THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

The second alliance of the world’s mightiest superheroes strives to outdo its epic predecessor by giving you more characters, more explosions, more subplots, more explosions, more backstories and more explosions. It’s still an entertaining beaut as it arises some interesting arguments on war, peace and artificial intelligence but after all is said and done, it’s still a prologue for the third phase of the Marvel cinematic universe. 

“Everyone creates the thing they fear.”

Comparison is unavoidable for everyone who saw the first Avengers. The theme went darker but the beats and plot points are almost the same. There’s a lot of quarreling between Iron Man and Captain America that hints Civil War, a giant destruction because of the Hulk, some battles here and there and an apocalyptic climax to top them all up. Joss Whedon perfectly pictured the war as seen in comics, and it’s not as pretty as we think in live action. I personally dislike the Hulkbuster scene. Their fight went for so long and so destructive that it almost felt like a Michael Bay film. Also, the plot will not be affected even if they cut this battle. However, the massive demolition can lead to Civil War.

*SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TO AVOID SPOILERS*

The last act was scattershot. Everything and everyone explodes between seconds and there’s no room to breathe and absorb the awesomeness of the previous shot. There’s a huge problem with the editing, probably because it was originally made for four hours. Some scenes ended abruptly and some went too fast. What I love the most in the first part was the one-cut transition of every Avenger from Black Widow to Hulk and Thor. That scene gave me goosebumps, which I never felt in here. Everything’s a “WOW” but there’s never a “WHOA”. Plus, the wrap-up in the end showed no remorse about the travesty that happened, unlike in the first part where we saw the global effect of the fight for Manhattan. The end to the after-credits stinger are safe. There was a leaked Spider-Man footage but I didn't see it in the theater.

Despite the complaints, it’s still a fun time. The costumes improved, the visual effects were meticulously done, the self-aware humor worked and the tender moments gave the film a heart. It gave the semi-minor superheroes of the past film a chance to develop. It’s as if they won’t have their movie so might as well make it theirs. The twin’s story feels like a metaphor for the unfortunate kids who became terrorists because of the evil people who brainwashed them at such an early age.

This is the assembly of the world’s mightiest heroes portrayed by one of the world’s grandest ensemble. Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark) has established their roles but Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton) stole the show. Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner) and Samuel Jackson (Nick Fury) had their moments, too. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Pietro Maximoff) and Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff) were good additions even if their accents are slightly distracting and even if Days of Future Past had a better Quicksilver. There’s a ton minor characters and it’s a spoiler mentioning the returning ones, but they all did their part well.

“I’m glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan.”

Two among the colossal cast stood out for me. Paul Bettany (Vision) and James Spader (Ultron) had the best moments for their small parts. Vision reminded me a lot of Fassbender’s Magneto. It probably will never happen but I really want to see him turn to the dark side someday. They say that Marvel is for heroes and DC is for villains. Ultron showed otherwise. It’s a rare feeling to like this crazy old jenkins more than the superheroes because he’s that exciting to watch. I actually like him more than the previous Jokers, Lex Luthors and Loki. My only problem is that he’s pure talk. He’s just like the boss from Plants vs Zombies, sending robots to defeat the heroes and get what he wants.

With Justice League, Suicide Squad, Sinister Six and X-Men: Apocalypse coming up, there’s a bright future for the superhero team-up franchises. Time will only tell which among them can beat the Avengers. HYPE!

Age of Ultron still delivers on its promise by showcasing its mind-blowing visuals and surprising character developments for the unsung heroes of the Marvel cinematic universe. But like its exceptional antagonist, the film has strings that limits its emotional strength and ability to stand on its own and change the game for superhero movies today.

SHAWARMANTASTIC ★★★★☆

From the after-credits of the first Avengers

You may follow me at https://twitter.com/emiLegendary | http://erevs.wordpress.com | http://emzreviews.tumblr.com  or add me at https://www.facebook.com/emilegendary if you enjoyed the review. Thanks for reading!