The Avengers
Metascore
69 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 43 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 43
  3. Negative: 1 out of 43
view
per page
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Amy Biancolli
    May 3, 2012
    100
    There are moments of genuine pathos, genuine humor, genuine surprise. As much as the film adheres to the strictures of the standard comic-book movie, it also pops with a knowing, loving, Whedon-world jokiness that keeps everything barreling along.
  2. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: David Edelstein
    Apr 30, 2012
    100
    The Avengers is both campy and ­reverential. Comic-Con nerds will have multiple orgasms. I had a blast.
  3. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    Apr 30, 2012
    100
    Most impressive of all, The Avengers makes superhero movies new again - a colossal task indeed.
  4. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Keith Phipps
    May 2, 2012
    91
    Tasked with meeting the many requirements necessary for any Avengers movie to work, Whedon checks off all the boxes, then sets about creating new expectations for what a big superhero movie ought to be.
  5. Arizona Republic
    Reviewed by: Bill Goodykoontz
    May 1, 2012
    90
    The real hero here is Joss Whedon, who directs the film with a fanboy's enthusiasm and a thorough knowledge of the genre.
  6. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    May 2, 2012
    88
    The Avengers kicks ass.
  7. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    Apr 28, 2012
    88
    The Avengers has it all. And then some. Six superheroes for the price of one ticket... It's also the blockbuster I saw in my head when I imagined a movie that brought together the idols of the Marvel world in one, shiny, stupendously exciting package. It's "Transformers" with a brain, a heart and working sense of humor. Suck on that, Michael Bay. [10 May 2012, p.74]
  8. Tampa Bay Times
    Reviewed by: Steve Persall
    May 2, 2012
    83
    The Avengers is as brawny and lamebrainy as any comic book movie deserves to be, capped by a 40-minute assault pummeling senses as few action sequences ever have.
  9. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    Apr 28, 2012
    83
    In terms of storytelling, The Avengers is for the most part a highly functional, banged-together vehicle that runs on synthetic franchise fuel. Yet the grand finale of CGI action, set in the streets of New York, is - in every sense - smashing.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1987 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 457 out of 544
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 544
  3. Negative: 39 out of 544
  1. MRedzuan
    10
    The Avengers is the best Marvel film to date and quite possibly the best superhero movie I've seen in terms of all-out action spectacle, humor, and replay value. Tony Stark has so much more character development here than in the self-obsessed and flat Iron Man 2, it's nice to see Iron Man getting to do more intricate work aboard the helicarrier than just blowing stuff up. Chris' Evans and Hemsworth did an awesome job as the no-nonsense living legend super soldier and the huggable god of thunder respectively. Joss Whedon does an amazing job balancing the screen time for all the heroes and everyone gets their chance to shine, Black Widow and Hawkeye get to have their own complete story-arcs and S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury, Agent's Maria Hill and Coulson also had their moments and they took it well with the most pivotal scene of the film. But the big surprise is Mark Ruffalo who really steals the show as Dr Bruce Banner/Hulk, he's nailed down the relationship between the scientist and the big guy down to a T, and he has all of the funniest scenes in the Avengers.
    Loved the first two acts, the first meet-up of the characters, the confrontations are all top draw but the highlights for me are the vocal interactions between everyone, whether it's between Stark/Banner, Stark/Cap, Coulson/Cap, Loki/Thor, Loki/Widow, Widow'Hawk and what have you is all perfect and I'd be more than happy if the movie would've been four hours long just to see them all bouncing off each other and that's all credit to the smart witty screenplay by Whedon. Every scene is so well made and the script compelling and essential to moving the plot forward, the most memorable moment for me was when Cap was putting on his suit while a Mozart-esque symphony is playing in the backdrop and loved all the pop culture references especially Stark's nickname for the Hawk. The final third of the movie is all-out mayhem and watching the team come together to save Manhattan from a never-ending wave of an alien race who-shall-not-be-named attacks is absolutely exhilarating and the one long continuous shot of all the Avengers in the heat of battle is captivating. It proves the point of how character build-up and the tension watching our superheroes fight and play-off each other in the first two acts and have the final battle in context can make for a more engaging and extraordinary spectacle than just mindlessly blowing things up because you have to. It's the best action set-piece I've ever seen and it's so over the top in an amazing way. When you walk out of the cinema I promise your craving for a very well made superhero movie that's not dumbed down and at the same time not as gritty and dark will be satiated. It's pure indulgence.    … Full Review »
  2. Mahoner
    10
    I'd like to just pile on with what everyone is saying...GO SEE THIS MOVIE. As close to a guarentee that you will love this movie as you can come by. Only The Dark Knight Rises might be the other but just echoing what's been said - the acting (given a blockbuster movie) is more than adequate, action scences are spectacular and the directing/script was well done. I've seen it twice and plan a third trip before it comes on Blu Ray later in the year. Must see - you won't be disappointed!… Full Review »
  3. DemonicBunny
    1
    This is a Transformers-league movie. It's all about action and special effects. But in 2012 the "special effects" are not that special, and the rest of this movie (acting, plot, logic, etc) is so bad. Just like Transformers. Avoid at all cost.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »