After five movies of build-up, four of Marvel's superheros finally assemble in this mega-blockbuster extravaganza. This movie is simply awesome and kick-ass in every aspect from the story, characters, acting, humor, and visual effects-driven spectacle. The final battle between the Avengers and Loki's army in the middle of a downtown area is summer blockbuster action at it's very best. Every member of the Avengers from Iron Man to even Hawkeye get their times to shine; in both the action sequences and character development. However, the true heart of the film is the joys of seeing larger-than-life figures interacting with each other. The film focuses on each of the superheros along with members of Shield learning to work together in order to take down a common enemy, and these scenes are just as compelling as the action sequences thanks to director Joss Whedon's signature witty dialogue and total respect for each individual character. Each member of the cast brings their A-game to their respective roles. One cast member that deserves special mention is Mark Ruffalo, who proves to be a great Bruce Banner. His interpretation of Banner is different from Edward Norton, but just as compelling. Another thing that deserves mention is how Whedon seamlessly nails the look of a comic book without looking cheesy or over-stylized, which is probably the first time I saw that done successfully in a comic book superhero movie. There are so many things that could have went wrong with this superhero all-star concept and Whedon pull it off with such slickness that he makes it look easy. Not only is "The Avengers" incredibly smart and fun, but it also manages to be not only the best Marvel movie but one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.