Whedon inserts new elements presented in the most recent films of the characters, and expanding the story to a more global level

Rating: 8/10 (2 March 2020)

It is no secret that the challenge is enormous. In addition to maintaining the great quality of the films of this second phase of Marvel, Joss Whedon tries to overcome himself here, since the first Avengers is practically a unanimity between critics and the public. And he manages to reach a similar level, delivering yet another spectacular film in every way, inserting new elements presented in the most recent films of the characters, and expanding the story to a more global level. Whedon, who once again does not have to tell origin stories, let alone find a good reason to reunite all the heroes again, is free to go straight to the point, going straight to the plot.
Trying to protect the planet from threats like those seen in the first The Avengers, Tony Stark seeks to build an artificial intelligence system that would take care of world peace. The project ends up going wrong and generates the birth of Ultron (voice of James Spader). Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) will have to come together again save the day.
Whedon already begins the film with a spectacular action scene, where the skills of several heroes are shown during the invasion of one of the bases of H.I.D.R.A, where they recover the Scepter of Loki, an inexhaustible source of energy and psychic control. In parallel, seeking to keep the local population safe, drones commanded by Jarvis (at the behest of Stark) try to reduce collateral damage, but they are not welcomed in these eastern European lands. Tony's project has already started, creating an immediate cohesion with Extremis technology, which we saw in Iron Man 3, right after they recovered the artifact that gives Tony Stark the possibility to advance in the project he developed with Dr. Bruce Banner. In Stark's conception, it would be the end of the group, while they would be replaced by a "bigger shield", an omniscient protection that they themselves could not overcome, something very similar to what we saw in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Once an arms manufacturer, Iron Man continues to be forced to face the result of his past actions. Becoming a superhero was part of the process of dealing with that awareness. Now, becoming a global defender is an even more powerful opportunity in that sense.
As in the first Avengers, the meeting of the heroes is cohesive and well balanced. There is no central character taking on a more important posture, not even Captain America who is the leader of the group in the comics and also in the films. As a matter of fact, characters who did not have such a large participation in the last film, have the chance to participate more effectively in the plot as a whole. It is like that with the Black Widow and the Hulk, who end up building an important sexual tension between them, putting on the agenda the possibility of a possible relationship, showing two traumatized and fragile people who hope to live a normal life together, away from the Avengers and of everything that implies this coexistence. The similarities between both characters already existed, but the script highlights and seeks them. Another highlight is Gavião Arqueiro, a happy and married man with two children and one more on the way. This relationship between Gavião and his wife, the fact that they live in isolation and his relationship with his family is explored. In fact, this isolated and calm place is where heroes try to recover from nightmares that torment them from that point on.
New characters were also introduced efficiently. James Spader is the android Ultron. He, who acted in person and later was replaced by computer graphics of motion capture, is undoubtedly the great success. The actor, basically with his voice, lends a threatening, cold and even ironic tone to the villain, who dictates that to solve a problem you must eliminate its source: the Avengers and humanity. Its triumphal entry seems to have been taken directly from a horror film. We don't have a simple homicidal machine in it, but something completely human, which makes it even more terrifying.
Speaking of motion capture, there is no way to mention the participation of Andy Serkis (the Gollum of "The Lord of the Rings", the Caesar of "The Planet of the Apes", the King Kong of the Peter Jackson remake) in the skin of the dealer of arms Ulysses Klaue in a cameo. He is responsible for removing the vibranium metal from the African nation of Wakanda and selling it on the black market. It's the same alloy that makes up Captain America's shield, it's the material that Ultron needs to build his indestructible body.
We also have the twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson), known in the comics as Mercury and Scarlet Witch. Since Marvel / Disney does not own the rights to the mutant word, owned by FOX in theaters, it was up to Joss Whedon to reinvent the origin of the characters. In the film, the brothers are the result of experiments conducted by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann), a scientist at HYDRA, a Nazi organization that extended its tentacles within the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. - as shown last year in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier". Pietro has super speed as a characteristic and participates well in some good action scenes. But it is Wanda who gains more prominence and importance due to his powers of manipulating reality - and perception. In comics, she combines her changing power to alter reality with witchcraft, a mixture that, in the cinema, could be confused. Joss Whedon simplifies the equation, giving him telekinesis combined with the power to invade minds, unlocking unconscious fears from his "victims".
One of the new heroes to be worked on is Vision (also Paul Bettany). A perfect adaptation of the character on the pages, the creature appears simplifying all its concepts from the comic books, but at the same time keeping them intact. The android Visão, created by the film's own villain to harbor his conscience, but which ends up "rescued" by the heroes, becoming his ally. Vision is, in fact, a "symptom", an artificial person with his own thoughts. Interestingly, Vision and the Scarlet Witch formed, in the comics, one of Marvel's most unlikely couples. It is not impossible to imagine that the novel is also mirrored in cinema.
The film has a darker, darker tone, but it has a balance that doesn't let it get too serious at any time. Like any Marvel movie, the movie is full of jokes, mostly good ones. At no point does the film stop amusing itself in the midst of action that does not disappoint once again. As already shown before, we have important ethical discussions between Captain America and Iron Man. Steve Rogers is the perfect opposite to the idea, which flirts with totalitarianism, of a corporate peacekeeping force, acting on foreign soil, of Iron Man. This discussion could have been further explored and debated in the script, generating consequences for the Age of Ultron, not just a prelude to the coming Civil War.
One of the differences from the previous film that brought together the heroes is the relationship between the characters. There are many more scenes of interaction between everyone, however the number and scale of the action scenes is even greater, which was a little exaggerated in certain sequences, which seem to come directly from the comic book pages to the big screen. Despite this, they are visually creative, beautiful and imposing scenes. Among the main action scenes, we can highlight the invasion of the H.I.D.R.A hideout, the scene of the appearance of Ultron in the middle of the party where the Avengers are gathered; the scenes on the African Coast; the fight between Hulk and Hulkbuster (with Tony Stark in special armor); the fight and chase involving the Black Widow, the Captain and Ultron in public transport through the streets of Seoul, in addition to the great final battle in Sokovia. The scenarios of the confrontations are completely different from those of The Avengers, leaving luxurious New York for marginal environments, much more impoverished, but also much more human. In the plot, the evil presence also denotes more impact, gravity in the situation, as, given the much larger number of characters, it becomes uncertain who will survive and who will die.
Avengers: Age of Ultron is yet another hit by Marvel, creating a unique and exciting experience for the general public. Joss Whedon knows how few combine action, drama, science fiction and humor in one film to amuse everyone. There was no shortage of destroyed cities, shattered robots and spectacular scenes, whether in the air or on land. With the terrain prepared, it remains to await The Civil War, which will show the split between heroes.