Avengers: Age Of Ultron Review

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The last time we saw the collective band of heroes that make up the Avengers it involved a hell of a lot of shawarma. It's fair to say that, since their toast of success following defeat of the Chitauri, a lot has happened for our team. For instance, Tony Stark looked to have called it a day, while Captain America and Black Widow uncovered some truths about S.H.I.E.L.D. that sent more than enough ripples through the ranks. So where do Earth's Mightiest Heroes go from here? Joss Whedon answers just that with Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

The Avengers have banded together once again as Loki's sceptor has surfaced and is in the possession of Baron von Strucker (Thomas Kretchsmann), a man whose HYDRA connection sees him looking to eventually utilise twins Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

Showing their enemies what a well-oiled unit can do, the team soon retrieve the sceptor and head back to Tony Stark's newly-built headquarters to kick back. Unfortunately, the party atmosphere is soon interrupted as Stark and Bruce Banner's experimental AI, Ultron (James Spader), finds a lease of life and a new mission is spawned. With Ultron intent on making the human race extinct, and the twins in tow, Earth's Mightiest Heroes have one hell of a task this time around.

Joss Whedon is a maestro in forging adventures that offer just as many thrills and spills as they do quick-fire laughs, and Age Of Ultron is no different. Looking to build upon the success of his mammoth box office smash, the Buffy and Firefly alumni smashes through the barriers at breakneck speed as he looks to grasp the audience in his palm and never let them go.

It all begins with a fist-pumping foray of money-shot moments and visual splendour as our famed team literally look to storm the castle, in this case, a HYDRA base. Having already established the team itself, the director immediately bypasses any re-introductions as the action takes centre stage. Heroes collaborating with their signature weapons, a slow motion leap of brilliance, and some creative camera flurries; this is what we pay for in a blockbuster and it paves the way for the rest of the film.

From then on, Ultron is dominated by the familiar wisecracks, some extra depth to some of the lesser vibrant characters and packed to the rafters with ample opportunity for the fans to descend into a rapturous state as comic book craziness takes over. The issue, albeit a slight one, is that this is a sequel that never quite hits above its predecessor, only matching the majesty of the first film.
For all the incredibly exceptional moments of heroic showcase, none ever quite feel beyond the reach of the finale set piece in the previous film, and often there is so much going on that there is a slight feel of over-exertion creeping in. True, Ultron is a job done fantastically in terms of fitting in a huge wealth of Marvel characters, it's just that it sometimes feels a tad overwhelming, especially in the big set pieces.

That said, the sequel does add further depth in the key areas; most notably in evolving team relationships and giving the smaller players their fair share of the cake. That couldn't be applied more to Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, moving from the sidelines to become a pivotal force this time around. His background uncovered and nailing some great lines, this is more of the Hawkeye we require. The same can be applied to Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), her past endeavours teased and a simmering tension between her and Banner providing some of the strongest components of the film.

A film with such an ensemble, of course, requires great balance with its characters and Whedon manages to finely tune his use of each and every hero (and villain). The likes of Downey Jr., Evans and Hemsworth are still evidently having fun, while the addition of Spader to mix things up is inspired. The combination of Olsen and Taylor-Johnson also adds a great new dynamic to the series, as their brother-sister relationship is a strong bond that sees them as individuals who have plenty of say in events. As of others, let's just say some familiar faces may show up on the journey...

Avengers: Age Of Ultron is a fantastic and finely balanced blockbuster that copes incredibly well with a growing roster. Some of the creases from the first film are certainly ironed out, but at times it does feel a tad overwhelming in its scope, especially with an even bigger picture on the horizon. Needless to say, this is a mammoth picture that demands attention and once again ensures Marvel are at the top of their game and will be for some years to come yet.

Cinema Review - Kick-Ass 2

In a world where Marvel have taken comic book movie domination to a whole new level, it was great to see Mark Millar's Kick-Ass spring onto the scene a few years back. Now, with a reputation to withstand as somewhat of an underdog in the comic world, Kick-Ass 2 hits our screens with new director Jeff Wadlow handed the reins from Matthew Vaughn.

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has fully embraced his alter-ego as crime fighting Kick-Ass, and in representing good in the city, soon finds that more costumed heroes are out there fighting the good fight. But as Dave joins forces with Justice Forever, led by Colonel Stars And Stripes (Jim Carrey), Mindy McCready (Chloe Grace Moretz) looks to hang up her cape as titular hero Hit-Girl.

With Kick-Ass teaming up with his new gang of superhero friends, Mindy experiences the tough reality of high school as she butts heads with the popular girls, an experience she is far from familiar with. Meanwhile, the villain formerly known as Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is determined to kill Kick-Ass once and for all, creating himself a new persona as The Motherfucker. Hankering for a slaughter, the self-proclaimed 'world's first ever villain' creates his own team, The Toxic Mega-C*nts and sets out to wreak havoc.

Kick-Ass 2 is certainly a return to familiar territory for fans of the original, with the stakes and the character numbers heightened. In doing so, director Jeff Wadlow slightly lets the ball slip but it would be very unfair to say this sequel is one that is far from its predecessor in terms of quality and its all-important fun factor.

Filled to the brim with belly laughs, outrageous violence and projectile vomiting, Kick-Ass 2 is a brilliant continuation of the series and produces yet more magic from its leads in Johnson and, without a doubt, Moretz. In fact, this is very much Hit-Girl's show, with Moretz returning to bring yet more obscenities and over-the-top youth violence, with her slashing her way through leagues of villains in some of the best action sequences in the film.

That's not to say Kick-Ass and the rest of the gang don't have their fair share, much to the contrary as a great array of new colourful characters add depth to the proceedings. Carrey may be slightly underused but he utilises his screen time well and the likes of Night Bitch (Lindy Booth) and Doctor Gravity (Donald Faison) offer up new and refreshing servings. On the villainous side, Mintz-Plasse hams it up just as he should do but Mother Russia (Olga Kurkulina) is the beast that towers above all both physically and in her performance. A truly formidable foe if there ever was one.

Kick-Ass 2 may not quite be as good as its predecessor but Wadlow knows how to make his audience tick and manages to forge together elements of the first film along with some new ideas to create a riotous affair. Kick-Ass may be around for one last bow but it's certainly Hit-Girl who we want to see more of.

Film rating: 4 out of 5 F's