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| Source: Wikipedia |
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.
