Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes (Dec. 6 – 9; All ages)
Bridgestone Arena
501 Broadway, Nashville
615-770-2000 | bridgestonearena.com
Remaining showtimes: Fri 7 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m., 3 & 7 p.m.; Sun 1 & 5 p.m.
Tickets: $21.90 – $100
Young children are universally drawn into the world of superheroes, evident last night at Bridgestone Arena. Tons of little boys and girls dressed as their favorite heroes cheered, oohed and aahed during the opening night excitement of Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes.
The dazzling show is like being in a movie. It's extremely high-tech with lots of cool special effects like pyrotechnics, lasers, strobe lights, flying characters and smoke along with thrilling choreography and immersive projections. More than 25 Marvel heroes and villains are the stars of an original story.
AN ORIGINAL STORY
Opening the show by mysteriously floating high in the air, Master of Mystical Arts Doctor Strange sets the stage for the unfolding drama and action. He tells the tale of the Wand of Watoomb, a powerful magical device that can be disastrous if it falls into the wrong hands.
Thor's evil brother Loki sets out to find the wand and use it to crown himself ruler of Asgard and Earth. Therein the high-energy action ensues as heroes and villains duke it out in crowd-pleasing fashion. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Iron Fist, Black Panther, Black Widow, Hulk, Guardians of the Galaxy and other heroes race against time to save the day.
In addition to Loki, villains include Black Cat, Yondu and Nebula. There are also awesome appearances by Spidey's nemeses Green Goblin, Lizard, Electro and Rhino.
The hour-and-40-minute show (including an intermission) sparks feuds with old foes in this spectacular journey of good versus evil.
JAW-DROPPING MOMENTS
While the dynamic display of action is captivating all throughout the show, there are a few extraordinary jaw-dropping moments. The scene inside the volcano featuring fire drummers and fire dancers is exquisite, and there's a real "WOW!" factor with the dragon that breathes green bolts of fire. The most dazzling moment, though, is watching Spider-Man trade his web-slinging for motorcycle stunt riding. His grand finale on the bike involves a full 360-degree flip in the air — this unexpected feat is a crowd favorite.
Making his appearance in the show's finale, larger-than-life Hulk bursts onto the scene amidst loud cheers from both kids and adults in the audience as he knocks down a few villains before doing a "Hulk Smash" on the chamber holding the Wand of Watoomb, thus saving the universe.
Although the Marvel Universe Live! is big on special effects, the appeal is all about seeing live versions of beloved heroes and the villains. This production certainly delivers big entertainment on all counts, and for superhero-loving families, this is undoubtedly the hot ticket in town this weekend!
