what I really did like about THE AVENGERS

[hradzka]

I did not expect that I would come out of it with the two most interesting characters being Hulk and Black Widow. Black Widow got a lot of action and important stuff to do, but for me the most interesting thing was that the character worked 1) *as a spy* and 2) as a person with believable human reactions. I think there were points where Johansson played it a little too remote, but I liked her performance quite well overall, and I was amazed at how much I liked the friendship between Black Widow and Hawkeye. (It really hit the Modesty-Blaise-and-Willie-Garvin button, which series I have only lately read all the way through and OH MY GOD is it ever awesome.)

And Hulk -- ) look, the Hulk is the Marvel superhero I always identified with growing up, and still do, so I was predisposed to like Hulk. But Mark Ruffalo really nailed Banner, better than anyone since Bill Bixby. And this may seem strange, but you know something shallow that I really liked? *Mark Ruffalo looks like a grown-ass man.* He's not a pretty plastic boy; he's good looking, but he's got a very masculine face. And Whedon writes the part like a Banner's a grown-ass man, too: Banner isn't macho, he's gentle, but he doesn't glorify his emotions, either: he understands them, and accepts them, and learns to deal with them. And that's terrific. (I wonder, actually, if Whedon's sister-in-law Maurissa Tancharoen's ongoing battle with lupus informed the writing of the Hulk -- Banner's confession that he's *always* angry strikes me as being *very* true to chronic illness, and Tancharoen's blogging of her condition has not skimped on her anger.)

Comments

[pocketmouse]

One of the biggest things I loved about their movie was how most of the cast weren't 20-somethings.

[hjcallipygian]

I *intended* to see this movie before the baby was born... Yeah. That worked out great. =) I'll have to let you know what I thought about it when it comes out on Netflix or something.

[matt_doyle]

They did a much, much better job of Bruce Banner than the other recent movies. And yeah, agreed especially on the friendship between Black Widow & Hawkeye.

[grey_bard]

All of these things were things that really worked for me about this movie. The writing and acting for Bruce Banner and Black Widow were both things I was worried about going in, and things that hit the target just right for me.

I think the lack of histrionics - except, okay, on Loki's part, but he's crazier than a sack full of cats - was what really sold it for me and allowed me to connect with the characters without being drowned in a sea of melodrama.

And now I want all the gen fic ever for this movie. All the gen fic.

[hradzka]

Absolutely. People need to age into roles.

[hradzka]

Ahahahahah *points at you* NEW DAD ahahahahaha

(Mazel tov, again.)

[hradzka]

I like friendships way more than any other kind of ships, to be honest.

[hradzka]

Yeah. Like I said, Johansson didn't really do it for me on an emotional connection or bad-ass cool level -- Black Widow *does* cool things, but I do not go OMG BLACK WIDOW IS SO KICK-ASS, because I don't feel that emotional attachment to the character. I think that's an actorly failing. I respect and enjoy Black Widow on a very intellectual, rather than visceral, level.

ALL THE GEN FIC.

[matt_doyle]

I go back and forth on it -- but they're definitely the most neglected type of relationship in normal fandom circles and Hollywood productions, and this was a sterling example of platonic badass partnership at its finest.

[hjcallipygian]

Once I entered my mid/late twenties and no longer had several hours a day to spend scouring the interwebz for new music, I would say, "From cool to me takes about six to eighteen months." Now, I think it's about to be, "From geek to me takes about six to eighteen months." =)

[ladyvyola]

I am right there with you on Modesty Blaise! I've read all the books/stories and have many of the comics collections and even wrote a story for Yuletide one year. I have ALL THE FEELS about Modesty and Willie and their badass platonic perfection.