It’s my first guest post! Wilko is a friend who I met through this blog and happens to live in a country where The Avengers was already released. Read his spoiler-free reflections below and check out his blog TheGamingChristian.com.
There are several reasons why I think I’m blessed to be living in Namibia, this third world country of mine. Reasons such as the sheer variety of different people living together peacefully (upwards of 60 local languages), the fact that we were given the time, while the West only received the watch, and the fact that Simba and Mufasa live right outside my bedroom window make for a blessed life here in the depths of Africa.
However, God’s true blessing for this country was revealed last week when The Avengers hit local cinemas.
I thought it would launch weeks after its international release, which is a common occurrence around here. Instead, The Avengers was launched here on 27 April and I had a chance to watch it. I wouldn’t dare spoil it for you, but let me tell you that this movie is everything I had hoped for and so much more. I think the director did a terrific job of putting some of the greatest superheroes of all time not only into one movie, but into one functioning body without neglecting the character development of each hero. The acting, as expected by the names on the cast, is top notch. The storyline is typically Marvel, but solid enough to keep you in your seat, while the CG and camera work are incredibly well done.
For me, all of those elements thrown together with a good dose of humor, made for the best movie experience of the year.
Below you can read some of my reflections, and I promise I will keep it spoiler free.
Teamwork
Not having read the comics, I have to admit that I did wonder how characters such as Captain America or the Black Widow could possibly be helpful in a team that consisted of Thor, Hulk and Iron Man. However, I was surprised how each character pulled his weight in the end and each skill set contributed to the team. It reminded me a bit of the composition of the church. It’s easy to see the preacher as more important than the person in charge of the coffee table, but the truth is both are required to make things work. Sharing the gospel is a team effort and not a solo play, and each one of us has been given an important skill set to help the team.
Thor’s powers are still cooler than Captain America’s though…
Savior(s) Needed!
The world is under attack. Humanity cannot hope to cope. Savior(s) needed.
That is the basic premise of The Avengers, and it’s amazing just how much that correlates to the truth found in the Bible. Humanity is under constant attack, and is in fact already under the dominion of the enemy. There is no possibility of conquering the enemy unless a Savior intervenes. In The Avengers this savior takes on the form of an intergalactic team of awesome but flawed heroes. In the real world, the savior takes on the form of flesh, flesh that died a very un-superhero like death on a tree. However, the effects of that death are incomparably greater than any acts of any band of superheroes. Ever.
Those among us who pride themselves as nerds have always believed in super heroes who save the world from great dangers. As Christians it’s our job to point to the ultimate superhero, who died and was raised again and can save each one of us.
Incredible Entertainment
My last point is that I was once again convinced that God has an incredible sense of humor and is pleased when his children have pure fun, otherwise he wouldn’t have given some such creative minds. The movie is clean as far as language and sex/nudity goes and incredibly funny. In fact, whoever wrote the lines for Iron Man deserves an Oscar all by himself.
I think there’s a great danger when we apply the movie-type entertainment and consumption philosophy to a Sunday morning service, but in this context, it’s great to just sit back and thoroughly enjoy someone’s hard work. Besides, there are two nifty (positive) references to the real God in the movie, which added to the entertainment value.
All in all then, The Avengers is an incredible movie and if watching it was not on your to-do list for the next week, I sincerely hope you reconsider. Seeing the Hulk smash things should be motivation enough to watch it.
Do you already have your tickets to see The Avengers this weekend?
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