Marvel Avengers Assemble (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray)[Region Free]

If you do not want to read to the end of this review let me say now, this film is an absolute stonker. It is what every fanboy hoped it would be and then some.
I came to it as a fan of the original comic in the sixties. You could say I've been waiting most of my life for it, so if it had only been half as good I would have loved it. As it is it is near perfect.
Its well known that Marvel have been leading up to this, seeding their previous films {Thor, Iron Man etc.}with hints and Nick Fury cameos. Extraordinary gamble it might have been, but it's paid off.
The film sets up the main bad guy straight away and I think it helps here to have seen both 'Thor' and 'Captain America' as that set up comes from those two films. We then follow the assembling of the 'Avengers' which is not necessarily straight forward.
Part of Marvel Studios success has been in their choice of directors {who'd have predicted 'Thor' from Kenneth Branagh?} but they were on safe ground with fan favourite Joss Whedon. A man well versed in the superhero genre as well as rightly celebrated for his handling of ensemble casts {'Buffy', 'Serenity' etc.} and ability to turn in a sharp, witty script. He was the perfect person for the job and has exceeded my expectations. The big set pieces are excecuted with verve, the film is full of those quiet, personal moments between characters that are his forte and there is plenty of humour. He has also slipped in a stunningly vulgar line than I can only assume slipped past the censors as they did not understand it.
Everyone gets their moments to shine in the film but the acting honours go to Tom Hiddleston whose Loki is considerably more malevolent and physical than in 'Thor.' Robert Downey Jr. continues to sparkle as Tony Stark, taking up his characterisation from where he left off in 'Iron Man.' Mark Ruffalo is another actor on the conveyor belt of actors to play Bruce Banner but I would expect to see him next time {I cannot believe this film will not be a hit.} I had expected that Scarlett Johannson's Black Widow would get lost in amongst this testosterone fueled line up of heroes but not so. She holds her own as only a female protagonist from the pen of Whedon can do.
As is the way of a good superhero almost everyone fights everyone else, physically or verbally, at some point before all pulling together for the film's climax. If, from the many trailers, you think you've got the gist of the final act think again. Often superhero films are surprisingly weak in the final battle but not here. This is a brutal, destructive war and is as spectacular a half hour on film as you'll see anywhere. It also features two very, very funny scenes with the Hulk.
Oddly the fanboy extras are a bit light but maybe thats because the whole thing is a fanboy's dream. There is however the Stan Lee cameo {and it is brief}, mention of an LMD, 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes' {but no 'Avengers Assemble'} and most importantly, a reveal during the final credits of exactly who the bad guy here was. This will mean nothing to the general viewing audience but if you know your Marvel comics it is a corker.
So is it a success? Yes, yes and yes. I've even forgiven them the decision to re-title the film 'Marvel Avengers Assemble' in the UK for us dumb Brits who thought we were going to see a film about Steed and Mrs. Peel.

Unlike every other region, the UK is not going to get the director's commentary.

We also will not get the Triple Play edition. Every other Marvel movie is available in Triple Play, meaning you don't have to buy it twice to watch it on different systems.

Love the film, but handing over money to Marvel knowing that they have purposefully removed value from the UK version is like begging them to continue raping your wallet.

Normally think the cinema is a bit expensive. This film was well worth it. Can't wait for it to come out on Dvd.