Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2012

Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Captain America and a host of lesser heroes unite in the face of a threat to all humankind. Director Joss Whedon achieves a superhuman juggling act here, giving each of several Marvel heroes the chance to shine while adroitly advancing their individual stories in a kick-ass, “let’s get the band together,” self-contained piece of cinematic mythmaking. Unpredictable right down to the final, 45-minute, smashing-in-every-sense battle, this is a big yet graceful blend of heroism and humor, a sophisticated superhero smashup that will satisfy both fanboy geeks and humans alike.