Avengers: Age of Ultron Review

Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlet Johansson, Jeremy Renner, David Spader, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smoulders and Samuel L. Jackson
Release Date: May 1, 2015

Expectations are hard to manage, particularly when you’re walking into a session of the sequel to one of the greatest modern action films of recent memory. How much better are the fight scenes going to be? Will this one be as funny as the first? As any huge fan would attest, the challenge to control your emotions is a difficult one to say the least. But when the lights dim, that iconic Marvel banner appears and you realise that the day you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived, everything you’ve felt up until that point sort of falls by the wayside, and what’s left is a smile on your face and the knowledge that, in all likelihood, you’re really going to enjoy the next two and a half hours of your life.

Having said that, I’m pleased to report that for the most part Avengers: Age of Ultron does not disappoint. Building upon the excellent character moments and humour of the first, this sequel is a joyous romp from start to finish that only just falls short of movie magic thanks to its overreaching desire to outmuscle itself and some ‘been-there-done-that’ action techniques.

What is easily the highlight of the film and what writer/director Joss Whedon seems to effortlessly portray on the silver screen is a profound understanding of the characters he writes. Often described as a ‘master of ensemble directing’, Whedon’s intricate expertise of what makes these cartoonish superheroes so fascinating and how to embody that in cinema is unmatched. Tapping into the psyches of each of our heroes in a way that reveals more to us in 30 seconds than most films do in two hours is a tremendous feat; something many writer/directors are capable of, but don’t excel at quite as much as Whedon demonstrates here. Most notably, the visual depiction of Steven Rogers’ thoughts and anxieties is epitomized perfectly, resulting in a scene that had my jaw on the floor, not for its grandeur but its remarkably concise storytelling.

Equally as impressive is Whedon’s ability to weave humour in, around and throughout the entire film in a way that feels natural, perfectly timed and true to each character. Just like the first film, there were close to a dozen (what are sure to become infinitely quotable) lines that had the audience, myself included, in stitches. It’s a beautiful reminder that although Earth’s mightiest heroes are trying to thwart pending global destruction, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a laugh while you do it.

Speaking of Earth’s mightiest heroes, it was pleasing to see that the Avengers themselves stayed true to their roots, always mindful of their purpose that they exist to protect humanity; something I found to be a nice touch that could easily be forgotten in such a grandiose plot with a larger than life villain.

Part of the film’s grandiosity is the need to provide our ever-expanding roster of Avengers with a sizeable threat, one that’s not too difficult for Clint Barton to dispatch with his trusty bow and arrow, yet provides enough challenge for Hulk and his skyscraper-smashing strength. Unfortunately, the film falls back on the tried-and-true formula of throwing an overwhelming number of bad guys at our heroes and, in comparison with the first film, it’s not done as interestingly or with nearly as much dynamism.

Thankfully, the leader of this threat, Ultron – played magnificently by David Spader – is menacing, intelligent and outright hilarious, all at the same time. Still, it’s not enough to absolve the film of the several moments throughout the final action scene where it quite obviously attempts to one-up similar set pieces from the first film.

Sadly, the choice to go bigger and better doesn’t pay off and we’re left with epic action moments that either try too hard or flood the senses with too much information. It’s not that these giant action moments weren’t impressive, they were. The level of destruction on screen combined with the choreography of ensuring each character is contributing to the action in a meaningful way is extraordinary. But the pure magic of seeing your favourite hero pull of a move that you couldn’t imagine in your wildest dreams is traded in for the hope that your mesmerized by the sheer amount of robotic cannon fodder the Avengers can tear through all at the same time; a trope that just isn’t that nourishing.

Based on what you’ve read so far, you’d be forgiven if you thought the film doesn’t take any risks, which is definitely not the case. It’s here that Whedon is more hit-and-miss. The chance taken to explore a different side of one of our hero’s lives is welcome and definitely an enjoyable insight, illuminating a previously very dark corner of the Avengers’ fiction. However, one chance that leaves a somewhat sour taste in the mouth is the hint at a romantic interest within the group. Even though the seeds for this side story are planted early on, the film doesn’t earn the conclusion it tries to create and by the time it’s complete, feels half-baked and unnecessary.

All in all, Avengers: Age of Ultron is another great entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that builds upon everything the first film accomplished and delivers a thoroughly entertaining and memorable story, despite its sometimes formulaic action and uncontrollable ambition to outdo itself.