cameo.

Whedon is a fantastic ensemble storyteller, and his script for Avengers Assemble gives each of his heroes their time at the front of the class. Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Bruce Banner/Hulk all get to flex their super skills, argue with each other, bond with each other and find their place within the Avengers team. Even the two heroes you probably don't know much about, Black Widow and Hawkeye, get enough script to be more than just support for the other Avengers who have their own franchises to go back to after this story is done.

The breakout character is Agent Coulson, the familiar face of S.H.I.E.L.D from Iron Man and Thor. Whedon makes Coulson the fanboy of the story, complete with a set of Captain America trading cards that he'd love to get signed. As someone who's met the object of their memorabilia before, I can empathise with the awkward conversation Coulson has with the Captain ("I watched you sleep..").

For anyone who likes a good fight, there's plenty to feast your eyes on. Hulk smashes up the screen with his giant green fists of fury ("Hulk, smash!") complete with cute Mark Ruffalo hair and ripped trousers. Captain America has his shield, Thor has his hammer, Iron Man has all sorts of tech in his suit, Hawkeye's bow and arrows are much more than meets the eye... But Black Widow deserves the most credit for the asses she kicks since she's the only one without an enhanced super skill. Anyone familiar with Buffy, Faith or River Tam in a fight will love her inventive and acrobatic fighting moves.

The climactic battle in Manhattan is much more exciting than alien spaceships blowing up buildings thanks to interesting camera angles and the sight of the Avengers teaming up to take the bad guys down. It's everything you want from an action film without cheesey action film dialogue getting in the way.

Avengers Assemble is a great great film that you should go and see immediately. Seriously, get off the internet and go to the cinema. And make sure you say thank you to Joss Whedon next time you see him at Comic Con.