It has been seven years since the world was first introduced to the highly touted Marvel Cinematic Universe. Back then it seemed preposterous that a comic book franchise could translate so well to the big screen. But keen storytelling prevailed and fans are anxious for Joss Whedon's second "˜group' entry, the highly anticipated Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Boasting nine main characters (including two franchise newcomers) Whedon had a lot to accomplish within the confines of the film. While he makes a valiant effort to give each of them a dramatic story arc, at least one witty zinger and some level of superhero showmanship, it seems only fitting that the film would appear a bit crowded. Fortunately for fans, there is plenty more to feast your eyes upon as the band of superheros fight to protect the world from its demise.
Focusing more on its battle sequences than anything else, the film opens with a bang as we slowly see the Avengers, one-by-one, enter the frame and fight off the enemy as they collectively work to infiltrate a group in Sokovia. The scene is perfectly played as we find ourselves reintroduced to all the key players, as well as getting an early look at newcomers Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen respectively).
Whedon spent quite a bit of his time on the action sequences, utilizing the special effects and crafting scenes that are truly a "˜marvel' to look at. (See what I did there?) His biggest success comes when Hulk and Iron Man duke it out in public, flying through buildings and leaving a long line of victims in its wake. The visuality of it all is quite stunning, the problem is that the rest of the film is unable to keep up with the high octane adrenaline rush. In fact, film eventually becomes a collection of fascinating scenes, combined by drawn out emotional moments that though integral to the story, lose the audience with its elementary dialogue and cliché attempts to be witty.
That isn't to say that the film itself isn't solid - it is. But Whedon leaves much to be desired. James Spader's Ultron isn't nearly as villainous as the original film's bad-guy Loki; I often found myself more fearful of his sidekicks Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, who both appeared to have the Avengers under control during their battles.
As expected both Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans are the leading performers here - and it should come as no surprise as both received the best story arcs and exchanges. On the opposite end of the spectrum Scarlet Johansson's Black Widow and Mark Ruffalo' Hulk are forced to play out a rather forced romance, showcasing a desperate plea to appeal to the women in the audience with their quiet, somewhat passive love affair. I'm not entirely knowledgable of what happens in the actual comics; however, in the film the two lack passion and energy. Their coupling is a bit funnier than what was likely intended, and its a sad situation really. I don't blame the actors for this atrocious mishap; they are merely victims in this situation.
Both the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are introduced into the foray, and their journey from Sokovia to the US is interesting as each plays an integral part in how the Avengers story proceeds. That being said, neither were well developed, each getting a mere background run through during a short segment with franchise regular Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders). Furthermore, neither get the screen time necessary for a full-fledged introduced, making me ponder just how much the two will be used going forward.
The final twenty minutes were entertaining, albeit predictable for the most part. I was excited to see Vision enter the foray, and his portrayal by Paul Bettany was near flawless. Linda Cardellini and Julie Delpy also satisfy in their "˜secret' roles, though neither gets the time to really have a major impact on the quality of the film - though both do play a large hand in the actual storyline. As things come to a close and we are met with numerous last minute cameos, you can't help but feel satisfied. No, it wasn't better than the original, but I'm not sure the expectation that it would be is a fair one. Whedon sets things up for a killer Phase 3, and that is a job well done for any franchise fan.
