Let me start by saying this: Ultron (James Spader) is a brilliant villain. His motives are villainous, his appearance is downright scary, and his presence rivals some of the best on-screen antagonists we've had in recent memory. Additionally, he's not criminally underutilised like countless other villains are - there are more than a few scenes which he steals effortlessly. Marvel's excellent Guardians of the Galaxy presented us with a forgettable foe in the form of Ronan last year, and thankfully Age of Ultron manages to avoid repeating this blunder. Does that mean it's the best Marvel film made to this point? Definitely not.
Now, before you stop reading in anger, let me say this: I really enjoyed Avengers: Age of Ultron. It upped the ante in every possible way, with a nigh apocalypse being threatened by an equally apocalyptic foe. All the favourites return, with a greater focus being put on underdog Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), most likely in an attempt to elevate him to the same level as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) and Captain America (Chris Evans). We're also given more depth to returning characters like Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson), and that's never a bad thing. Basically, Age of Ultron is more in every imaginable factor. There's higher stakes; the characters are more fleshed out; the action is more intense. The problem is that 'more' does not instantly equate to 'better'. Nor does this mean that it's worse than what we've had before. The reason I'm slightly let down with Age of Ultron isn't because it's a bad movie, it's because it delivers exactly what you expect...and that's about it.
You've still got the witty banter between characters, and the moments of emotion shared in private. Seemingly out of nowhere, there's also a blossoming romance between Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) and the aforementioned Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff, but it's hardly the crux of the whole film. If it weren't for the awesome villain Ulton, however, then Age of Ultron would be nothing more than 'just another Marvel movie'. Is that bad? No! Of course not! If you're a Marvel fan, then you'll love the constant action and tone, but there's nothing new that will bring in new fans. And in that lies the issue: it's just more of the same.
Think of it this way: somebody's playing a song you enjoy, and you enjoy it so much that they feel the need to crank it to 11. You'll still enjoy the song (if be a little deafened), but soon you'll be moving on to another. That doesn't mean you've grown tired of the tune or lyrics, but eventually it'll get over-played to the point of annoyance. Avengers isn't quite at that point yet, but if Age of Ultron is anything to go by, then it's worryingly close.
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| Ultron (James Spader) |
When it gets it right though, it really gets it right. Some of the action sequences are jaw-dropping, to the point where it feels like you're watching a comic-book unfold before you. The fights between Ultron himself and the Avengers are particular highlights, because they offer a new challenge for the heroes to overcome, and the seemingly unbeatable nature of Ultron makes for some genuinely intense moments. Sure, certain fights drag on for way too long, but this is more a problem of action movies than of Age of Ultron specifically. One thing that does feel a little off about the film is the sometimes drastic swapping between comedy and impending doom. I'm all up for having humour in Marvel movies, and Guardians of the Galaxy provides an excellent example of a film that doesn't take itself too seriously. Unfortunately, there's times when Age of Ultron wants to have its cake and eat it. You can't try and convey that the world is literally ending, all the while having our protagonists cracking jokes like they're just hanging out. Have one then the other - don't try and blend the two.
Verdict
Avengers: Age of Ultron is a worthy sequel, but one which plays it a little too safe to truly excel. It does its job, and you're entertained for a little over two hours, but doesn't experiment with many new ideas. Marvel have found what works and stuck with it, and why wouldn't they? If I made $1,000,000,000 then I doubt I'd be straying too far from the formula. 2018's Infinity War really needs to switch things up if it's going to keep from going stale, though.
"You want to protect the world, but you don't want it
to change. You're all puppets, tangled in strings...strings!"
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