Droll and Spectacular . . .

But Wait, No Character Development?Director Joss Whedon, who combines cerebral humor (“Buffy, the Vampire Slayer”) with a broad sentimental streak (“Toy Story 1”) and even a sense of parody (“Cabin in the Woods”), was not the first to come to mind for “The Avengers.” Yet in a logistical triumph, he has woven together a hectic story from a wide selection of Marvel Comics superheroes. The movie is like a bag of miniature chocolate bars: Your favorites are mingled with ones you don’t like so much, but you buy the bag anyway for the ones you like. For fanboys and comic book geeks, this is a relief. Their anxiety that Whedon might change or destroy the essence of their idols — Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye and ultra-hunky Thor — was needless. Whedon has mixed reverence with the wink of self-referential humor that makes the film watchable and even agreeable for an audience that may otherwise not take a gaggle of grown men (and one woman) dressed in capes, spangles and spandex seriously. Not all superheroes were created equal, of course. Just recall, if you saw them, the differences in excitement and interest between the terrific “Iron Man 1,” and “Captain America” or “Thor.” Whedon’s genius in “The Avengers” — yes, all seven superheroes have been summoned by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, playing, well, Samuel L. Jackson) to join together to save the world from invaders from the planet Asgard — is to make drama out of the tensions between the superheroes, who have been accustomed to operating on their own and in their own movies. Whedon has enlisted a terrific cast to fight his cinematic war, some coming from earlier films, some new. Best, as expected, is Robert Downey Jr. as Stark the Ironman, the rich playboy with the witty, acid tongue that can puncture pieties like so many balloons. His continuing bantering doesn’t sit well with the strait-laced, priggish Captain America of Chris Evans, who seems to find smiling and laughing dangerous. Gwyneth Paltrow is seen briefly at the beginning and end as Stark’s tart assistant, Pepper Potts. Then there is the leering, smug Asgardian villain Loki (Thor’s brother, by the way) of Tom Hiddleston, who gives a villainously charming, if somewhat one-note performance. Newcomer Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker”) is a quiet Hawkeye, and Scarlet Johansson is a clever, if underused, spy/assassin as Black Widow. (Whedon frequently comments, but only with his camera, on how well she fills out her clinging bodysuit.) No surprise, perhaps, is the quiet, winning performance of Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner, aka the Incredible Hulk. With his modesty, charming little smile, nerdy glasses and total self-effacement, Ruffalo triumphs where Eric Bana and even Edward Norton failed: His transformation into the uncontrollable rage of Hulk is both believable and shocking. The film’s script is often droll, and Whedon serves up a banquet of spectacle. Giant scaly beasts slithering through Midtown Manhattan accompanied by soldiers flying around in airborne chariots are stunning, even if the ultimate battle lasts too long. An aircraft carrier that can fly — yes, friends, fly — is another dazzler. Overall, the dialogue and pacing are electric, the performances top-notch. Set design and cinematography are very fine, although I saw no added value in the 3-D version with its higher ticket price. Some movies, maybe most, just don’t need it. So what’s not to like? There is little character development, but many will know the characters and their stories from previous movies. Then, too, there is the lack of emotional resonance. Part of the problem is that there are just too many characters demanding attention to focus on any one, as you can in the best Spiderman or Batman films. After delighting in all the slam-bang and the witty dialogue, you may find “The Avengers,” for all its intelligence and spectacle, an empty enterprise. “The Avengers” is playing at The Moviehouse in Millerton, NY, the Triplex Cinema in Great Barringtom, MA, the Cinerom in Torrington and elsewhere. It is rated PG-13 (no swearing or sex in Marvel comics?) and lasts 143 minutes.