Tag Archives: Avengers

HULK SMASH! — The Incredible Hulk (TV Series) (1978-82) -vs- Hulk (2003) -vs- The Incredible Hulk (2008) -vs- The Avengers (2012)

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Back in 2008, the jade giant known as the Incredible Hulk wreaked havoc in the Movie Smackdown arena in a battle that pitted that year’s The Incredible Hulk, featuring Edward Norton, against 2003’s The Hulk, starring Eric Bana. Since then, a new Hulk has emerged on the scene, thanks to Joss Whedon’s The Avengers and Mark Ruffalo, so we’re revisiting the battle and kicking it up a notch by throwing Bill Bixby, the first man ever to embody David Bruce Banner on screen, into the mix as well. You might think Bixby has the advantage, since he has Lou Ferrigno in his corner, but don’t count out Bana, Norton and Ruffalo from this fatal four-way just yet.

This fight is so big that we need two Smack refs to officiate over the action. After all, one Hulk destroyed Las Vegas, overthrew an alien planet’s government and became their king, and beat the crap out of his fair share of Earth’s mightiest heroes, so imagine the destruction these four Hulks might cause! Continue reading

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Dark Shadows (2012) -vs- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Dark Shadows (2012) -vs- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Can Barnabas suck the blood out of Buffy or can this tough vamp of a fighter slay the hell out of this unchained vampire? While that alone might be enough of a question to guide a Smackdown, this one gets complicated by history.

Dark Shadows, as people over fifty know, began as TV then became a film. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as people under thirty know, began as a film and became a TV series. The former, in theaters now, is a derivation of its former glory, while the latter is an inspired evolution of its big-screen glory. Continue reading

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The Avengers (2012) -vs- X-Men: First Class (2011)

The Avengers (2012) -vs- X-Men: First Class (2011)

If one superpowered superhero can fuel a super-blockbuster (Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Batman, Superman, Captain America), just imagine what a half-dozen of them in the same movie can do.

A few years ago, Marvel Studios did just that. After giving movie-length origin stories to its key players, Marvel now brings all their power-hitters together into the ultimate superhero combo group — The Avengers. Imagine this group fighting not just evil but each other for screen time: Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Iron Man and a couple of second tier-types, the token hottie, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, the guy with the bow and some very fancy arrows. Continue reading

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The Avengers — Day One

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The Avengers will start raking in euros and shekels this coming week, as it rolls out in dozens of countries across the globe before it hits U.S. screens May 4. This is an affront to American culture so serious, we fear it could unleash the apocalyptic menace of Loki on Marvel Studios, which produced the film, and Walt Disney Pictures, which is distributing it.

Luckily, Movie Smackdown is on the case with a collection of SmackTalk Comix, The Avengers: Day One, designed to tide over American audiences, while helping Hollywood insiders avert the pain of Thor’s hammer. We’ve crafted this alt.world story of the group’s origin using existing stills released to the public last October along with our own fevered imaginations.

The tale begins with that Crafty Guy with One Eye, Nick Fury, who needs Steve Rogers to wrap his head around the idea that he’s just taken a 70-yearish nap. Continue reading

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THE AVENGERS: Assembling a New Classic?

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After carefully setting them all up with their own movies, Marvel now brings all their dashing superguys together into the greatest superhero group of all time with Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk and, for good measure, the token woman Black Widow and the archer who’s never quite gotten out of the Marvel second tier, Hawkeye. Continue reading

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) -vs- Iron Man (2008)

Marvel Studios and Fox continue expanding its X-Men film universe with the addition of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the first in a series of Origins spin-offs designed to focus on specific characters from the X-Men franchise. With the movie already proving to be a box office blast, I’m sure we’ll get all the way to X-Men Origins: Xavier’s Wheelchair before this franchise runs out of steam. So what other film hero could possibly best the Wolverine? How about another team member who goes solo on film? Yes, another “man of metal”…Iron Man, founder of The Avengers (due out in 2011…you’re welcome, Marvel)! So today, sparks fly, metal on metal, adamantium and iron clashing to determine which of hero can hold his own alone?
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