一風変わったアメコミのヒーローたち『アベンジャーズ』

By Taro Karasaki

　米マーベル・コミックのスーパーヒーロー7人が勢ぞろいする映画『アベンジャーズ』が日本で公開された。勧善懲悪のヒーロー物語かと思いきや、どこか様子が違う。それぞれのキャラクターは個性が強い半面、弱さも抱えていて、反目しあい、なかなか「最強のチーム」として機能しない。ジョス・ウェドン監督いわく、物語は黒沢明監督の名作『七人の侍』から大きく影響を受けたという。「マーベル・コミックになじみがない人でも楽しめるように作った」とも語る。

　The world is faced with its greatest crisis, and the only way to save humanity from doom is to rely on the power of seven superheroes. Sound all too familiar, another rerun from long ago?

　Yes and no. While the action flick "The Avengers" is very much grounded in the Marvel Comics' tradition, the characters are a sophisticated and cosmopolitan bunch - not quite the omnipotent Herculean characters they were when they first appeared in print in the early to mid-20th century.

　What's more, the script draws inspiration from the "Seven Samurai," the 1954 Akira Kurosawa classic about a ragtag army of samurai who volunteer to protect a village from bandits.

　These are just some of the concepts that director Joss Whedon kept in mind in trying to develop an all-American film that could appeal to a global audience, as he brought together Iron Man, Captain Amer-ica, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow, Hawk Eye and Nick Fury.

　"It's tough because every culture is different. And a lot of these guys are throwbacks from some different age," Whedon said in a recent interview with Asahi Weekly, adding that he tried to create a film that would appeal to anyone who was seeing a Marvel character for the first time.

　"You read some of the Captain America comics they would not have gone very well here in Japan," Whedon said, referring to the World War II settings and the depiction of enemies at that time.

　Many of the characters underwent modifications to appeal to a new crowd of moviegoers. Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk) is cast as a doctor helping the destitute in India.

　Even Captain America, who's been in hypersleep since World War II, does not seem to be the cowboy he once was: He sheepishly asks Iron Man if his Star-Spangled outfit may be inappropriate for the times.

　The characters struggle with personal weaknesses, and while their egos clash, they manage to overcome their differences to fight for a common cause after the death of a trusted agent and coordinator Phil Coulson.

　"Hopefully, the personal things they go through are more or less universal. And stuff about them that is culturally specific and alienating to certain audiences, you have to sort of wear on your sleeve," Whedon said.

　Whedon also said that Japanese viewers can feel pride in the fact that one of their greatest filmmakers influenced this film.

　"There is no team movie, no　matter what the number, that is not a variation of the 'Seven Samurai.'

　It's like 'The Odyssey.' It's a sacred text," Whedon said.

　Whedon said he had seen the movie as a child many times, and was struck by the use of iconic realism in the film.

　"We hope to make something fresh, but that is definitely the batter we are cooking with."