# Marvel's Avengers - early reviews seem positive \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406 "2012-04-20T13:18:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/141 "2012-05-06T15:00:43Z")
I am guessing opening internationally first has more to do with pirating than the fear of bad reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/142 "2012-05-06T15:59:52Z")
Loved it, going to go see it a second time today. Between \*Avengers \*and _Cabin In The Woods_, it’s a very good time to be a Whedon fan. My favorite line has to be, “What’s my secret? I’m ALWAYS angry.” ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/143 "2012-05-06T16:06:06Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > My favorite line has to be, “What’s my secret? I’m ALWAYS angry.” Yep, I think that line got the most cheers in the entire movie. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/144 "2012-05-06T17:17:36Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > My 2¢ > P.S. I absolutely _love_ Tom Hiddleston as an actor despite pretty much only knowing him as Loki- otherwise I have only seen him in _Midnight in Paris_ and _War Horse_. His performances in _Thor_ and _The Avengers_ have been brilliant. > > I joked upthread about his “Kneel before me” speech in the Germany scene being “Loki’s Terrence Stamp Impression”. I actually very much look forward to seeing Hiddleston as an older actor 30 years from now- I think we will look at him then the way we look at guys like Terrence Stamp, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, and Anthony Hopkins today. > > I looked at his filmography to confirm that I have, indeed, seen him in as few movies as just the four I have seen. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I read that, this year, we will get to see him as Hal/Henry V in _Henry IV part 1_, _Henry IV part 2_ AND _Henry V_!!! > > [IMDB Link for Henry V (2012), the page for which includes links for Henry IV Part 1 and Henry IV Part 2](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2150275/) TBH, I was sold when I found out Hiddleston auditioned because he was in a play with Kenneth Branaugh who told him to try out for his new movie, _Thor_. That much British has to be awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/145 "2012-05-06T17:42:52Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > TBH, I was sold when I found out Hiddleston auditioned because he was in a play with Kenneth Branaugh who told him to try out for his new movie, _Thor_. That much British has to be awesome! I loved him in the role because he reminded me a lot of one of my favorite actors, Mark Lindsay Chapman (circa the early 90s, when he played Dr. Arcane and completely stole the show on the cheesy old “Swamp Thing” TV series). If they’d made this movie 20 years ago I could easily have seen Chapman playing Loki. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/146 "2012-05-06T17:43:22Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > TBH, I was sold when I found out Hiddleston auditioned because he was in a play with Kenneth Branaugh who told him to try out for his new movie, _Thor_. That much British has to be awesome! In Branagh’s directorial voice-over for _Thor_, he gives out a huge amount of information about why he chose most of the people in the cast. He did an amazing job with that, even if he did spend a predictable amount of time shining up his own reputation. And, I really loved the bit at the end with the Hulk treating Loki like a gorilla with an ugly suitcase. The look on Loki’s face afterwards is priceless. I’ve always wanted to see that in a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/147 "2012-05-06T17:48:59Z")
Saw it last night–loved it! I was especially surprised at how much I liked Black Widow in this. She was given some good character scenes (with Bruce and Loki) and her hand-to-hand fight scenes were well done. I was worried how two non-powered characters like Black Widow and Hawkeye would fit in with the others, but I think they were incorporated very well. Their inclusion, I would say, makes the story better by “humanizing” the team a bit. I was never worried about any harm coming to the big guys. Heck, Hulk and Thor are nigh-invulnerable. But I was never sure whether Black Widow or Hawkeye would be alive at the movie’s end. And I thought Scarlett Johansson did pretty well–I’ve always found her acting to be kind of wooden in the past. Current estimates are that _The Avengers_ will have an opening weekend domestic box office of **200.3 million dollars!** That smashes the record set by the last _Harry Potter_ movie ($169M). _The Avengers_ has also taken in over $440M in foreign markets. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/148 "2012-05-06T18:01:37Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Yep, I think that line got the most cheers in the entire movie. And it explained all of those little secret smiles all through the movie, which brought a wonderful sense of closure. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/149 "2012-05-06T18:39:59Z")
> [@](#): > > I was especially surprised at how much I liked Black Widow in this. She was given some good character scenes (with Bruce and Loki) and her hand-to-hand fight scenes were well done. I was worried how two non-powered characters like Black Widow and Hawkeye would fit in with the others, but I think they were incorporated very well. Their inclusion, I would say, makes the story better by “humanizing” the team a bit. I was never worried about any harm coming to the big guys. Heck, Hulk and Thor are nigh-invulnerable. But I was never sure whether Black Widow or Hawkeye would be alive at the movie’s end. And I thought Scarlett Johansson did pretty well–I’ve always found her acting to be kind of wooden in the past. Usually, with an actress as hot as Johansson, I have a hard time objectively judging her acting talent, since I’m too distracted just looking at her. Her scene with Loki, though, her acting shone through. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/150 "2012-05-06T19:17:03Z")
Saw it. Enjoyed it. The craft is on the screen - Whedon’s craft. I can see the film getting recognized. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/151 "2012-05-06T19:21:31Z")
