Iron Man 2008, Captain America 2011, Thor 2011, and The Incredible Hulk 2008
This feels like the ideal starting point for building up the sequence of events that lead us into the first Avengers movie before tackling the aftermath. We begin the evening with the first movie that began the trend of assembling the Avengers team which is Jon Favreau's 2008 blockbuster Iron Man. Nominated for a total of two academy awards including best visual effects, Iron Man centers around an industrialist named Tony Stark who ends up being held captive in an Afghan cave. While being held as a prisoner, he creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight against the forces of evil. The end result of building that suit and his return into the public limelight leads to a conflict he has within his own company. Starring Robert Downey Jr. in the role he as born for, he's supported by a strong cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, and Shaun Toub. Iron Man was not only a huge success both financially and critically, it gave birth to Marvel and began their four year plan of setting up the Avengers. The second film in the lineup is Captain America starring Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Samuel Jackson, and Hayley Atwell. The plot for this film centers around a man named Steve Rogers, a rejected military soldier who transforms himself into Captain America after taking a dose of a serum called "Super-soldier." While the serum does great favors for Rogers, he also learns that being Captain America can come at a price as he attempts to take down a war monger as well as a terrorist organization. Even though Captain America is presumed to be the first Avenger, Iron Man works better as the first film in the marathon, and Captain America is a great follow up. It also shows that the storyline jumps back and forth from past to present. The third film of the lineup is Kenneth Branagh's Thor. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellen Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Colm Feore, Idris Elba, and Rene Russo, the film focuses on a powerful but arrogant god named Thor whose cast out of the Asgard to live among the humans on Earth. Little does he know that he eventually ends up becoming one of their greatest defenders. Thor puts a fun spin on the whole lineup by showing the fight between good vs evil happening outside of planet Earth, with the war being brought down from the heavens into our court. The fourth and final film of the evening is Edward Norton's semi successful reboot of Ang Lee's 2003 film The Hulk with a direct connection towards the Marvel timeline now. The Incredible Hulk which utilizes the acting talents of Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, William Hurt, and Tim Roth focuses on Bruce Banner after the events of Hulk 2003. Banner is a scientist on the run from the U.S Government who must find a cure for the monster he transforms into whenever he loses his temper. However, Banner soon realizes that he must fight a soldier who unleashes himself as a threat far greater than he is. The Incredible Hulk did not receive the critical acclaim that the first three installments in the Marvel timeline received, but it was successful enough to the point where it reestablished the character as being likeable and placing the story on the path towards the inevitable teaming up of the group. Whereas Ang Lee's film relied heavily on story and character development, The Incredible Hulk is faster paced and more action packed.
So what are the hidden messages behind these films? Iron Man says that it's never too late to look back on your life and change it. What can mean success can also be devoid of true meaning. Captain America says that a true soldier will fight for what's right even after the war is over. Thor says that betrayal and jealously are things that people need to confront and face. The Incredible Hulk ultimately says that power can be misused with disastrous results.
Here are our heroes for this evening:
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