So, if you didn’t know, there’s this little movie coming out on Friday called THE AVENGERS.

The film is already pushing $200M internationally and is killing it with domestic pre-sale numbers, tracking one and a half times better than all previous Marvel/Disney films COMBINED.

Boasting an all-star cast of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johannsson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L Jackson and directed by fanboy favorite Joss Whedon, THE AVENGERS stacked the deck in their favor and so far the results have been absolutely ridiculous.

And here are just a few reviews:

Like a superior, state-of-the-art model built from reconstituted parts, Joss Whedon’s buoyant, witty and robustly entertaining superhero smash-up is escapism of a sophisticated order, boasting a tonal assurance and rich reserves of humor that offset the potentially lumbering and unavoidably formulaic aspects of this 143-minute team-origin story. With fan-ticipation reaching Hulk pressure-cooker levels, Disney’s domestic and international returns will be nothing short of stratospheric, ancillary streams close to eternal.
-Variety

The All-Star Game of modern superhero extravaganzas, The Avengers is humongous — the film Marvel and its legions of fans have been waiting for. It’s hard to imagine that anyone with an appetite for the trademark’s patented brand of fantasy, effects, mayhem and strangely dressed he-men will be disappointed; not only does this eye-popping 3D display of visual effects fireworks feature an enormously high proportion of action scenes, but director Joss Whedon has adroitly balanced the celebrity circus to give every single one of the superstar characters his or her due. Worldwide box-office returns will be, in a word, Marvelous.
-The Hollywood Reporter

Visually Avengers Assemble is a visual extravagance of pure orgy and climatic battle with some spectacular set pieces that would make Michael Bay grovel at the feet of Loki. The action sequences get better and better and the final sequence is exactly how an epic sequence should be done, utilising the power of today’s effects with the visual glory of the mind of Whedon. The scene’s just heighten to an amount of tension that will leave any fan boy excited to ultimate satisfaction, especially once the Hulk gets involved. It’s truly something amazing that is if you don’t pass away from excitement to endure the end credits.
-MovieWEB

And then my favorite review of all…

Let me just save you some time and say this movie will break your hand with its c*ck and balls by running at your hand which you’ve made into a fist, thinking, “I’m gonna punch this movie in its c*ck and balls ‘cause no f*cking way can it be good” but then before you do anything the movie runs at you and breaks your hand with its c*ck and balls because its c*ck and balls are like a chunk of highway. They can use this part of the review on the poster.
-Neill Cumpston

MARVEL’s highly anticipated superhero mash-up has been a long-time coming, setting its first roots in the prologue of the first IRON MAN film back in 2008. But now after individual films for the HULK, THOR, and CAPTAIN AMERICA the gang’s all together for this summer’s must-see movie.

In fact, it appears even D.C./WARNER BROS and the team over at THE DARK KNIGHT RISES has conceded that point to MARVEL/DISNEY, agreeing to air the second trailer for TDKR in front of THE AVENGERS because they know its about to do gangbusters at the box-office.

So it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that THE AVENGERS will not only be a huge success, but that in 3-4 years well have a sequel (hell, the mid-credit scene tells you who the villain will be).

So why does THE AVENGERS work and what should you be concerned with.

THE PROS:

There was a plan.
As I mentioned above, this has been a plan loosely in the works since 2008. Marvel and Disney both gambled a huge amount of money and credibility to make this work, including launching standalone origin films for CAPTAIN AMERICA and THOR. Can you imagine what would have happened if either film didn’t gross over $100M?

But once Marvel started taking over the rights to their beloved characters something amazing happened, Marvel superhero films started getting better. Sure you can say the X-MEN (FOX), or SPIDER-MAN (SONY) films weren’t that bad, but then I would kindly remind you of Marvel train wrecks like DAREDEVIL, GHOST RIDER or THE FANTASTIC FOUR.

Luckily for Marvel and fans alike, the plan worked.

The director.

Joss Whedon had a long and winding road to this point. Known mostly for his work in TV, with cult-hits like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, SERENITY, and most recently DOLLHOUSE, he doesn’t really get a lot of love, but something that tells me that won’t be a problem once THE AVENGERS ranks in $400m+ at the box office.

The thing that makes Whedon so perfect for this film is his ability to juggle multiple characters, story-arcs, humor and drama. Whedon is able to mix together all of those ingredients, shake it up, and deliver a delicious tasting cocktail.

It also doesn’t hurt that he is a huge fan, of comics in general.

Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans.
The two stars of the film, RDJ and Evans, had the most difficult work of the bunch. RDJ is the star of the Marvel Universe and for good reason. His charisma and charm won over moviegoers four summers ago and it’s the only reason there is an AVENGERS movie today.

But Iron Man is not the leader of The Avengers. That job is for Captain America. Evans, who previously popped up in the Marvel universe as Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch in FOX’s FANTASTIC FOUR series, did a complete 180 from goofball to stoic leader.

The two characters, Captain America and Iron Man, polar opposites in their methods, yet when sh*t hits the fan that’s exactly what you need. Tony Stark has daddy issues and needs to prove to the world that he can get the job done. Sure he’s bit of a wild card but what do you expect from a billionaire playboy.

On the other hand is Steve Rodgers, frozen in time for decades, a man literately without a home. Yet he still loves his country and will maintain his vow to protect mankind.

So RDJ gets to be the heart and soul of the film, but Evans gets to be the heart and soul behind THE AVENGERS.

I feel like that’s a fair tradeoff.

Real Villains.
Finally a superhero film with a real villains. I don’t think I’m spoiling anything for you here when I say Loki brings an alien army to Earth to invade and conquer. But it’s not really who is doing the damage, it’s feeling that something is on the line, that lives can and will be lost, that everything you’re seeing unfold before your eyes is real, even if there’s a giant green monster in purple shorts.

Growing up I was never a fan of The Avengers. I was always more of an X-men type of kid. So I was more than happy to see the X-Men on the big screen but throughout all 3 films, the threat never seemed real. Even after they were killing off every mutant under the sun in THE LAST STAND.

Even in THE DARK KNIGHT, Heath Ledger’s Joker is probably one of the greatest villains in the history of cinema, but what was at stake, Gotham, was small.

THE AVENGERS gives audience a serious global threat that makes you believe the only people that could stop it is this rag-tag team of super heroes.

THE CONS:

What happens next?
There’s only one big problem with THE AVENGERS and that’s the massive success it is about to become.

What happens to IRON MAN 3, CAPTAIN AMERICA 2, THOR 2, THE HULK (re-imagined for the 3rd time)? Will any of these films be able to live up to THE AVENGERS? Will anyone want to go see their solo films knowing it won’t be as great as the movie they just finished watching? Only time will tell, but Marvel/Disney has a huge task standing before them, which is keeping this cash cow moving forward.

But for now, that should be the least of your concerns. Just go to the movies and enjoy one hell of a ride.