The Avengers - 4 smiles

I loved “The Avengers,” Joss Whedon’s blockbuster full of comic book heroes saving the world from evil. Whedon weaves a story that allows each of the heroes to do what they do best while presenting a cohesive whole. And while they may not have equal time, audiences get enough of each to feel satisfied. Downey’s playboy millionaire/scientist Tony Stark (Iron Man) verbally jousts with straight-arrow Steve Rogers (Captain America), whose earnestness is delivered perfectly by Chris Evans. Not surprisingly, Downey gets the funniest lines. Iron Man also battles Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner (the Hulk) gets the best physical gag in the whole movie. The ensemble cast, which also includes Scarlett Johansen and Samuel Jackson, is solid. There are moments of genuine pathos, genuine humor and genuine surprise although there’s not much to the plot.

Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), the sharp-shooting archer, doesn’t spend much time with the group because early on he’s zapped into submission by Thor’s bitter brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), whose plans for world domination involve something called the Tesseract, a glowing blue cube with unlimited powers. Loki wants the Tesseract to open a portal so aliens can invade. And the final act, which turns New York into an urban battleground, has plenty of action and special effects. The ending, which won’t be a surprise, sets up for a sequel. Just be sure to stay through all of the credits. 4/4/12