REVIEW: “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” an exhilarating sequel

By Chloe Sommer,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

Joss Whedon has done it again. But, really, who’s surprised?

“The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the much-anticipated sequel of 2012’s “The Avengers,” is finally out on theaters as of April 30. The series’s first film was a smashing success, grossing over $1.5 billion worldwide in ticket sales.

With a blockbuster like that, “The Avengers” created some particularly large shoes to fill, but the sequel lives up to the hype and more. As has become expected of Marvel Studios, “Age of Ultron” boasts a hefty balance of action-packed fight sequences, character development, humor and surprises.

The movie’s overall story arc isn’t unlike other Marvel films; the world is at risk of being destroyed once again, and the only ones available to save it are the superheroes. However, every Marvel character puts their own unique twist on a movie. And with six huge heroes in one film, “Age of Ultron” literally works out to be more bang for your buck (the CGI explosions were definitely believable).

Ultron, the movie’s eponym himself, enters the stage as a villain unlike other Marvel antagonists. He is, in fact, artificial intelligence that has taken up physical form. Generally, I shy away from the “robots-taking-over-mankind” cliche, but this one proved unique. Ultron, voiced by the deliciously creepy James Spader, had me genuinely frightened for our heroes.

Ultron isn’t the only new character introduced either. The movie brings in two new humans with supernatural abilities ready to join in on the fight. The new characters are all immediately explained, complete with tragic backstory, and fit right in among the already seasoned cast.

The snarky dialogue alone is worth the $11 ticket. With the big personalities that are the heroes of “The Avengers,” banter can always be expected. But this movie takes the first film’s jokes to a whole new level.

Although Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans) and the rest of the crew spent the first film fighting each other and learning to work together before taking on the baddies, they’re a well-oiled machine for the sequel. There is enemy-walloping teamwork within the first five minutes of the movie.

Don’t worry, though–the fight scenes are not so gratuitous that you’ll find yourself perfectly content with getting up to go to the bathroom as Iron Man blasts the thousandth bad guy out of the sky. Violence and explosions, all well-shot and choreographed, are frequently broken up with memorable one-liners good enough to make you hold it until the movie is over.

Romance was the film’s only slight downfall. Don’t get me wrong, the attempt at a relationship between the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is sweet, if a little unexpected. But with romantic implications and build-up between Johansson’s character and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) in the first “Avengers” film, this plot point in the sequel seems out of place. The actors have moderate chemistry, but the characters together seem like such a stretch that they require a whole conversation in “Age of Ultron” to explain the attraction.

Nonetheless, this film is worth a watch, and most likely a rewatch. Be on the lookout for more record box office sales; Marvel has graced us with another gem.