Avengers: Age of Ambivalence

Rating: 9/10 (28 March 2016)

Ambivalent. That's the word I would use when describing what it was like watch Earth's Mightiest Heroes in their second crack together in the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in Avengers: Age of Ultron (AoU). In another word, it was bittersweet. It was underwhelming yet exhilarating, sometimes bland and sometimes superb, it left you satisfied, yet wanting worlds more. The Age of Ambivalence.
What it did great:
Age of Ultron first and foremost does one thing better than any other superhero movie has been able to do before it; it showcases the incredible accuracy of power and excitement behind each and every hero on screen. The film's greatest strength is its ability to take iconic heroes that have been around for decades and bring them all as close to their full-power, comic book form that we've ever seen, and it's magnificent. Hulk smashes and jumps like never before, Thor fights and flies like a true demi-god, and director Joss Wheedon definitely learned how to write Captain America's full power into an Avengers film, thanks in part to the Russo brother's successful attempt at re- tooling the Captain in 2014's spectacular "The Winter Solider". The bottom line is, that all of the mentioned and unmentioned heroes (Iron Man, Vision, Hawkeye, etc.) in the film are a constant thrill to watch. No matter the fight. Watching our favorite heroes in Age of Ultron was like watching a comic book unfold before my eyes, and I was wowed with simply how much fun it was to watch these heroes in their biggest and best form yet.
Another great thing AoU is able to have to its name is an outstanding cast, with each member delivering the greatest continuing performance to their individual characters in superhero film history. Robert Downey Jr. is practically Iron Man in real life, Mark Ruffalo has only gotten better as Bruce Banner/Hulk, and all of the newcomers, including Paul Bettany (The Vision), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Aaron-Taylor Johnson (Quicksilver) and James Spader (Ultron) only add to the endless pool of talent found within the MCU. The chemistry between all of these characters is strong and seamless, only solidifying the film's accuracy to a live-action comic book. Although the screenplay itself might not have necessarily been dipped in gold, every actor is able to play their character to a tee, and it continues to be a joy to watch them on screen film after film.
What it did good:
In the first Avengers film we spent the majority of the movie watching our heroes slowly build into the superhero team we now know and love. There was more necessary character development that was vital to making us care and ultimately lose our minds when Earth's Mightiest Heroes finally worked things out and teamed up. In AoU, right off the bat we hop into Avengers-heavy action and it's wonderful. The team has been established, we know the characters, and it was nice to not have to waste too much time waiting for a big action scene to unfold. The opening action sequence is grand, and one of the best scenes in the film. It gives the audience the awareness that they are an established team now, with every hero working together to effortlessly take down the opposition.
As the eleventh film in the MCU, Age of Ultron was sure to continue building the future stepping stones for the years to come and did just that. The seeds of Captain America: Civil War were planted, and the furthering growth of the road inevitable Infinity War was also very much felt in the film. These things are great for the future of the franchise, but distract from what really is important in the movie, which brings me to my final section.
What it did bad:
While the MCU is a vast one indeed, and many stories have been and will continue to be told, Age of Ultron spent far too much time as a Phase 3 setup film, rather than focusing more time on the story at hand, and Ultron himself. Too often does the film divert its attention away from the story it's trying to tell, and off into territories that have to do with movies 3, 4 years down the line, or subplots like the Bruce/Black Widow romance, which was wasted time that could have been spent further fleshing out Ultron and his evil, yet enticing plans. Even the mid- credits scene was a Infinity War tease. Ultron is one of Marvel's greatest villains, and a wonderful Avengers foe. The sad truth is that, even with James Spader's delightful voicing of the character, Ultron is a massively underwhelming antagonist, which is a heavy disappointment given the potential there was in the character.
The bleak development of Ultron and his story also create cracks in the road of pacing throughout the film, with several scenes feeling rushed and jumbled up. Overall the film sustains a solid flow, but too often does it feel like Joss Wheedon and his team had to stuff 5 tons of content into a 2 ton bag, rushing to deliver a satisfying immediate story and at the same time setup the lager MCU story.
Age of Ultron is a great film, but it's hot and cold. It's packed with exhilarating action scenes, it's colorful with gorgeous CGI, and every hero on screen has never been more fun to watch, period. The acting is flawless, and the connection to the future of the MCU raises numerous questions that are exciting to contemplate. However, it has occasionally sloppy pacing, it fails to tell a full story and there's a unfortunate lack of development for the title character. Avengers: Age of Ultron may have its flaws, but at the end of the day, it stands as a worthy sequel to its 2012 predecessor, and an overall enjoyable entry into the distinguished Marvel Cinematic Universe.
8.5/10