And regardless of The Avengers’ blockbuster flavor, it remains a Joss Whedon film through and through; a smart piece of action cinema with a wry sense of humor and a knowing wink at the audience. It is remarkable Whedon succeeded in making the ambitious movie work at all, let alone making it his own.
Here are five reasons why the most successful superhero blockbuster of all time belongs to Joss.
BEWARE OF SPOILERS. THIS ARTICLE IS ALL SPOILERS.
Strength in Numbers
Two of Whedon's most beloved TV series to date, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, presented us with an array of characters who sparked off one another in an endless variety of exhilarating combinations. The same is true with The Avengers; all six - seven if you count Bruce Banner and Hulk as two - possess show-stealing abilities, and beyond that, show-stealing charm.
While they vie for our attention amongst the escalating spectacle, it is to Whedon’s credit that all share screen time fairly, ensuring none are lost in the mix. He carefully introduces each member as individuals first and as part of the team second; character is paramount. Even Steve Rogers/Captain America, the wholesome time-traveler who could easily have been a one joke whipping boy, gets to shine both as a conflicted innocent in quieter moments and as a leader in the film’s scorching final battle.
Kick-ass Women
The finesse with which Whedon writes women is unusual in the particular Hollywood bubble he works in, a translucent thing populated by - for the most part - equally translucent female characters. Whedon’s women, on the other hand, are funny, tough and have substance, their ability to kill things a pleasing but inessential addition. One’s mind immediately jumps to Buffy (or, to a lesser degree, Echo) but let’s not forget the Anyas, the Willows, the Cordelias, the Zoes and the Faiths; fully-rounded characters whose ability to kick ass is matched with a wicked way with words.
Natasha Romanova/Black Widow, as played by Scarlett Johannson, could have been a bland, hypersexualized character. Instead, Whedon plays with the audience’s expectations of Natasha’s femininity and sexuality and upends them from her very first appearance, as she turns an interrogation - admittedly in the tightest of outfits - on its head. This same trick is repeated during a second interrogation, as the audience is briefly left to question Natasha's effectiveness before she reveals her true intentions in one swift move. Her ability to emotionally manipulate is unnervingly efficient, and as important to the team as an indestructible shield.
Whedon’s work holds a special appeal to those of us who have grown up alongside him in the same media landscape. He has an uncanny ability to deliver obscure cultural references in a a way that never patronizes his audience, so entrenched are they in his own joyful geekdom. It's that self-awareness at work again - that gentle nudge in the ribs of the audience.
The references in the Avengers range from an ill-regarded John Frankenheimer movie (Reindeer Games), to Stephen Hawking, to broader conversations around the Avengers universe. Agent Coulson's admiration of Captain America is a tip of the hat to Marvel's fan base, likewise the appearance of Stan Lee as an Avengers naysayer. Whedon also has a blast riffing on classic lines; the first and only utterance of the corny "Hulk...smash" turns the quip on its head.
It is the moment when Loki tries to stop a raging Hulk with a dramatic and hubris-laced monologue, however, that encapsulates Whedon’s masterful grasp of the world in which he is working in. The carnage that follows, topped off with Hulk's characteristic use of the word "puny," is pure fan service.
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