A New Age Dawns!!! Second Avengers Movie Offers Surprises,
Big Action, and Hints on Studios Course of Direction.
Review By: Brandon Porter
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| Avengers ASSEMBLE!!!! |
Story
Four
years ago, the world discovered just how connected to the universe we are.
Facing imminent destruction, a group of super powered individuals known as The
Avengers stood up and defended the earth in its darkest hour saving countless
lives and making themselves a force to be reckoned with. Since that fateful
battle, the members of the team face a new and more formidable threat. With
SHIELD decimated and threats popping up at a consistently rapid rate, the
Avengers now are tasked with more responsibilities and little time to rest. To
help take the burden off, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr) unearths a secret
peacekeeping program known as Ultron (James Spader). Programmed to defend human
life, Ultron takes his role to heart but in an entirely different and deadly
way. Now facing a menace bent on saving humanity by destroying it, Stark, Steve
Rodgers (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner),
Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) must assemble
once more to face Ultron, his legion of robotic minions, and a pair of
mysterious super powered twins (Elizabeth Olsen and Arron Taylor Johnson). When
the dust settles, the very fabric of the world will change forever and bring
forth a brand new age. |
| United but divided |
Analysis
Since the colossal success of Marvel’s The Avengers, Marvel Studios has seen much change. With 4 movies
spanning 2 years including two record breaking blockbusters last year, Marvel
has quickly risen to become one of the most marketable film studios in
Hollywood. Their latest installment in the ever growing Marvel Cinematic
Universe comes in the form of the second Avengers movie, Age of Ultron. In a year already packed with potential
blockbusters, Age of Ultron was a sure fire top pick on everyone’s list. After
the film’s release, the film both delivered and not delivered. From a critical
standpoint, Avengers: Age of Ultron earned a solid but shockingly low critical
score of 74% on rotten tomatoes as opposed to an above average score of 90%
among audiences and fans. Financially however, the film performed just as you
might expect. Age of Ultron earned an outstanding $191.3 million in North
America with an additional $439 million in various other territories. As of May
6th, Age of Ultron has earned a total of ___ million worldwide.
Several records were also broken by the film including $84.46 million on its
opening day making it the biggest opening day for a superhero film and the
second-biggest opening and second-biggest single-day gross, behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part
2 in addition to and IMAX opening weekend record of $25.2 million, a title
previously held by The Dark Knight Rises,
while also breaking the record for the fastest movie to make over $40 million
in IMAX theaters in a span of just 12 days. Despite the critical shortcomings
of the second “assembling” of earth’s mightiest heroes, Age of Ultron is no
question one of the biggest box office hits of the year. With more potential
blockbusters on the way, the film no question makes its case as the film to
beat this summer movie season.
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| The Avengers Fight off Ultron's Minions |
Review
Even
though I have been following Marvel since The
Avengers 3 years ago, I only recently became a true fan of the foundation that
the studio was building. Avengers: Age of
Ultron, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2012 bonified classic, saw the
return of Joss Whedon and the original cast to deliver a worthy sequel and
another key installment to the MCU. Happily, I can say it accomplished both.
Seeing it in IMAX 3D, I am very pleased with how the film turned out. Writer
and director Joss Whedon does an admirable job balancing an enormously loaded
list of material and making it work to the best of his ability. Though I’m
still piecing together details, I was still able to make the connections that
allowed me to not get too lost. This defienatley speaks volumes to Whedon’s
ability as a screenwriter and a director. The writing in the movie is as well
structured, witty, and satisfying as the original while offering fun surprises
and catering to the film’s darker tone. As for the principle cast, terrific all
around. Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Robert Downey, Jr
all do great in their roles exhibiting new found flaws that challenge their characters
mentally as well as physically. Jeremy Renner, I’m pleased to say, has a much
more defined role in this movie having more screen time and showcasing than he
did in the first. As for the new additions, Aaron Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth
Olsen, who play scarlet witch and Quicksilver respectively, are welcome
additions into the MCU. Elizabeth Olsen is the true standout of the two doing a
great job exhibiting Wanda Maximoff’s cunningness but yet reserved and
thoughtful personality. Her impact on not just the team but the story itself is
so vital offering some of the film’s more emotionally driven moments as well as
possibly giving a glimpse at what might be coming to the MCU down the road.
Aaron Taylor Johnson is solid as Quicksilver in the movie as well. Though he
had to reach the high bar set by the Evan Peters portrayed Quicksilver in last
year’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, Johnson was fun to watch in the screen time
he was given. James Spader as Ultron is a solid follow up villain next to Loki.
Exhibiting a unique charisma and a driven spirit to pursue supreme order,
Spader's Ultron does well in is own right, but not quite good enough to top Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal
of Loki in the first film. Paul Bettney's Vision is also a great new character in the film. offering as a polar opposite to Ultron, he carries a more calmer more compassionate demeanor and also had one of the film's biggest surprises. Definitely fun seeing him on screen. Action wise, it is structured differently than the
first film. Instead of small action sequences leading up to a spectacular climactic
brawl, The movie has different but large epic scale set pieces spread out
throughout the film. From the beginning raid in sokovia, the raucous Hulk vs
Hulkbuster sequence, and the chase sequence in Korea, Age of Ultron offers nonstop
action and more memorable action sequences that will surely thrill and excite.
Despite the more action sequences offered, the movie’s climactic battle delivers
the same great showcase style that made the first movie so special while
offering some very big surprises along the way. All in all, Avengers Age of Ultron is a more than worthy
sequel to the 2012 blockbuster and offers subtle hints on where Marvel is going
with this ship their sailing on. With a foundation set and pieces still left to
be in play, all we can do is enjoy the ride.
Rating and Final Thoughts
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Large scale action, darker tone, and solid screenwriting and
directing make Avengers: Age of Ultron
a terrific addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and foreshadows the
destinations the brand is heading.
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Dark times prepare to descend on the MCU as a certain
someone decides to take matters into his own “hand”.
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