Avangers: Age of Ultron – feckin’ Marvel at it again

Tis no secret I’m not a Marvel fan, and I wouldn’t say I went into the new Avengers film expecting too much, so it’ll be a surprise to us all that I kinda enjoyed this one. Don’t get me wrong, I still hate Marvel, I’m just hatin’ a little less towards this film.

The team of superheroes pretty much led by Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) return after their last adventure with a new nemesis, albeit one they created themselves. Intended as a programme to protect the world Ultron (voiced by James Spader) goes rogue and decides the best way to save the world is to destroy all humans (good ‘ol well-meaning but sinister technology). Along with Ultron the team have to face Eastern-European twins Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olson) with some pretty cool powers they intend to use to destroy Tony Stark, who as I’m sure you’ll guess indirectly annoyed them in the past. Ultron destroys key Avangers technology leaving them in the dark and reduced to old-school tactics to try defeat their new enemies.

Director Joss Whedon improves some things, we have a lot less Samuel L. Jackson which is great, and the film is almost, but not completely absent of those stupid flying aircraft carrier ships. He gets the team working together in a way that works in the battles, even if the effects let them down, and he even points out how ridiculous it is having Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) armed with a bow and arrow fighting alongside Gods. It’s still below Whedon, and I’m glad he’s leaving to pursue other projects, but he manages to keep it moving and it’s never dull. Much to my liking Stan Lee’s cameo isn’t even that bad.

The biggest let down is Downey Jr., who looks like he’s been forced at gunpoint to act. Gone is the Tony Stark who was fun and witty, replaced with a dull shadow of his former self. None of the main cast, besides Renner, really get a chance to develop their characters which does leave us asking why are we watching the same film again.

Taylor-Johnson and Olson are great, despite been given some awful dialogue. Their inclusion helps the story as their role is never predictable. Spader is great as Ultron too, somehow managing to take a fairly dull bad-guy role and make it fun.

Marvel are still going nowhere. We still end up at a climatic city battle, we still overdo the product placement to an offensive level. I sat through 30 minutes of ads to watch a film that’s tryna sell me headphones, really? Crowds are feeling a bit let down by this film, maybe that’s why I like it so much, people are finally seeing the repetitiveness I saw. They are still a giant that if they can shake out the formula may keep their audience, but if not they will start to lose them, not that they care they have enough of your money already.

Better, although most people will miss the jokes between characters, but still just the same-old. Luckily Whedon never lets it drags and who cares what I say you’re gonna go see it anyway.

3 out of 5