Writing Excuses Writing Excuses 8.21: What the Avengers did Right
May 26, 2013
The podcasters discuss 'The Avengers' and praise its handling of an ensemble cast, excellent dialogue, and absence of mindless exposition. They explore characterization, pacing, and realism in the movie. They analyze the elements the movie got right, including multiple-purpose scenes and character arcs. They also offer criticism and debate believability of character developments.
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Ensemble Characterization Through Dialogue
- Joss Whedon handled the ensemble by giving each character distinct dialogue and equal chances to contribute.
- The film avoids filler exposition and uses talky scenes to reveal character and advance plot.
Dialogue Does Triple Duty
- Dialogue served multiple functions: characterization, plot, and tone, never feeling like token lines.
- Joss Whedon's witty, heightened dialogue fits the superhero genre though it's not realistic everyday speech.
Give Characters Off-Screen Lives
- Show characters with lives off-screen using a line or two to make them feel real and consequential later.
- Use brief background moments to build empathy and foreshadow future emotions.