A GREAT way to start the 2015 Summer Blockbuster Season

Rating: 8/10 (3 May 2015)

With the release of AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, the summer blockbuster season is upon us. People have a tendency to fall into 1 of 2 camps at this time of year - those that enjoy/look forward to these types of movies and...those who don't.
If you are in the 2nd camp, then you can stop reading right now.
If, like me, you look forward to the summer blockbuster, then AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is a great way to start the season.
ULTRON, brings back all the players from the previous Avengers film and it has a feeling of old friends coming back together. Director Joss Whedon knows how to make these movies. The action is tight - and simple - with the goals easily laid out. Each character has something to do and humor is laced throughout this film to keep the sense of an amusement park roller coaster going.
But, it is the camaraderie of the cast that really makes this movie. Downey, Evans, Hemsworth, Johansson and Ruffalo all look at ease with this film - and each other, giving the sense that they enjoyed being back together. Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye FINALLY gets something important to do in this film and he shines in his role. Add to this newcomers Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen and the group really shines.
Whedon also makes good use of other familiar faces in the Marvel universe - Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackey and Stellan Skargsard all show up (albeit briefly) to join in on the fun.
All this fun is counter-acted by the fine performance of the villain - James Spader's ULTRON. His silky smooth, unemotional (though VERY emotional) delivery makes him a villain not to be trifled with. With the menace in the previous Avengers film coming from outer space, it was good to see the nemesis in this movie come from within. I think I would have gotten tired with another outer space villain.
All in all, a rollicking good time at the movie theater. This is what a Summer Blockbuster should be. The bar has been set for the summer of 2015, it will be interesting to see if the other movies this summer can meet (or exceed) this bar.
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (of Marquis)