"Avengers: Age of Ultron" Review

Title: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Directed by: Joss Whedon

Screenplay by: Joss Whedon

Year: 2015


Over the past few years, comic book superhero movies have become a major hit. They manage to rake in money like a vacuum machine and dominate the summer movie season. The forerunner of this genre since 2008 has been Marvel Studios. Overall their films have been successful in terms of their quality. Though some are better than others, I cannot call a single one of them bad. So where does Avengers: Age of Ultron stand? Does it continue the streak or break it?

Age of Ultron (as I shall abbreviate it) sees the Avengers as a more established team than before. Having had time to work together, they are now a well oiled machine. But a new threat in the form of the fearsome Ultron, an extremely powerful automaton, emerges and the Avengers must once again save the day. But can they?

Like the previous Avengers film, the cast is terrific. Each of these actors has molded into their respective character. At this point, it is hard to imagine any other actor in these roles. Robert Downey Jr. continues to give a stellar performance as the cocky Tony Stark, the gravity of Chris Hemsworth's performance is very suitable for Thor, Chris Evans excels at giving Steve Rogers the good heart and leadership he is known for, Scarlet Johansson is still very good as the mysterious Natasha Romanoff, and Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton is also great, particularly in this film as he is given a very important scene. More on that in a bit. One of the most criminally underrated performances in the entire franchise however is Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner. He captures the torment, the pain, and the emotion of the character so perfectly, which goes a long way in having the audience sympathize with him.

In addition, Samuel L. Jackson returns as the tough, wisecracking Nick Fury, and I don't believe they could have picked a better actor for this role. Paul Bettany returns as JARVIS as well as a new character. I'll get more into it in a spoiler paragraph, but just know that he is really freaking good in his new role. We also have Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron-Taylor Johnson playing Wanda and Peter Maximoff, respectively. They do well, but I must say that their Russian accents weren't that great. You can understand them fine, but they don't always sound very convincing. Finally, there is James Spader as Ultron, and he is amazing. He makes Ultron seem frightening, powerful, and menacing and very appropriately.

The story this time around is similar to the previous film in its most basic form, but more complex at its core. They are the same in that there is an evil villain with a huge army that must be defeated. I don't mind this being so similar to the first because the Avengers need a huge threat. The fact that both of the team's villains so far have had huge armies to back them makes sense from both a writing perspective and a narrative perspective. Without a huge threat, the Avengers wouldn't have a challenge. However, at its core, it is even deeper than the first one. Many underestimate comic book superhero movies, deeming them as mindless entertainment. While I can see where this argument stands, there are quite a number of exceptions. Spider-Man 2 (2004), The Dark Knight (2008), The Avengers (2012), and most recently X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) (just to name a few) are all comic book movies that have a lot going on under the surface. I can easily say that Age of Ultron is also a part of this league. The themes it deals with are powerful and severely underestimated. The entire franchise excels at character study, and here that aspect really shines with Bruce Banner and, surprisingly, Clint Barton. What they do with Barton's character is genius.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* Giving Clint Barton a family in this film was a very smart move. It adds layers to easily the least developed of the Avengers. It also allows Jeremy Renner to get some much needed screen time, as he has often been pushed to to the side for the "bigger" heroes. And while I am on the subject of character development, the relationship between Bruce and Natasha is actually done very well. It works on several levels, such as evolving the team dynamic and adding to these characters' development, especially with Bruce.

*SPOILER FREE* The Avengers had some very inventive and thrilling action scenes, some of the best within recent years. I am glad to say that Age of Ultron improves on the action in every way. The beginning long take action sequence is even better than the one in the first film. That first action scene sets the bar high for the rest of the action in the film and it does not disappoint. The Hulk-Buster scene teased in the trailers is incredibly satisfying and the final battle is huge in spectacle and inventiveness. The action is energetic, exciting, and above all, fun. Age of Ultron, is a very fun film. Not only is this movie fun, but it is also funny. There many hilarious moments, some of the best jokes surrounding Thor's hammer and seeing who can lift it. The film is riddled with witty humour and not only is it comical, but it often adds to the characters or the story.

Joss Whedon once again proves he is a master at handling characters. His direction and screenplay make the Avengers feel like real people that we can relate to or believe exist. The way they interact with each other is one of the best aspects of this franchise. His direction is marvelous. This film is gorgeous. The camerawork allows for the establishing shots to really sink in and the pans and tracks to provide tremendous scope. Whedon is essential to these films and is just as important if not more so than the current cast.

Ultron as a villain is a revelation. As great as Loki was, I feel that Ultron is the better villain. He was created by the Avengers (which isn't really a spoiler), his goal is more terrifying, and best of all, he thinks what he is doing is best for humanity. Loki was great as the villain who knew he was bad, but Ultron is a more compelling villain because he doesn't see himself as the villain. And as strong and intimidating and calculating as Ultron is, he is also very, very funny. I didn't expect him to get some of the funniest lines in the movie. In addition, his design and voice work is terrific. Ultron's design is pretty different from his appearance in the comics, but I do like how his robot army takes on his comic book design. It is a very nice touch.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* One of the best things Age of Ultron has to offer is the introduction of a new hero, Vision. Vision is a creation of Ultron's, which potentially makes him evil. The different ways the team members feel about letting him help them easily draws the audience into the dilemma. He is performed amazingly by Paul Bettany, and he is a great addition to the team. Also, the way he proves himself to the team is both hilarious and brilliant.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* Now, the twins are great. They find very creative ways to use their powers and by the end become very likable. However, this Quicksilver does not compare to the one found in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Don't get me wrong, Aaron-Taylor Johnson is fine in the role, but the way Quicksilver was used in last year's X-Men film beats how he was used here. And though I was very sad that Quicksilver died in Age of Ultron, I feel it was the right move. It not only feeds into Wanda's powers and motivations, but it also serves to differentiate the two franchises (MCU and X-Men).

*SPOILER FREE* Avengers: Age of Ultron is an absolute blast. With great characters, great direction, fantastic visual effects, a solid screenplay, and a tremendous amount of charm, it is the ideal summer blockbuster. Really, the only issues I have are the Russian accents (which I mentioned earlier) and that Ultron's introduction was a tad rushed. But these really do boil down to nitpicks. The comic book superhero genre is often criminally underrated. Not every superhero movie is good, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a big exception, and by extent, so is Avengers: Age of Ultron. This film is not only currently the best film in the MCU, but it is also one of the best comic book movies ever put to the big screen.

Grade: A