My oldest son insists that I see this movie. I don’t like superhero movies or action movies or movies with lots of CGI, but I love Joss Whedon. Would I like this movie? The kid would be pleased that he recommended something I liked, our tastes are so different. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/152 "2012-05-06T19:26:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Usually, with an actress as hot as Johansson, I have a hard time objectively judging her acting talent, since I’m too distracted just looking at her. Her scene with Loki, though, her acting shone through. I think they down-graded the va-va-voom quality of her costume for this movie (possibly because she needed to be wearing more of a Standard Issue Shield outfit), which helped with that. I remember, in Favreau’s voiceover for Iron Man 2, he said when she first showed up on set in the Black Widow costume, everything just kind of… ground to a halt. His voiceover just sort of trailed off in the middle of a sentence. ---
**Author:** ![CyclopticXander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@CyclopticXander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyclopticXander)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/153 "2012-05-06T20:44:29Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > My oldest son insists that I see this movie. I don’t like superhero movies or action movies or movies with lots of CGI, but I love Joss Whedon. Would I like this movie? The kid would be pleased that he recommended something I liked, our tastes are so different. It’s definitely Joss in the way he handles the humanity of the characters, the dialogue and interpersonal dynamics are just delicious. It is all three of those things you don’t like, but it’s just about the most grounded such a thing an over the top thing can be. Besides, assuming you like Buffy, that’s pretty much a Joss style superhero story. You may be a little lost, but I can’t imagine anyone flat out not liking this movie. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/154 "2012-05-06T21:00:52Z")
Saw it today, the 3D version just because I didn’t want to wait 30 minutes for the normal version. Definitely buying this one when it hits blu-ray. And a big HA HA to the nephew who couldn’t be arsed to call me before the movie (see the May rant thread in the pit for full laughs at his expense). ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/155 "2012-05-06T21:09:10Z")
Guess I’ll have to wait a while to find out how a guy with bow and arrow can contribute to a group of super-powered people. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/156 "2012-05-06T21:16:08Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Guess I’ll have to wait a while to find out how a guy with bow and arrow can contribute to a group of super-powered people. Precisely. ---
**Author:** ![CyclopticXander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@CyclopticXander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyclopticXander)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/157 "2012-05-06T21:23:23Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Guess I’ll have to wait a while to find out how a guy with bow and arrow can contribute to a group of super-powered people. You will. Also a 120 pound woman with a pistol. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/158 "2012-05-06T22:19:22Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > “There’s only one god, and he doesn’t dress like that.” That totally sounded like something America would say. > > I didn’t like the Hulk cheap shotting Thor. Cheap laugh. I thought it was more of a “we got 'em” fist bump gone bad… It worked for us. 😃 > [@Chronos](#): > > … > My favorite non-spoiler moment that hasn’t been mentioned yet was when Rogers actually caught a cultural reference. … …to a movie made in 1936! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/159 "2012-05-06T23:39:31Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > I was especially surprised at how much I liked Black Widow in this. One thing that impressed me was that Black Widow wasn’t scared of any man… except Bruce. You could tell that the Hulk freakin’ \*terrified \*her- most likely because she knew that he was the one man she couldn’t control or kill. > [@Yllaria](#): > > And it explained all of those little secret > smiles all through the movie, which brought a wonderful sense of closure. Yeah, I just watched it for the second time, and I picked up on so many things I missed the first time- and this was one. On the second viewing, it’s obvious that he’s not on a knife edge- he’s on the other side, making it work \*for \*him. It even explains the final scene of the previous Hulk movie. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406/160 "2012-05-06T23:49:23Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > In Branagh’s directorial voice-over for _Thor_, he gives out a huge amount of information about why he chose most of the people in the cast. He did an amazing job with that, even if he did spend a predictable amount of time shining up his own reputation. > > And, I really loved the bit at the end with the Hulk > > treating Loki like a gorilla with an ugly suitcase. The look on Loki’s face afterwards is priceless. > > I’ve always wanted to see that in a movie. That scene was so incredible how they made Loki’s body contort like a ragdoll…and like you said, that look of utter shock on his face as he lay in that concrete trench created by his body being slammed over and over by Hulk was just amazingly funny. Man I loved that movie. I felt the same way watching it as I did a child in the late 1970’s watching the superheroes from the Hall Of Justice fighting against the Legion Of Doom. You know what? That might not be a bad idea for the next movie for the Avengers to fight a coalition of bad guys instead of a single, super-powerful one. I guess the X-Men kind of already covered that ground, but I could see it working for an Avengers movie. If you are reading and haven’t gone and watched it yet…GO! Its so very well done. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvels-avengers-early-reviews-seem-positive-edited-title/619406.md?page=9)