This movie shouldn't work, there are too many stars, too many plot lines, too much going on... it really shouldn't work... but it does. In fact, it's as close to perfect as a superhero film can get. With 5 films leading into the long anticipated Marvel Avengers movie, the hype was huge, many people expected it to be a little too wordy like Iron Man 2 or a bit camp like Thor, but Avengers Assemble takes all of the best aspects of all of the films previously released and puts them into one HULK of a movie.

There is only one explanation as to how this film works, all of the cast has alluded to it and it all makes perfect sense, Joss Whedon. The cast all have explained across numerous interviews that Whedon being in the directors chair is the sole reason that a movie of this magnitude didn't spiral into madness. He has managed to create a picture that allows all of the main heroes to display their power, spread their wings and enjoy the limelight whilst none of them dominate.

Not only is this a spectacular action film with bags of scenes that will leave you panting like a dog in a conservatory, it's also so funny that you will be lifting up your 3D glasses to wipe away tears. As long as you were clever enough to see it in 3D that is, because Avengers Assemble is BY FAR the best 3D we have seen since Avatar. When it comes to the humour, don't expect it to just be Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark that has all the one liners though, he does have a fair few but so do Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hensworth) and even Agent 'Phil' Coulson (Clark Gregg). The funniest parts of all however, are courtesy of everybodies favourite green rage monster, Hulk, this time played by Mark Ruffalo. 

Ruffalo picking up where Edward Norton left off was no easy task, with Norton's Bruce Banner being a big act to follow (no matter what the mixed reviews said). But we have to say that Ruffalo's Banner is spot on. Long gone are the attempted sexiness of Eric Bana's portrayal and the cool but a bit too badass Edward Norton's, Ruffalo gives us exactly what we want from Bruce Banner, a beleivable scientist who bumbles and fidgets and acts like a gamma expert would.

The supporting cast, including Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury all reprise their roles as well as expected, thankfully without being given too much of the limelight. Tom Hiddlestone returning as Loki is the only potential beef we have here at PopFodder. His performance is superb, his comedy timing and slimey facial expressions make him very believable, but as well as he performs, his look is painfully unconvincing as an all powerful Demi-God. It's a bit tough to believe that a man who looks like your little sister could beat him up, is trying to take over the world. 

Despite the final action scenes looking a bit too much like Transformers 3 for comfort (not to mention the hunt for an all powerful cube feeling familiar), Avengers Assemble is by far Marvel's best ever superhero movie and comes close (maybe even surpasses) the exquisite Watchmen from DC. There is nothing we could change to improve it, not a single scene we would remove and we just now hope that the follow up's in the form of Thor 2 and Iron Man 3 can continue in the same vain. An Avengers sequel is as good as guaranteed, lets just hope that it doesn't go the same way as so many sequels do.

P.S. Make sure you stay after the credits (as always) for a sneak peak of what is coming next!