Blessed with a star-studded cast, this sequel makes sure that each of the bold-faced names gets his or her moment in the sun, resulting in a film that's sure to satisfy Marvel fanatics. And director Joss Whedon makes sure the action is as big as its stars: Androids do battle in breathtaking scenes, worlds literally fall apart, and superheroes rescue and do good from one breathless moment to the next. The dialogue moves pretty quickly, too, inflected with humor.

But this many important characters makes for a crowded movie, with little time to allow a complicated story line actual room to unfurl. But, there's definitely enough here to please fans of the movies and the original comic books.