The Avengers are now a fully functioning independent unit, the opening battle shows how they now fight together as a team. Captain America and co. launch an assault on Baron Von Strucker’s castle, the last of the HYDRA strongholds. It’s during this assault we meet two important characters; Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, the twins glimpsed during the credits of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. They are the catalyst for much of the conflict to come. Wanda along with her super-fast twin brother Pietro attack the Avengers, causing them to see their worst fears brought to life. Wanda’s ability to get inside their heads and exposing their fears and weaknesses leaves a lasting impact. So much so that when Iron Man/Tony Stark retrieves Loki's scepter from the castle he see’s this as the key to implementing he and Bruce Banner’s goal of Artificial Intelligence, an initiative for Stark’s global peace keeping force serving as a means to help save the world from potential alien invasions. With its creation, Ultron is born, the sentient A.I. see’s the only way of truly protecting the earth is to eradicate humanity. What follows continues to an action packed, dramatic and highly enjoyable Avengers sequel, faced with a menacing threat giving the movie a darker and more ominous tone. Hawkeye’s role is much more expanded than last time, he’s a prominent hero in this movie. Natasha Romanov and Bruce Banner develop a romance. Thor takes a mild detour to fully understand his vision of events to come and Tony Stark continues to fulfill his ideals of the modern world while Steve Rodgers furthers his feelings as a man out of time trying to do the right thing in an increasingly complicated world. Our hero’s fearful visions give them each something to deal with. Hulk goes on the rampage that prompts the arrival of the Hulkbuster amour that is earlier than expected, which adds to the enjoyment.
Ultron is one of the most well known and recognizable of Avengers villains, here he can feel like the evil doppelganger of Iron Man/Tony Stark, his motivations, his technology and its humor is unexpectedly sarcastic. Vision is late addition to the team, he has great presence and it’s a character that an audience can quickly like. The characters appearance is largely practical consisting of old school effects with minor CGI elements, which is a nice touch to movie such as this. You instantly like the character that also provides one of the greatest moments of the movie.
Avengers Age of Ultron is immensely enjoyable but it does not reach the heights that comic book films can achieve. It satisfies as the sequel to its predecessor, one of the biggest superhero films ever nor does it have the impact as previous Marvel phase two movies particularly Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It does sustain the high quality for the 11th movie in the franchise whilst setting up future movies primarily Thor’s next solo movie Thor: Ragnarok and the third Avengers movie Infinity War. It’s a victim of its own success, the first Avengers film achieved so much, it was the culmination of four years of meticulous planning that proved to be a massive hit and one of the best superhero movies ever.
While it lacks have the shock element of previous installments of the franchise it does continue to be every bit as enjoyable and exciting as you could hope. It’s a smaller step forward than recent movies that doesn't attempt to re-write the superhero movie formula. Avengers in 2012 just achieved so much and was unlike anything we’d seen before. Avengers Age of Ultron is amazing and brilliant, a 5 star movie that doesn't fully achieve what comic book movies have done in recent years.
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