Fair warning, I’m on another Avengers kick. For Mother’s Day, I asked to go back and see it again and my son eagerly agreed. Last year I made him watch Disney’s Enchanted with me. He’s a great kid and a good sport, but I guarantee he was happier with this year’s movie selection.
This was my second time viewing the movie and I walked out as happy and energized – and in awe – as I did the first time. The characterization in this movie – through the writing, directing, and acting, is simply out standing. OUTSTANDING!
When my daughter called last night to chat, we got caught up in all the amazing elements of this film. And it’s been on my mind all day. Both of my kids are talented writers, and they were blessed to have English teachers who taught them how to analyze and assess a story from all angles (including their own bias).
They also have incredible retention skills, so as you might imagine, the zippy dialogue from the movie is permeating our general conversations.
But within the superb writing and story structure, Avengers is an excellent example of characterization. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a hero come alive on the page, this movie is a tutorial for how men interact with each other. From mutual respect (or lack thereof) to a bid for power within a family or a team, to assumptions, to the not-quite-so simple friendship, this film shows how to do it right.
It wouldn’t have been plausible to bring together all that super-power talent (and overabundance of testosterone) and expect them to be a team as soon as the introductions were made. But watching them learn to work together, to trust themselves and each other as a team, was a fascinating study from my perspective as both a fan and an author.
There is no such thing as a word wasted in this script and my heart ached for each person on the team as vulnerabilities and strengths were exposed, reassessed, and turned to the greater good of the mission – and each other. I wanted to cheer when inaccurate first impressions were corrected and bonds of friendship and respect were forged.
And don’t think for a minute I’m overlooking the alpha female(s) of the film, who contributed more than their fair share as well… but I’ll save that for another post.
Live the adventure!
