There are some strings that hold it down

Rating: 8/10 (10 June 2015)

I feel people are being unnecessarily harsh with this movie. While it's not perfect, it still has everything a summer blockbuster movies should have, sadly with a little extra baggage.
The story and setup is simple enough to follow along and has some ideas and themes that are fun to think about. It's nothing really deep, but it adds some meat whereas another blockbuster franchise, Transformers, has nothing like it. Every action sequence was fun, and they all felt as though they belonged and didn't feel too random or out of place.
Most of the characters are still just as great, and Hawkeye was developed even more since he got the short end in the first movie. The only major stumbling blocks are the romance between the Hulk and Black Widow, and Thor's side-quest. The former felt unearned and it was confusing since she had more chemistry with other characters. The latter felt like padding. Ultron was actually snide and funny, which is different than the solely-menacing villain in the trailers. That's not a bad thing but it was unexpected and he still was quite menacing.
The humor was mostly spot on, and I think that helps because with a character that looks like the Vision, this film should not take itself too seriously. There are two running gags that start at the beginning and get funnier as the film goes on, both ending with a good pay-off.
This isn't as good as the first, but it's still well-worth watching. This is what audiences really want when they're only looking for a simple story, engaging characters, fun action and spectacle. It's pure escapism and entertainment.
**SPOILERS** **SPOILERS** **SPOILERS**
Another thing that really bugged me was there was a character who was mostly introduced in this film, and he dies at the end. Sure he's given opportunities to be heroic, but his brief appearance hindered the impact. It feels like a waste.
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