Do you know what’s more awesome than 3D movies out of the iconic Marvel Comics series? A LIVE version of them all in one spectacular night! And see one we did! Our Friday night was a total blast like no other when we watched Marvel Universe LIVE! at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. If you ask my kids, they’d be delighted tell you that they saw the Avengers, X-Men, and Spiderman in the flesh!
No spoilers on the story nor the actual scenes here, so read on!
The story: I was at first expecting that there would be somewhat like separate stories for each of the different Marvel series, but it was rather one unifying story for all Marvel characters, hence the name Marvel Universe. Wow, I was really amazed by that when it was clearly conveyed in the first acts of the show. It was original, something new for the live show itself, and not something any Marvel fan has ever read from the regular comics. That made us eagerly stay put!
The action-packed scenes: Well, it was hard to literally stand back and stay put as the show went on, because each succeeding scene was a spectacularly thrilling one that gave us goosebumps as the story kept us on the edge of our seats. The breathtaking stunts were flawless as the characters amazed us with jaw-dropping moves that feature different kinds of martial arts, acrobatics, and even wheeled stunts on motorbikes and skateboards to name a few. Add to that the special effects of lights, sounds, image projections, neon smoke, pyrotechnics, and the extravagant set on the arena. Simply a total treat for the senses, pulse rate included!
The characters: The promotional poster may have featured only a handful of our most loved Marvel superheroes: Spiderman, Wolverine, and the Big 4 Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, and Hulk) plus the feisty Black Widow, but the show made us applaud EACH of the Marvel Universe cast, including villains like Loki and Red Skull because of their brilliant performances!
My kids: I knew from the very beginning that Marvel Universe LIVE is going to be a sure-fire spectacle for my kids, but as a mom, the MARVELous look on their faces was the most satisfying spectacle to me. I had an itty bitty worry at first that my son might enjoy the show more than my daughter would, since Marvel is like the Barbie or Disney Princess for boys, but I was so glad that she was as bedazzled as her little brother. Thanks to female superheroes like Black Widow, Captain Marvel, and Storm who were no fantasy princesses but rather inspiringly strong and courageous women. It’s indeed a show for boys and girls of all ages.
We’ve been amazed by entertaining live performances before and they were all… magical. But Marvel Universe was really the most different from them all simply because I cannot describe them as “magical”. Obviously Marvel is more on the action-packed side, giving spectators young and old a fresh new sight. You can really feel that mind-blowing and explosive adrenaline rush that `magical` acts don’t have. And no, the action scenes were not the negatively violent kind. The choreographed fight scenes and pyro effects that really seemed real were artistically executed!
It wasn’t only the show that made our night awesome. Our fellow audiences were MARVELous too because we saw A LOT of kids and adults in Marvel costumes. Now we know what it`s like when “Marvel fans, unite!” in Toronto.