Avengers: Age of Ultron (***½)
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris
Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, James
Spader, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson,
Don Cheadle, Andy Serkis, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris
Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, Thomas Kretschmann
Seen: April 25th 2015
***½ Out of ****
The Avengers was something new in
superhero storytelling, breaking out the trend of multiple hero movies done
well after a series of mediocre to good single character Marvel Cinematic
Universe movies. With The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel successfully
continues this trend after other multiple hero movies, Captain America: The
Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, also did very well. I enjoyed both
the Avengers movies equally, with only Captain America: The Winter Soldier and
Guardians of the Galaxy being better movies in my humble opinion. In terms of
spectacle though, I’d have to go with the two Avengers movies, with Age of
Ultron just barely eclipsing 2012’s The Avengers for sheer spectacular
entertainment value – the big screen (and IMAX) is made for this type of movie,
as everything is enormous, simply everything.
Slotting into the Marvel Cinematic
universe after the 19th episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
(even though you can watch the movie without the series and still follow the
story), the Avengers attack Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker’s (Kretschmann) castle
in Sokovia in Eastern Europe. He’s been experimenting on gifted individuals, human
and alien (the Kree from Guardians of the Galaxy), and he also holds Loki’s
sceptre. In the attack the team come across two gifted individuals as enhanced
by Von Strucker, the twins Pietro (Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda Maximoff (Olsen),
in the Marvel Universe known as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. The twins get
away, but Von Strucker and Loki’s sceptre are captured.
Back in New York, Stark (Downey, Jr.)
and Banner (Ruffalo) find that Loki’s Sceptre contains an advanced artificial
intelligence, and they use this to complete their Ultron program, Stark’s dream
of “placing a suit of armour around earth” to protect it from any threats. The
sentient program that emerges from this experiment, Ultron (Spader),
immediately sees humanity as earth’s biggest threat, and decides to eradicate all
humans. He goes to Sokovia and recruits the Maximoff twins before heading to the
African nation of Wakanda, the only place Vibranium (the same material forming Captain
America’s unbreakable shield) can be found. The Avengers attack, and Wanda
Maximoff plants dark visions in their heads, eventually sending a rampaging
Hulk into the city, where the Hulkbuster Ironman armour is called on to stop
the Hulk. The team retreat into hiding after the destruction, but an old face
shows up to motivate them to join the fight again, to oppose Ultron and save
the world.
The movie is spectacular, with multiple
action sequences completely blowing me away, whether on a larger or smaller
scale. They fight together with an almost single-minded focus, and each member
has his own moment to shine, both those we know and those newly created or
featured. The team’s banter is highly entertaining, with the best gags taking
advantage of Captain America as someone from an earlier time, and Thor’s hammer’s
magical capabilities. These actors are now the characters, and it’s sad to see
the imminent decline of the team as it currently exists, a new team is already introduced
at the end of the movie.
Liked The Avengers? You’ll definitely like
Avengers: Age of Ultron too. It’s a monumental movie that manages to
incorporate multiple characters inside local and larger story arcs while
keeping you on the edge of your seat. I walked out of the cinema with great
expectation for the next few years’ Marvel movies, and also immediately wanting
to walk right back in again and see it again.
Comments