Rating of
3/4
Avengers Reassemble in Lots of Flash, Less Bang
Chris Kavan - wrote on 05/03/15
Let's face it, super hero films have never been "deep". Sure, you have glimpses of something that might approach emotion - but it's buried beneath action piece after action piece, witty banter and one-liners or attempts at being "dark and gritty". Emotional depth has never been the strong point of this genre. Now, to call Age of Ultron deep is stretching things a bit, but I do think that Joss Whedon has moved in a direction that at least makes me feel something for the characters - family, facing ones past (and limitations), growing, understanding - yes, there are still plenty of action scenes, but maybe, just maybe, there is something more.
Age of Ultron opens with the team back together - Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye have apparently been busy dismantling the last vestiges of Hydra. That brings them to the Eastern European nation of Sokovia, where Strucker has set up a Hydra research facility, usking Loki's scepter as a source for their testing. One of these results is the creation of two "enhanced" individuals, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff aka Quicksilver and the Scarlett Witch. The two war orphans have volunteered to become Strucker's research subjects and have been rewarded with enhanced speed and telekinesis (along with the ability to influence minds). It is this second ability that lays the ground for the rest of the film, as Stark is given a push in his mind - one that gives him a vision of the Avengers all dead - and a deadly, alien force invading with him unable to stop it.
Thus, he decides Loki's scepter must be studied and, in doing so, finds that it is actually hiding a quite sophisticated computer mind - one that has the potential to unlock to the key to artificial intelligence. Along with Dr. Banner, he works to uncover this secret - but he doesn't think about the consequences, and that mistake puts the entire world in jeopardy when his Ultron program, meant to protect mankind (and give the Avengers a rest) instead decides the best course of action to save man is to destroy them.
James Spader is excellent as the voice of Ultron - silky smooth yet with an underlying tone of menace and mocking. Likewise, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olson as Quicksilver and the Scarlett Witch are welcome (even if their accents are a bit on the lackluster side). As most know, Paul Bettany (the voice of Starks Jarvis program) also joins the crew as The Vision - and it will be interesting to see where this character is taken. Almost everyone makes an appearance here - Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Stellan Skarsgård - heck, even Hayley Atwell (in a dream-esque sequence) all make an appearance. It's nice to see all these characters from the various films brought together, even if it is only for a short time. New characters Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) and Dr. Helen Cho (Claudia Kim) round out the large cast.
One thing the movie does suffer from is a bit of character overload. Sticking all these characters together means you aren't going to get the depth you want out of everyone. This time around we do learn a bit more about Hawkeye (the man has a family) as well as the budding relationship between Black Widow and Banner (though I wanted more depth). That being said - I do think Age of Ultron gives us the best look yet at some of the members of the group.
The film doesn't skimp on action, however, including a finale that rivals the one in the first Avengers. Granted, I wish they would take it easy on the jump-cuts, as it makes it a bit tough to follow said action. The movie also does a good job (though not quite as good at the first film) at inserting humor into the situation. There are plenty of good one-liners and a great running joke about Steve Rogers somewhat boyscout nature. Even if the film feels a bit darker this time around, Whedon still tries to keep the spirit a bit light.
Age of Ultron does feel a bit rushed as well - the whole Ultron storyline plays out rather quickly (and wraps up a bit too nicely) but I'm not an advocate for splitting up movies (we'll see how Infinity Wars Parts 1 and 2 plays out). But things turn out about as well as could be expected and it does lay the groundwork for the future of the franchise.
All in all - fans of the recent trend in superhero films have nothing to be worried about - it may not pack quite the punch as the original Avengers, but it still is a worthwhile experience and an example of all that is right with the genre.
