10 Movies Smarter Than Anyone Wants To Admit
5. Avengers
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been taken for granted by much of the critical world. Whereas geeks everywhere once flocked to defend Marvel's darling, now the more "intellectual" of geekdom are desperate to prove themselves smarter than the media they consume, like we're all trapped in an IRL episode of RedLetterMedia. In other words, the secret tenth circle of hell.
Since we can't put the entire MCU in one category, instead we're gonna defend the first Avengers film. Sure, it's not the most complex thing out there, but does it actually NEED to be? Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is know what you are, and what needs to be done in order to succeed, and doing that. There's plenty of time for risk-taking when you know you have a sure thing on the first try. Especially when that first try is a risk in and of itself.
On top of that, the pacing and storytelling is tighter than an airlock door, the characterization strong, and it sets up the stories to come rather well. Does it have anything to say about humanity? No, but does it have to? Also no. It tells a good story very well and very efficiently, and that's all that should be asked of it.