The Avengers Movie Poster http://marvel.com

What’s better than a superhero?  Six super heroes.

The Marvel universe did not disappoint with it’s newest movie.  The Avengers was exactly what I hoped it would be.  I feared that the huge cast and the big personalities they played would cause the whole plot to implode upon itself like a dying star.  Instead they showed the talent and creativity of the writers, actors, and producers of this movie when they made a script that allowed each character to shine and still somehow make room for their teammates.

**Slight Spoilers Ahead**

I assume that they were not disappointed with the fruits of their labors.  The last I checked, The Avengers had hit $700 million worldwide at the box office.  According to Mashable, 83 percent of tweets about The Avengers in the last 30 days have been either positive or neutral - and it’s no surprise.  After all, who wouldn’t be excited about all that the Marvel film had to offer?

Scarlet Johansson and Jeremy Renner did a fantastic job in their rolls as Black Widow and Hawkeye, a pleasant surprise since neither have had thier own movies before the debut of Avengers.  There is already buzz about their characters getting a chance to make their debut, and I for one would be very excited to see what Marvel did with them after seeing them really shine in this movie.  Scarlet Johansson was especially impressive with her gravity defying choreography and fighting moves.  And she looked really, REALLY good in her jumpsuit.

Robert Downey Jr. did not disappoint as Iron Man.  His witty humor and blatant disregard for the rules added serious entertainment value, and he and Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk) had a very real connection between thier characters that added some depth to the storyline.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor) also did a surprisingly good job.  His was my least favorite of the Marvel movies that made up the prerequisites to The Avengers, but he managed to redeem himself in my eyes.  His struggle to save his brother from the darkness he had fallen into, and the seamless way he fit into the cast was impressive.

Captain America was just as noble and adorable as I remember him from his first movie, and out of all of the characters is the closest to being a hero in the the classic, chest out, serious face, I-will-save-humanity sort of way.

All in all, I’d say this was a solid 8 out of 10.  It ran a little on the long side, but that’s to be expected with all of the stories and character building that had to happen.  The action scenes were exciting and frequent, and the touch of human interest kept our hearts in the game.  I remember at least four laugh out loud moments, and a lot of fuzzy feelings in the course of the two and a half hours I spent in the theatre.  I also had an odd urge to karate kick something, and then save the world from something scary and alien-like.

If you’re wondering whether you should see it, wonder no more!  Make your way to the theater.  While it might not change your life, it is certainly a fun ride!