Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Movie Review: Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron

   The sequel to a hit film always has a lot to live up to, and while I'd hesitate to say Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron is better than 2012's Avengers movie, it's a close call - and the new film is one of the few sequels that lives up to the original.

   The movie opens with a blast as the original Avengers attack a well-known menace (cleaning up some leftover business from the last Captain America movie).

   But during the battle, Tony Stark suffers a terrible vision that convinces him of the need to build a stronger defense for the world - and that effort leads (if inadvertently) to the creation of Ultron, a (possibly) unstoppable menace to all mankind.

   Writer / Director Joss Whedon weaves a terrific story, loaded with love interest, humor, plot twists and amazing action sequences (more than once I found myself grinning uncontrollably).

   Each character gets a chance to shine, and the relationships between the "band of brothers" (and a couple of sisters, including Maria Hill) is fun to watch.

   As a comic fan, it's a pure delight to see so many characters brought to life (yes, there are more than just the main team and Quicksilver and Wanda), and the expansion of some of the characters, including a budding romance and a surprising secret about Hawkeye.

   And one of my all-time favorite characters, Thor, gets some room to show his own capacity for humor and friendship.

   Marvel continues to show it has the magic touch for this kind of movie - the perfect balance of humor and adventure and great characters - and a terrific story to pull it all together.

   How much did I like this movie? How's this: I can't wait to see it again.

   Highly, Highly recommended!

Grade: A+

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3 comments:

e1e2t3 said...

Agreed, all the way around! I'm amazed at how much they get right in these movies! I loved the improvised contest to lift Thor's hammer and what a great thing that partway through they gave the story some chance to catch it's breath in an extended sequence of planning and character development.
The Moosepathian!

Chuck said...

Yeah, the way they played that scene I wondered, "Will the Black Widow pick it up later?" But as always, Whedon messes with our minds. In a fun way.

e1e2t3 said...

I had no idea that it was a set-up for something later on! That was clever; a way to remind less comic savvy viwers about the main "rule" of Thor's hammer.