There has been much scorn heaped upon this past summer’s big hit Avengers: Age of Ultron. Having missed the film when it was in theaters (not a big surprise) and despite the many complaints I read online, I was nonetheless eager to watch it and, when it finally arrived, I purchased it via VUDU (you can also get it through Amazon. The physical disc version will be out soon).
Going into the movie, I wasn’t sure how I’d react. I liked the first Avengers film despite some pretty big plot problems (why did the aliens need to arrive right over New York? Why didn’t they just materialize, say, behind the Moon and, when an overwhelming amount of their forces was already through the wormhole, then invade Earth?). I also liked several of the Marvel films that came before while I hated some others. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is probably my favorite of the Marvel films while for the life of me I can’t understand what anyone found good about Guardians of the Galaxy.
With Age of Ultron (I’ll call it AOU from here on), I liked the actors playing the various superheroes. I also really liked the idea of getting James Spader to play Ultron, the film’s big baddy. He’s got one of those great voices that just drips evil when he wants it to. On the other hand, the movie featured one hell of a lot of characters and, as mentioned, it appeared many fans who otherwise loved Marvel films turned away from this one.
So I watched the film and, incredibly, I found myself siding with those who complained about several aspects of the film…and yet I enjoyed it nonetheless!
Yes, the film was awfully long. Yes, Ultron wasn’t the be-all end-all villain he should have been. Yes, the whole Thor goes to that mythical waters scene made no sense (the video release includes a “deleted” extended version of that scene and I’m here to tell you…it still makes no sense). Yes, writer/director Joss Whedon tried a little too hard to include more “heavy” concepts (check out how many times he tries to shoehorn in the concept of everyone in the film being a “monster” of some sort). Yes, and paradoxically, the dialogue is at times too cheeky and “jokey” and this diminishes the threat levels the protagonists face…
And yet…and yet…
I still enjoyed the film.
Not, however, at first. The film’s opening minutes, featuring the Avengers attacking one of Hydra’s last strongholds, was a computer generated mess, never more than cartoonish looking at best. This was a real surprise…and disappointment…considering the much higher level of CGI that came afterwards. I can’t help but wonder if that opening bit was created at the last minute. Considering it is what sets up the rest of the movie, though, that doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense.
Yet once the opening attack is over, the film proper began and, again, I enjoyed what I saw despite the enumerated problems mentioned above.
In AOU, the Avengers have a crisis of faith with each other that threatens to tear them apart yet through the course of the film they slowly regain their shattered trust before finally confronting their nemesis head on.
Along the way we’re introduced to a trio of new (to the Marvel movie universe) characters. Again, one would worry that with so much going on and so many faces flashing by that several would inevitably get the short shift. Yet to Mr. Whedon’s credit, everyone gets a decent amount of screen time and are able to strut their stuff. Other than the already mentioned nonsensical Thor scene which was the only complete story misfire, things moved along well and I was never bored or at a loss as to what the heck was going on which was quite an accomplishment in and of itself!
No, AOU is not the “best” superhero movie ever made and yes, it has several flaws. In spite of that, it is an enjoyable romp with a group of charismatic actors in their prime having a blast playing superheroes and villains.
What’s wrong with that?