By Graham "GSM" Matthews As always, please keep in mind while reading that this review is being written by strictly a casual fan. I'm basing this review solely off the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the movies that I've seen (essentially all of them with the exception of the Thor series), not the comics. I know some of what the comics entail from what I've been told by a friend of mine, but other than that, I'm hardly knowledgeable when it comes to the comics. Now, all that being said, on to the official review! The first Avengers was among my top three favorite films of 2012 along with The Dark Knight Rises and Skyfall (what a great year for movies). It's funny because before seeing it, I really wasn't into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at all. Hell, I don't think I even knew it existed. I went to go see the movie merely because I thought it looked awesome, and sure enough, it superseded my expectations; it was epic. It was at that point I started following the storylines a bit more closely and watching each of the movies (Captain America, Iron Man, etc.) with more purpose and knowledge of where they were leading. Furthermore, I absolutely loved the concept of characters from different movies coming to together for one gigantic film that was built to over the course of four years. It was unprecedented, and because of that, I had high hopes for Avengers: Age of Ultron. Ultimately (and obviously), it delivered. I'm not even sure where to begin other than flat out saying it was great. It was excellent film on its own (and let's face it, it's hard to think of these movies as their own entities when they're clearly a part of a bigger picture), but there was also a ton of build and foreshadowing for the third installment which will be broken up into two parts and should be featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy (who I was disappointed didn't show up or at least alluded to in this film, but that's simple nitpicking).
First and foremost, the one thing that stuck out to me in Avengers: Age of Ultron more than anything else was the in-depth character development; there was a ton of it. Maybe it was because of his mystique and him being an enigma, but Hawkeye was my favorite Avenger in the first Avengers. I don't think he said more than two sentences in that entire movie, but he came off like a total badass to me. Thus, it was very cool to see him get perhaps more character development in this movie than anyone else. You'd think that personalizing his character would lead to his demise/death, but (minor spoiler alert here) it doesn't, but at least in this movie. So, don't believe everything you read on the Internet before going to see this movie. There are a ton of rumors regarding who dies and what else happens, and I can tell you after seeing it that half of them (if that) are true. You'll see for yourself. The villain, Ultron, was also exceptional. Every great film needs an equally great bad guy and Ultron fits that role to perfection. I think what made him so perfect is that because he was a creation of Tony Stark/Iron Man (accidentally, of course), his personality was very similar to Stark's, and we all know Stark is the funniest of the bunch, sometimes in a jerkish kind of way (but we all still love him, anyway). Ultron was a wiseass, sure, but he was also diabolical and intimidating. He also gave you the feeling that he was invincible and couldn't be beaten, which is the best kind of villain to have because it gives viewers the feeling that their heroes are in jeopardy. On the subject of characters, it was nice to see a handful of fresh faces pop up in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Unfortunately, Loki didn't make a cameo appearance (deleted scene, perhaps?), but just about everyone else from each of the movies did with the exception of Stark's main squeeze Pepper for some reason. Nick Fury, Falcon and War Machine were featured at various points, and the movie also saw the introduction of Vision, Quick Silver and Scarlet Witch (the latter two showed up in the post-credits scene in Captain America: The Winter Solider). It appears they're all here to stay and will be a part of Avengers 3 in some form or fashion, but it's been speculated that some of the main Avengers may not show up in the next installment. Who dies before then is anyone's guess, so this may be the last time you see this specific cast of characters share a screen together. I don't know about anyone else, but I found Avengers: Age of Ultron to be significantly funnier than its predecessor. There weren't too many laugh-out-loud moments, but there close to a dozen moments that were worth a chuckle, and that alone made it a lighthearted (while still somewhat dark) movie for me. There's a recurring joke throughout the film that kicks off at the start, so be sure to pay attention during the initial fight scene. Iron Man, Nick Fury and Hawkeye also lend some funny moments that keeps the mood light while other moments (specifically involving Black Widow and The Hulk) tend to get slightly more serious. It's difficult to compare the two movies. I don't think you really can. I've heard plenty of people say, "Oh, it's only 80% of how much you enjoyed the first Avengers." And in a way, I tend to agree, but not because it wasn't as good. Quite the contrary. Avengers was so special because it was the first time most of those characters had shared the same screen; it had a certain feeling to it that can't and won't be matched in any other installment. As I said before, this movie was focused on building to the next installment (as well as setting the stage for Captain American: Civil War and the rest of the Marvel movies scheduled to be released over the next three years), yet it was still sensational in its own right. Don't think of it as better or worse than the first film. Just enjoy it for what it is, and don't get frustrated that not much was given away or settled. Marvel is going to milk these movies for everything they're worth, and this series is going to be lasting a long time, so there was no need to blow off any major storylines in this sequel. Every movie will have its critics and this one is no exception, but don't go into it expecting an epic finale because the story is just getting started. Needless to say, it's the best movie I've seen so far in 2015, and while that may not be saying much, I also have a feeling it will also be the best thing I seen all year unless another hidden gem comes along. Try to catch the movie with a hot crowd, too. It's not something you can plan out in advance, but the sooner you see the movie at a time where there's likely to be a large crowd, the likelier it is that the crowd you see it with will enjoy it as much as you, laugh at the jokes, clap/applaud at all the right points, etc. Oh, and be sure to stick around for the mid-credits scene. It's barely a minute long, but it's pretty fantastic for all that it entails for the third installment. You won't want to miss it, trust me. And don't make the same mistake I did by staying until the very end. In staying away from spoilers, I didn't know that there was in fact no post-credits scene. It wasn't a huge chunk of my time wasted since I wasn't in a rush (it allowed me the opportunity to digest the massive amount of popcorn I had just digested), but the only thing you'll see at the very end is "The Avengers Will Return" and that's it, which in retrospect was smart. Mid-credit scenes might be the best option to go with for future films Should you see this movie? Yes. |
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