A Major Disappointment!

Rating: 5/10 (24 April 2015)

If disappointment had lost a literal definition, it would be 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'. A lazy, soulless sequel, that shames its prequel & also the prolific superheroes. Despite the best of graphics & stars in hand, this summer bigger suffers from a stilted narrative.
'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Synopsis: When Tony Stark tries to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans.
'Avengers: Age of Ultron' has only one saving grace & that's its graphics. The visuals are marvelous & the action-sequences are expertly choreographed. But, the narrative is stilted & soulless. Also, the pace is dreadfully slow in the first-hour. I was throughly bored in this hour, almost in disbelief if this one is actually a marvel movie.
Joss Whedon's Screenplay is a downer. He made a terrific film previously, but this time around, he has faltered. The Writing Material surrenders to graphics & makes very less use of its own strength. Whedon's Direction, on the other-hand, is fair. Cinematography is alright. Editing is loose, the film runs for a long 142-minutes!
The Avengers, however, do well. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man, donning the part for the fifth time, hasn't lost his charm. Chris Hemsworth as Thor, is excellent here, while Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, looks tired. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America, has his moments. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, is passable. Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye, is a pleasant surprise here. He actually gets scope to perform this time & he does. Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver & Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, add freshness in the proceedings. James Spader as Ultron, is the biggest letdown. He gives the villain a hammy turn, which by no means, works.
On the whole, 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' is very high on hype, but low on substance.