The Apocalyptic Stage
IS coming... but not quite as literal as it perceives to be...
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| Think your way of anything. |
How bad is bad? How down is down? How dead is dead? Why do we measure a particular stage in life as mere downtrodden beings? Is it because there is always fear that an impending apocalypse looming?
Right, we might have gotten ahead of ourselves. There are probably too many ways for us to interpret 'apocalypse'. It depends, of course, on the situation of the moment. What if we tried thinking apocalypse as something great? Bah, that's still not quite precise enough. First and foremost, we have got to be aware of why we have to recognize an apocalypse when we see one.
Simply put, is it down to fear? Is fear what drives up to do the very things we seek to avoid out petty reasons? Just because we are scared of what lies ahead, that doesn't mean we can't do things. Still, do we really have to say, "We all already down and out. So why not come up and strike while the iron is hot?". Hmm, on second thought, maybe not. Or maybe, hell yes!
It depends. It always does. It doesn't matter whether we have all the guts in the world. It's how we use them right? But, sometimes, even the most skeptical have to admit, when it's time for an apocalypse, there's no running away from it.
Review of The Week!
Movie : The Avengers (2012)
Awe-inducing, funny and action-packed, this could be the superhero movie of the year (not that there are many).
It is unusual for directors to modify the genre of superhero movies. To be precise, if we are looking for some popcorn entertainment, Joss Whedon could have easily turned this into a full-blown alien-versus-superhero affair (that actually would not be too bad). Interestingly to note however, he does not. With an affinity to blend action scenes with tongue-in-cheek humor, he balances the tone of the movie to be both rewarding and most definitely, superhero-themed.
There are plenty of noteworthy things you can brag about this movie. The cinematography, the script, the visuals, the cast, the production design. Surely though, there would be one or two flaws, but they are not really meant to be called 'flaws' per se. Bending the laws of physics, 'saving the world' is saving the US and how Hulk manages to comply to orders are just some of the minor 'flaws'. These are probably things that you would just like to ignore for the sake of giving the director the benefit of the doubt.
It is quite evident that Whedon has made this film his own. He incorporates humor into almost every scene, as if things are not to be taken too seriously in the world of The Avengers. And it should be like that. Again, the emphasis on superhero movies usually lie on destruction, life-saving and personalization of characters. But here, there is some of that, but not completely. No chessy lines. No rushed pacing. No cliche-ridden narrative. (Just Loki speaking in a not-so-sharp English accent.)
The movie can also be likened to last year's Deathly Hallows (Part 2); a lot of hype, and duly delivered. At least we could expect how the last Harry Potter movie was meant to be : an emotional, epic battle. The Avengers did deliver but there is something different to the whole theme that somehow manages to change our view on how superhero movies should be in the future. Is it Robert Downey Junior's Shakespearean jab at Thor? Or is the excellent cinematography of sticking to single shots instead of quick-fire editing? Heck, it could even be Scarlett Johansson's semi-obscene display of bust. Anyhow the movie is a success, most definitely.
Unprecedented, now that is one word to decribe Joss Whedon's take on a superhero movie.
Personally*... Stay in your seats till the end; there are rumors that an extra scene is added to the US version of The Avengers, for compensation of the late release.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/894039/reviews/
