The Avengers - my thoughts

Back in November I wrote about Thor and Captain America and how I hoped The Avengers would be on par. (It's a Marvel! Good movies do still exist!)  The Avengers, was, in my opinion, a fun movie to watch; the messages it contained were much more subtle than Captain America and Thor. Marvel did a pretty good job maintaining a consistent level of cleanliness.The movie was as clean as Captain America but not as clean as Thor: There was language, some innuendos (but nothing explicit), plus one scene where a character found himself without clothing. However, there wasn't anything sexual about the scene. It was just awkward as a viewer (kind of like almost walking in on someone in the bathroom).

My thoughts on the movie:
The characters seemed like real people despite their super powers and amazing talents.
It was neat to "meet" Natasha, Dr. Banner, and Iron Man. I haven't seen the Hulk and Iron Man movies, so they were new to me.
Lots of fighting, action, and humor, making it a fun film.
The relationship between the Black Widow (Natasha) and Hawkeye was interesting. It was neat to see how they comforted each other; they seemed like marooned souls clinging to one another amidst a storm of self-reproach.
I think that many of us see a little of ourselves in the Hulk.  Sometimes when you're so angry you can hardly control yourself.  Sometimes you just want to SMASH. You don't know always know what you want to smash, but you want to destroy something, or even anything. Fortunately, most of us are still aware that we don't want to break our valuables and that kicking or punching furniture or the walls will result in more pain to ourselves, so we don't do it.  
New York always gets flattened when aliens and superheros show up.
I think that this film did a good job showing the dust and debris that results from the destruction of buildings.
Tony Stark would be rather annoying in real life, but he always has some snarky comment and often performs with cool panache.
I saw the movie in theatres twice and both times when the Hulk grabbed Loki and thwacked him against the floor like a ragdoll, the audience cheered. It's what we'd all been wanting: someone to finally stop him in his tracks. The others just seemed so incapable of stopping him for whatever reason.  Sometimes brawn is superior to brains.
I think Thor couldn't bring himself to harm his brother. Not an unreasonable sentiment.
Pepper is probably one of the few people who could actually have an involved long term relationship with Stark without letting him walk all over her. Still, I don't understand how someone of her intelligence could love him. 
Speaking of Stark, he tried to startle Banner into turning into the Hulk for no reason other than curiosity. What is wrong with that guy?! That was a childish act, like a kid who pokes his finger into a power outlet out of curiosity, except worse because he's a grown man and knows that the Hulk is dangerous.
Yet Stark has a moment of true heroism when he flies the nuke into outer space and almost dies.
The government dropping nukes on it's own citizens: not cool, at all. That makes me so angry. And afraid. It's really rather disturbing.
Colson is not just the jerk from Thor who took Jane's science equipment, but a character in his own right. He has some interesting quirks and it was quite funny when he overrides Starks' phone and security system and Stark has no choice but to answer the phone (kind of like the Chuck Norris cell phone joke: there is a picture of a cell phone screen showing that Chuck Norris is trying to call. Instead of the buttons: answer and ignore, there is only: answer and answer.) 
Natasha (the Black Widow) is a really interesting person. She reminds me of Mara Jade from Timothy Zahn's StarWars book series. Red hair; tight, black clothing; a dark past; information extractor; fighter; loves someone who understands her, accepted her past, and who has amazing talents also.
Off course, I love Captain America's declaration, "There's only one God, and He doesn't dress like that."
Also, the part when he saves the old man who refused to bow to Loki was great. However, I think the dialogue could have been better. It was a place for some real profound lines, but they didn't appear.
That part reminds me of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's stand. When they refused (on pain of death) to bow to an idol that everyone else bowed too, they were thrown into a furnace but God protected them and they came out unscathed!  (Daniel 3)
 Natasha spoke of the "red on her ledger," (her assassin work before she joined the good guys,) and how she wanted to make up for it. Intriguing. In our lives, we all have red on our ledger: horrible acts we wish we had not committed, moments of hatred, of wanting to scar and hurt. But nothing we do can wipe that away. Instead, they become scars on our own souls. Ugly red wounds that turn to ugly scars. The only way our ledgers can be wiped clean and the pain of those wounds healed is by the blood of Jesus. His blood washes away our list of crimes.
A ledger is a good description of reality, for the Bible says that our sins are recorded in a book for the final judgment: "Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books...and each person was judged according to what they had done." Revelations 20:12b-13.  If you have been forgiven by God, then you don't need to worry, you ledger is clean.

It's a Marvel! Good movies do still exist!

This past year I have had the pleasure of seeing both Thor and Captain America in theatres! Thor appealed to me before I even saw it due to its connection with Norse mythology, and I must say I was not disappointed in the film.  Both of these films turned out to be quite good though not for young children. Unfortunately both had swearing. Captain America is more graphic and there are a few scenes of girls dancing in short skirts (Ladies, have the remote on hand and tell your man when to cover his eyes).  In Thor all the women are dressed fairly modestly, nothing too low or too short.
Both stories contain true heroism and the lead characters are sacrificial with their lives and their personal desires.  Thor grows from a proud, cocky, and defiant "boy" to a humble, loving, self-sacrificing young man. 
Captain America is the story of a scrawny, weak young man with great character, guts, and tenacity.  With a serum he becomes very tall and strong. I feared that this change would be detrimental to his character but he doesn't become proud or cocky. He is meek, especially with women. He doesn't use his physic to attract women and abuse them.  Instead he remains faithful in his love for one woman for all but one minute when this other gal comes up and kisses him.
Both films emphasize character in addition to strength and the portrayal of men as warriors.  They show that being strong does not give one great character but that great character makes strong men better. Both men face the feeling of weakness and incompetency and through these trials learn lessons and develop character.  When Thor could not lift his hammer because he was unworthy, he finally realizes that he had been wrong in his defiance of his father and becomes a real hero from that moment on.  Captain America grew up a pip-squeak and a weakling but choose to persevere in his attempts to join the army despite his weak body.  The German scientist chose to infuse him with power because he understood weakness and would then appreciate his power unlike some of the other candidates for the science project.  Similarly, God takes our poor weak selves, teaches us lessons and infuses us with his strength to do what we would never have dreamed possible. 
In my Survey of Mass Communication class this semester we have studied media's portrayal of men and women. Through media, girls are sadly taught that they should flaunt their bodies and portray themselves as sexual objects. Boys are taught to domineer, use, and abuse women as womanizers. They are not taught fidelity, chivalry, and protection of women. They are like the male lions in a pride whom the females cluster around and serve.
These films are a bright spark in the media industry, presenting strong attractive men with moral character who are not womanizers despite their physical attractiveness.  (Plus, all the fight scenes and adventure are lots of fun and appeal to guys and gals alike!)  I am looking forward to seeing these two heroes again in The Avengers! I hope Marvel maintains continuity and makes another great film with this same set of values.