You should probably go see The Avengers.

And by probably I mean WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE YOU FOOL GO SEE IT DO IT NOW DO IT FAST GO SEE IT AND DRAG EVERY FAMILY MEMBER YOU CAN TO SEE IT AND GO SEE IT TWICE.

Ahem.

It's a pretty good movie, is what I'm getting at here.  As I did with The Hunger Games, I'll post a write-up over the next couple of days (same applies for Part 2 of my Kingdom Hearts retrospective).  But until those are ready, I'll offer a little preamble as to why The Avengers is so amazing.

What element might that be?  Care to take this one, gents?

Captain America is my favorite Marvel superhero (well, tied with Doctor Strange, more or less).  While others may enjoy grittier heroes like Christopher Nolan's Batman -- and Batman in general -- or Avenger contemporary Iron Man, I find myself gravitating towards Cap because, simply put, he's the most heroic out of the heroes.

As you know, Cap used to be just a scrawny kid -- an art student with hopes of becoming a soldier and serving his country, but unfortunately just didn't have the body to make the cut.  Luckily there was that whole super soldier serum business, allowing puny Steve Rogers to become the soldier he's always wanted to be.  The hero that his homeland needs.  In his titular 2011 movie, one of his most telling scenes was when Steve -- still a sack of bones -- throws himself atop a grenade he thinks is active to protect his skeptical squadmates from harm.  Manly and cool.

The Avengers takes that up to eleven.  (Mild spoilers to follow.)

Let's be real here.  Captain America is cool and skilled and strong, but he's not much compared to Thor or the Hulk, or even a suit-clad Tony Stark.  And in spite of that, he still gets his chances to shine.  Ignoring the fact that his leadership skills and rugged, almost sensual charisma help him move others to action, he does what he does best: help others in need.  He may not be able to go up against a Leviathan, but he makes himself more than vital by helping New York civilians and saving them from alien attackers.  He gives directions.  He bashes the baddies threatening the innocent.  He jumps through a damn window to disrupt a potentially-fatal hostage situation.  Manly and cool. 

Cap, I think, carries that "ideal superhero" aura more readily and more easily than anyone else in the movie -- and arguably a number of comic book heroes.  This is just personal preference, I admit, but I like heroes that aren't scowling sad-sacks who speak in guttural growls and bathe in tubs full of gravel and sand.  I like superheroes because they're the fictional epitome of what a man or woman can be -- noble, brave souls who are all too willing to venture into danger, and fight against deadly enemies on the behalf of others.  And they'll  do it without a single complaint (bonus points if they manage to wear a smile at day's end).  It's an appeal to those childish sensibilities and hopes we've all got buried deep inside us; sometimes it's nice to just be able to see a golden boy who's eager to save the day, you know?

I'll admit that just because Cap is my favorite type of superhero doesn't mean that all the others are automatically terrible.  Again, The Avengers is proof of that; one of its successes is seeing those archetypes mix and match and mingle.  Cap's firmly-rooted patriotism and humanity versus Thor's godhood and bravado in spite of good intentions; Cap as an embodiment of the miracle of science versus Hulk being an accident of science; pretty much anything having to do with Cap going up against Iron Man.  Hmmm, wonder if they're going anywhere with that one...

Cap's just one of several different, yet equally correct, answers to the question "What does it mean to be a hero?"  That's the answer I'd provide, and one that a few other fans would no doubt agree to; it's one with no shortage of connotations and appeals, but nonetheless is satisfying for those who hold it up like an Olympic torch.  Courage, faith, honor, duty...all qualities anyone can get behind, right?

Well, that's enough of that.  More thoughts on The Avengers coming soon; in the meantime, get your ass outta that chair and go see it.  Again.  And again and again and again.

Because it's MANLY AND COOL.