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Saturday, October 15, 2011

'Avengers' Trailer, By The Numbers

We break down the super sneak peek, from explosions to Tony Stark's quips.
By Kara Warner

Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in "Avengers"
Photo: Marvel

Now that the "Avengers" trailer has finally premiered, we can spend the next few hours, days and weeks overanalyzing it and trying to decipher the many messages director Joss Whedon chose to tease in that preview's action-packed one minute and 45 seconds.

After multiple, careful viewings, here's a closer look at a few interesting things that stand out, by the numbers:

12+: Explosions in the first 25 seconds. The FX team did not discriminate here, as we see cars, a few city blocks, Grand Central Station, a plane, an unidentified Avengers hangout and buildings go up in smoke.

3: Gratuitous "suiting-up" shots, wherein we see Cap/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) checking out his new uniform and then trying out his new shield; Thor (Chris Hemsworth) getting ready with a grip on his trusty hammer Mjolnir; and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) checking into his fancy Iron Man suit.

13+: Number of "looking coolly off into the distance or deeply into someone's eyes" moments. Whether lost in thought or in someone else's gaze, the trailer is packed with meaningful looks.

6: Avengers-in-action moments. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) shoots arrows! Cap runs and leaps over debris! Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) pulls off an impressive face-kick/flip maneuver! Iron Man flies during the day and at night! Thor wields his mighty hammer! Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) fires a rocket launcher!

1.5: The number of Loki leaps. The aspiring supervillain, who looks even more menacing/unseemly with the longer, scraggly black hair, executes an angry-but-impressive jump thrust at the beginning of the trailer, then a half-jump toward the end when he uses his staff to fire a powerful bolt to destroy more cars and cement.

2: The number of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents featured. "Iron Man" and "Thor" scene-stealer Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) is shown giving his new recruits a tour, watching a crisis unfold and making plans with his boss, Nick Fury, who also gets a few scenes to himself.

0: Skrull sightings. The consensus among the Internet peanut gallery is that the God of Mischief can't be causing all this destruction by his lonesome and must therefore be getting help from someone or something. All signs have so far pointed to shape-changing aliens the Skrulls, but alas, Whedon hasn't offered confirmation yet.

2.5: The number of times Tony Stark says something sassy. First, to Captain America: "No offense, I don't play well with others." Cap to Stark: "Who are you without that iron suit?" Stark's response: "A genius billionaire playboy philanthropist." To Bruce Banner/ the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo): "Dr. Banner, your work is unparalleled and I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."

2: The number of Avengers who get tossed out of glass windows and fall to the ground below. Captain America and Tony Stark get the honors here, both seemingly at the hand of Loki.

114: Seconds we have to wait until seeing the Hulk.

Check out everything we've got on "The Avengers."

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