5 Reasons The Avengers is Better than you Thought it Was

When The Avengers was finally released, there was a lot of talk on the forums and blogs about how it it okay, good even....but not great. A lot of that has been blamed on the script.

Ive been working on some screenplays myself and so I have a decent idea of the problems a writer can face: problems with progressing elements of the story, issues with protagonists/antagonists, and the general holes they can write themselves into. It is with this in mind, that I have to say, there is some truly impressive stuff at work in Joss Whedon's screenplay that 99% of the audience wont appreciate.

1. The Back story problem

A.k.a how much back story to include.

The Avengers was feted as the ultimate superhero movie, coming off the back of 5 other films which were essentially building up to this. As it happens, this created a problem. Most of the audience wont have re-watched all these films in the build-up (I did, but that's because I'm a nerd). The script then has to strike a fine balance, making sure to give the audience the vital information they need, without making it feel like everything is being repeated. Whedon's script makes it seem as though we jump straight into things full throttle, with no background, but the beauty is that you never feel lost, because all the vital information is still provided, without dragging the plot down by rehashing old stories. And this all happens with perfect subtlety

2. The origin story problem

Origin stories are great for comic films, and Marvel has had numerous successes with these in the past, including all the Marvel Universe films that preceded The Avengers. These generally involve the origins of one hero, and its here the difference lies. The Avenger is the origins of a group, a story which takes inherently longer to tell as their are more primary characters. In addition, origin stories work by humanising their characters, and drawing a connection with the audience based on where these characters came from. The Avengers can't use this trick because these stories have already been covered in previous films. It is with great skill the the script manages to give us a decent story of how the avengers formed, one which draws us into the story and the characters, without disproportionately bloating the running time, and allowing room for a main plot too.

3. The Hulk problem

Whedon himself has been vocal about this particular point. The thrill of the action is in watching characters with vulnerability; characters with something to lose. The Hulk is pretty indestructible, so watching him destroy enemy fighters becomes somewhat soulless and uninteresting. Whedon identified this problem, and focused the script on banner, not his green alter-ego. The Hulk falling from the SHIELD ship also takes him out of the action, shifting the focus to other characters in the fight

4. The Captain America Problem

Captain America is so archaic and jingoistic a hero, that it was a brilliant feat making him a vulnerable hero in his own film. This created a problem, because for those unfamiliar with the rich back story of the comics, it simply doesn't make sense that Steve Rogers is the leader of The Avengers. His powers are the weakest, and in the context of the films, he's not even fully acclimatised to the modern world. Rather than shy away from this issue, the script confronts it head-on, and shows you that Captain Rogers has heart. He does the right thing, and makes the sacrifices and, in the end, that's what allows him to command the respect to lead. It also deftly uses Stark to make this point, being the most cynical and difficult to control of the bunch.

5. The hero/protagonist problem

Films work by having protagonists face a series of personal challenges, and eventually rising up to face those challenges. This is truest of all in a superhero tale. Whedon realised this, and thus, in his script, he allows for a protagonists tale to take place within the ensemble. With Iron Man, he creates a moment of nobility, where Stark realises the error of his ways, and is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. This whilst still running an ensemble story