Familiar...But Still Fun (For Now)

Rating: 7/10 (10 May 2015)

There are a number of negative stances that one could take against The Avengers: Age of Ultron. You could argue that the film is repetitive and derivative, given that the Marvel factory has been reliably pumping out both tonally and visually similar films for the last half-decade. Any uniqueness that director Joss Whedon brought to the first Avengers installment feels comfortingly familiar rather than fresh and exciting. In particular, the action sequences have a been there, done that vibe to them. Rather than fighting endless waves of anonymous aliens, the Avengers now battle against endless waves of anonymous robots. Eventually there becomes a point of diminishing returns on seeing the heroes smash apart their opponents over and over again.
You could argue that the film feels overstuffed, even more so than its predecessor. In addition to servicing the six returning Avengers, the film also introduces the Maximoff twins (Quickslilver and Scarlet Witch, although never referred to by those aliases), as well as the villainous Ultron. That makes nine characters that have at least a minimal story arc, which could easily the film a bit too thin. In addition, time is also given to the numerous cameos from within the ever-expanding Marvel universe. The more characters and plot points that are touched upon, the more difficult it becomes to muster the energy to care.
Or you could argue that Age of Ultron isn't even really a film at all. Instead, it's merely a $300 million advertisement for future Marvel cinematic efforts. Anyone who pays attention to the endless superhero movie news cycle knows that the entire franchise is building towards the two-part Avengers 3. You could be forgiven in the lead-up to Age of Ultron for considering the film to be somewhat of an afterthought, and simply a prelude to the screen shattering Infinity War storyline that those two films will explore. Even within Age of Ultron it is made clear, through a muddled Thor storyline, that the real threat for the Avengers is yet to come. Understandably, Marvel likes having a five-year plan to ensure that riches continue to flow in. But the focus on the future has been to the detriment of the here and now.
All of the criticisms that are outlined above are hard to ignore. However, Age of Ultron manages to somewhat overcome them, and provide an enjoyable cinematic experience. Despite bringing nothing new to the table, the film still provides the fun that people loved about the first Avengers film. The climactic battle sequence does wear out its welcome eventually, but it is still exciting to see the heroes doing what they do best. The film's many characters are as much an advantage as a disadvantage. By this point everyone knows which Avengers they care about and which they don't. You're bored by the Hulk and Black Widow's blossoming romance? Well, don't worry the film only has time to develop the relationship over a few scenes. You don't care about Hawkeye's back-story and motivation? Well just wait a couple of minutes and we'll get back to the witty banter between Iron Man and Captain America. By having developed most of these characters previously, Age of Ultron can get away with divvying up the screen time almost equally, and not focusing on any character in particular.
The real strength of Age of Ultron, besides its world-class visual effects, is its characters. The reason this film works at all is because almost every actor performs with enough charisma to take over the screen, even when saddled with underwhelming material. Scarlett Johansson has never been particularly challenged by the part of Black Widow, but she makes the character more than simply the token female hero. Chris Evans takes a blander than bland character in Captain America and somehow makes him interesting. Robert Downey Jr. seems to inhabit the Iron Man character too well, to the point where it feels as if he's performing in his sleep. Even with limited screen time Aaron Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen are able to convincingly bring Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch to life. There are no weak links among the core cast, which helps to cover up many of the film's issues.
For people who love, like, or merely tolerate the Avengers saga, Age of Ultron provides more of the same. Fun character moments are interspersed with exciting action sequences. The trademark Whedon banter is present in full force, and makes many scenes zip along at a quick pace. But the Marvel formula is being stretched to its breaking point, and that is more apparent than ever in this newest film. With Age of Ultron familiarity still brings enjoyment, but unless a shake up is made soon that same familiarity will soon lead to disinterest.