Ultimate Avengers: The Movie is an innovative, action-packed full-length animated feature that showcases an alternative perspective of the formation of Marvel Comics super team of heroes, The Avengers. This 2006 film features many of the characters that will be showcased in the 2012 live-action movie, The Avengers, and features the voice talents of Justin Gross (Captain America), Grey DeLisle (Wasp), Michael Masse (Bruce Banner), Olivia D’Abo (Black Widow), Marc Worden (Iron Man), Nan McNamara (Betty Ross), Nolan North (Giant Man), Andre Ware (Nick Fury), David Boat (Thor), Fred Tatascoire (Hulk), and Jim Ward (Herr Kleiser).
Ultimate Avengers: The Movie an inventive, highly enjoyable animated film that was based on the 2002 Marvel Comics mini-series called the Ultimates. Both the film and comic give an alternate modern perspective on the creation of Marvel’s long standing super team, The Avengers, and it is by far one of the best animated films to be released by Marvel Animation Studios.
In this animated feature, The Avengers are formed in defense against an alien invasion of earth. The malevolent race of alien being are called the Shitari, a race of technically advanced shape shifters. While this film does filter in elements of the classic origin of Capt. America, the film does very little to introduce the origins of the other characters. A specific detractor for those fans that aren’t familiar with some of the less popular characters, like The Wasp and Giant-Man.
The film has an adult feel, as it's directed for a mature audience. It shows realistic levels of violence and death as the story unfolds, and has an overall real world feel to it in spite of the subject matter. There are a number of adult based themes that reach far beyond the normal viewing audience of most animated features. Ultimate Avengers addresses themes such as loss, self sacrifice and love, just to name a few.
The Ultimate Avengers are composed of Nick Fury, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, and the Hulk, with Hank Pym (Giant-Man) and Janet Van Dyme-Pym (The Wasp) also appearing as members of the Avengers in this animated version. Ultimate Avengers saw the first appearance of the updated version of Nick Fury. Prior to the Ultimate's, Fury was a Caucasian with graying hair, but here he has had a radical change. Marvel have mirrored him in the image of Samuel L Jackson, 2 years before the actor first portrayed the role in Iron Man. As for the other Avengers, all their costumes have some minor differences to that of their live action counterparts, except for the Hulk.
Ultimate Avengers: The Movie makes for a good watch, it has some great action moments and is more than entertaining enough to satisfy all members of the family. While it does have violence and death, it isn’t too much to the point where it could scare away younger audiences. I think all fans of the Marvel movies should take a glance at it.
Da’Mon Guy is a writer and artist. He’s a graduate of Coppin State University and an avid, life-long lover of film. Da'Mon has been actively writing movie reviews since 2011, for a number of publications inc The Baltimore Afro, Move, Raise Up, and Westside News. Check out more of his work at Examiner.com, where he has published over 400 reviews. Visit his Blog and follow him on Twitter.
