AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON – The Review

Alright you Marvel movie maniacs, ready for another serving of shawarma? Yup, it’s been three years since we saw the very tired assemblage of “Earth’s mightiest heroes” enjoying that tasty, exotic treat, and so it’s time for another monstrous menace to rear its ugly head in order to get “the band” back together. So what have some of the members been doing since 2012. Lessee’, Tony Stark battled some major PTSD as he got his ticker finally fixed, Thor defended Asgard and re-united (and it felt so good!) with mortal Jane Foster, and Steve Rogers gained a new fighting partner and discovered that a former pal was also “on ice”. Oh, and SHIELD was disbanded due to an extreme Hydra infestation. But the box office may have yielded even more surprises. It was thought that the singular heroes would lose much of their earning potential after that first team-up. Not the case at all. Iron Man’s third outing along with Thor and Cap’s follow-ups were huge hits. Plus Marvel had a monster smash last August with a group of space-exploring misfits far removed from our Avengers in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (a much more recent comics series). Hmmm, maybe that SNL sketch nailed it, maybe “Marvel can’t fail”. But I digress. So  just what happens when said “ugly head” (a gleaming metallic one) threatens the planet? We’ll find out when it’s assemblin’ time in AVENGERS: THE AGE OF ULTRON.

As the new adventure begins, we’re thrown right into the center of the action storm, much like the opening “splash page” of a comic book. A mountain Hydra fortress (looking like the kind of place that the Dirty Dozen would bust into) overlooking the small Eastern European country of Sovokia (maybe it’s next to Lutonia, home of the polka superstars, the Schmenge Brothers) is under attack from our heroes (“Herr Strucker, the Avengers are approaching!” “Destroy ‘zem!” “But ‘zey are the Avengers!”). The Baron (Thomas Kretchmann) decides to unleash the twins (you remember them from the mid-credits scene in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER), Wanda AKA the Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), the products of enhancement experiments involving the scepter of Loki. Pietro causes some damage with his super speed while Wanda messes with the minds of several Avengers, exploiting their deepest fears. Our heroes eventually triumph as Natasha AKA the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) calms the Hulk, hastening his change back to Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). And as the twins escape, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) hurriedly empties the Hydra hard drives of their secrets. Returning to Stark Tower, the Avengers HQ in NYC, Tony convinces Banner to help him set up the defensive program code-named “Ultron” using the newly acquired files (“Imagine a protective armor over the Earth”). The two leave the lab in order to attend a reception for the local citizenry, just as Ultron activates, over powers the Stark master computer system “Jarvis” and begins cranking out armored bodies in the Stark robotics shop. The relaxed tranquil post party is disrupted by the just completed Ultron robot figure (voiced by James Spader), who announces his plans to destroy them along with all mankind. As Ultron escapes via the internet, the Avengers attempt to stop him (and the recruited twins) before his greatest scheme is achieved. For it seems that this steel puppet wants to become a real boy who will rule the world.

This great gathering of actors once again ease into these very comfortable roles against another far-flung fantasy backdrop. Downey is still the undisputed the master of snark, lightning quick with a retort. But for all his bravado, here we get to see that fear of failure and the uncertainty that may lead to everyone’s demise. And there’s a touch of ole’ Doc Frankenstein as he realizes his own hand in the horror unleashed. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers AKA Captain America is often the butt of jokes for his old-school values while proving to be the leader the team truly needs. The “star-spangled man” has his darker moments as we see the look of regret in his eyes. Did his only chance for happiness pass him by over 70 years ago? Chris Hemsworth as Thor is still the gregarious, swaggering warrior who continues to develop real affection for these often “petty” mortal beings. The most mortal may be Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye who feels more than a bit uneasy as the most vulnerable guy on the team. He’s got no armor, nor gamma ray or super soldier blood, merely a man with really good aim. Still he makes a most valuable team player, particularly as we find out more about his personal life. Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury hasn’t mellowed over the years, but still offers sage advice while never losing his faith in the  Avengers Initiative program. Cobie Smulders is the all-business super secret agent, but can still kick back with the heroes in her new post SHIELD gig with Stark Industries.

The most compelling of the crew in this new outing may be the surprising, blossoming romance between Banner and Romanoff (another subtitle for the film might be “the super beauty and the beast”). In one early sequence the Widow almost acts as the “Anne Darrow” to the Kong-like Hulk. Ruffalo is endearingly hesitant and clumsy as he deals with these new feelings for his team-mate. Can he risk getting close to some one that could be crushed by his inner demon? But the same may be said of Natasha. Her deadly past was hinted at the first flick and the last Cap outing, and we’re given a brutal glimpse of her unspeakably horrific childhood. Johannson show us Natasha’s sadness and longing, hoping for a way to begin again. One of the best surprises in the sequel is the mature, engaging love story that gives this action blockbuster a warm, beating heart.

And then there’s the bad guys. Olsen makes Wanda a frightening force (just what are her mysterious abilities) while still projecting the vulnerability of a wounded child. Taylor-Johnson as her slightly older brother (by 17 seconds) is often the protective, nurturing parent to her when he’s not exhibiting a child-like joy in his gift of speed. The real scene stealer may be Spader as perhaps the most emotional metal man in the movies. He’s fearsome, petulant, patronizing, arrogant, and the ultimate ill-tempered teen. A really ticked off tin man. Since their casting has been announced, I should say that Julie Delpy and Linda Cardellini are most welcome new additions as women who figure into one Avenger’s past and another’s present and future. Oh, and several actors from solo film franchises reprise their roles, but I’ll not spill the beans on them.

Writer/director Joss Whedon cements his reputation as a fantasy genre mastermind. Unfortunately he’s often regulated to traffic cop as the big action set pieces become increasingly complex to the point of sensory overload. Yeah, the flick’s more than a tad overstuffed. Mind you, the shot out of cannon opening sequence does get the blood pumping. And the smack down between Tony Stark’s transformer-like super suit and the Hulk surpasses the big throw-downs from the previous film (Thor vs. Iron Man or Hulk vs.Thor). Plus it was great seeing the nice emerald giant revert to full on rampaging green goliath mode briefly. The story’s unfortunately sidetracked several time for “set-up”bits for upcoming flicks (like Thor’s dream and quest). Then there’s the unending onslaught of Ultron’s metal minions who become almost as ineffectual as the attacking aliens last time out. I mean, they’re just an entire mountain range of scrap. It almost exhausts us to the point of forgetting all that’s good and sometimes great in this effort. Those intimate moments between Bruce and ‘Nat’, the laid back hammer challenge, even the respite at a country safe house (maybe there could be an “Avengers: On Holiday” entry). Oh, and I can’t leave out the wonderful introduction of a new/old character. We’ve heard Paul Bettany as the voice of the Jarvis program since the first IRON MAN in 2008. Now we get to see him in the flesh (well, the vermillion synthetic skin) as the beloved comics character the Vision (he’s on some magazine covers, so I’m not being a spoiler). He doesn’t glide in until the film’s final act, but he makes quite the impression. His addition tips the scales into the plus column for the second installment. If you’re looking for more spectacular action then ULTRON truly over-delivers. You may want to skip the gym, since this is quite a high impact workout. Now onward to Marvel’s “Phase Three”! Excelsior!

4.5 Out of 5