Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth. Directed by Joss Whedon.

Hiring Joss Whedon to direct one of the most anticipated films of all time was a ballsy move.

Sure, he’s a fan favourite, but ‘cult status’ — the sort enjoyed by Whedon projects like ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’, ‘Firefly’ and ‘Dollhouse’ — isn’t what you’re shooting for with an investment of this size. Like so many risks, though, it’s paid off in droves.

‘The Avengers’ plays to all of Whedon’s strengths, starting with the film’s ensemble nature. No fan of any of these characters will come away disappointed, or feeling like their favourite deserved more time in the sun. If anything, it’s the characters who haven’t headlined their own movies (or haven’t done so successfully) that steal the show.

The final third of the film alone contains more action and excitement than all of the other Marvel movies combined. Every dollar of the budget is stretched to its absolute limit, and you can see it all up on the screen (this, of course, is the true genius of hiring a director used to working on a shoestring).

Whether or not this leads to infinite sequels, let’s appreciate ‘The Avengers’ for what it is: the greatest action film of its time, and for fans, pure superhero nirvana.

‘The Avengers’ assembles on Wednesday April 25.