Avengers assemble! Two guesses what your personal film critic is talking about today. No, Emma Peel is not involved.
That’s right — today I’ll examine “The Avengers,” which grossed more than $200 million in its record-breaking opening weekend last week.

The film’s heroes are Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). You’ve seen them in their solo films and in cameos, but “The Avengers” marks the first time they are assembled together by S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

What’s so pressing that an entire team was necessary? Well, Thor’s wicked half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has stolen the Tesseract — that glowing blue cube from other films — and he’s going to use it to open up a portal for his deadly army of aliens. Will the Avengers stop bickering long enough to stop him?

“The Avengers” continues the series’ tradition of cameos. Yes, that’s “How I Met Your Mother” actress Colbie Smulders playing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill in the film. And yes, Smulders is surprisingly convincing in this role. You also will see Stark’s lady love Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow).

Speaking of surprisingly convincing, let’s applaud Ruffalo. I did not want to like him as the Hulk, but he did a wonderful job. In fact, the Hulk has been the most talked-about character of the film. Quite simply, he steals the show (not that his alter ego, Bruce Banner, has a lot to do with it).

Geek god Joss Whedon wrote and directed this film, and someone should give him a very large cookie. No one writes dynamic character interaction between such diverse and dynamic characters the way Joss does.

This film is a perfect 10, and I’m a huge fan!

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