The Avengers are back together again in Avengers: Age of Ultron. After the team reassembles to retrieve Loki’s scepter, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) come up with an idea to create Ultron (James Spader), artificial intelligence whose sole purpose is to protect the world from future attacks like the group saw in The Avengers. When the suit of armor does not pan out as expected, the Avengers, including Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and others, must face off against a foe threatening to rip the world apart. When Ultron recruits two vengeful twins, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Pietro Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), the stakes rise higher than ever; and it’s up to our heroes to save the world once again.
We’ve seen wonderfully compelling antagonists throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but this is the first time that Marvel blurs the line between good and bad and are truly able to identify with the film’s baddie. Ultron, Wanda, and Pietro carry with them some semblance of good that resonates with viewers and permits them to see that there are aspects of these antagonists that are not just understandable, but respectable. Avengers: Age of Ultron draws viewers into the story and connects them with the characters in a way that hadn’t yet been seen in the MCU. Having viewers be able to connect with Ultron and his compatriots has them feeling conflicted, but in the best way possible.
The primary reason for viewers finding some good in Avengers: Age of Ultron’s antagonists is the writing of writer-director Joss Whedon. However, while Whedon’s role in the creation of Ultron for the film is immense, MCU newcomer Spader is mesmerizing in his performance. His voice is so brilliantly immersive that viewers can’t help but to become lost in his every word and be further drawn into all the character is and has to offer.
Marvel continues with the idea that team-up films are the way of the MCU’s future by not only bringing everyone from the previous Avengers’ installment, but adding more characters to an already massive ensemble. Avengers: Age of Ultron extends J.A.R.V.I.S. (Paul Bettany) and Hawkeye’s (Jeremy Renner) roles, and brings in huge names such as Linda Cardellini (Laura), Andy Serkis (Ulysses Klaue), and Spader (among others) into the MCU. The obvious issue at hand is that this many characters may overcrowd the film and prohibit every character from effectively developing. Whedon, however, with all of his cinematic prowess, manages to incorporate each and every character beautifully without viewers feeling overwhelmed or the characters falling victim to screen time issues.
With all of that being said, there are characters who, even though they progress nicely, fail to deliver on promises presented to viewers early in the film. Avengers: Age of Ultron seems to promise that Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), Banner, and Pietro would grow into something bigger and more prominent in the MCU, and while there is always time for these expectations to come true, the fact that these things don’t happen in this film is disappointing. As the film progresses viewers are led down a series of paths that appear to be leading somewhere extraordinary, but those roads ultimately lead to dead ends that never successfully play out throughout the film, leaving audiences confused about the purpose of certain scenes and the intent of Whedon in regard to these pivotal characters.
The visuals presented throughout the MCU have never fallen short of expectations and often come close to perfection. Avengers: Age of Ultron continues this trend and delivers crisp, state-of-the-art animation, and genuinely engrossing visuals that bring this story of good versus bad to life. Even these impossible scenarios are brought to fruition without the slightest hiccup. Every moment of Avengers: Age of Ultron is completed seamlessly as a result of flawless cinematography, a brilliant animation team, and the vision of Whedon.
The MCU has slowly grown in size since Iron Man in 2008, always managing to expand the size of the threats and the areas in which the Avengers’ denouements take place. One scene, toward the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, as the final battle peaks, Whedon and his crew do the opposite of what everyone expected, he shrinks everything down and confines the heroic team to one, incredibly small area. This choice seems backward, like it might take away from what the film has to offer, but, interestingly, it works beautifully. As the heroes and villains are all seen together, on the same screen, at the same time, it expresses to viewers how massive of a film Avengers: Age of Ultron is, and all that each and every one of its players has to offer.
Avengers: Age of Ultron combines good and bad in a wonderfully compelling fashion. As much as viewers appreciate the protagonists of the MCU, Spader’s Ultron, Olsen’s Wanda, and Taylor-Johnson’s Pietro introduce the world to compelling antagonists in which viewers are able to see themselves. The consensus seems to be that Avengers: Age of Ultron is somehow inferior to its predecessor, The Avengers. I believe, with sincere honesty, that Whedon outdid himself with this installment of the MCU and successfully prepared viewers for a large-scale future of the Marvel superhero franchise. Avengers: Age of Ultron is brilliant in so many ways and a true treasure.
Directed by Joss Whedon.
Written by Joss Whedon, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, & Jim Starlin.
Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Linda Cardellini, Stellan Skarsgård, Claudia Kim, Thomas Kretschmann, Andy Serkis, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
コメント