As I was waiting to enter the 10:40PM showing of Avengers Age of Ultron on Thursday, I got a text from my friend Christian: “It didn’t disappoint.”
As it turns out, that review is apt and profound.
You see, Christian is a “comiconnie” and cares deeply about all things Marvel. And like most super-fans, his expectations were reasonable; he didn’t expect Age of Ultron to be better than the first Avengers film but hoped it to be “worthy” of the franchise. After all, many (myself included) consider The Avengers to be a masterpiece, as these films go. To that end, “it doesn’t disappoint.” Not an easy achievement.
One of the impressive things about these movies, when they’re successful, is how they can manage to satisfy both the ardent fan-boys and the uninitiated, simultaneously. The former can be a tough rabble to please, as they consider fan-lore to be veritable liturgy. This installment does so beautifully.
These Disney/Marvel movies have achieved a kind of classy consistency where you’re aware that a lot of people went to a ridiculous amount of effort to give you more than you expect. Like the Disney parks used to feel. There is nothing sloppy or lazy about these films, this one included.
The tone is quite similar to the first one; pleasantly glib and forthright. There is almost no one that “Ultron” won’t please or impress. I highly recommend daring to join a crowded audience because it makes it feel more like an event. Brave it before people talk it up too much… and spring for the IMAX 3D, it’s worth it.
The plot is both simple and convoluted at the same time; Tony Stark goes messing around with artificial intelligence and it backfires, imbuing the soul of James Spader into a super-bot. So the Avengers have to save the world.
Again.
It’s fifteen minutes too long (as usual) and it’s a shame that Chris Evans never takes his shirt off, but other than that this is one first-rate popcorn movie. Also, my guess is that this will probably one of the last times we get this cast in its entirety. They’re getting expensive and Robert Downey is needing/wanting/using/wearing a lot more pancake make-up and eye-liner this go around.
Between this and the Fast & Furious effort, this summer movie season is off to one helluva start for big films.
(Loudinni specializes in reviews you can read in under a minute and don’t give too much away.)
What did you think of Age of Ultron?
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