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Movie Review
Avengers: Age of Ultron
By Greg Ward Published May 6, 2015
US Release: May 1, 2015
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Chris Hemsworth , Samuel L. Jackson
PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments.
Running Time: 141 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $458,583,000
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Chris Hemsworth , Samuel L. Jackson
PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments.
Running Time: 141 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $458,583,000
D-
I know there are at least two more Avengers films coming. I want to boycott them. Who's with me?
Visit Greg's blog on his web-site, The Magic of Movies
What do you get when you combine a plethora of cheap-looking special effects, a plot that makes no sense, multiple characters that pop in and out without any real development, horrible writing with cringe-worthy "jokes," and a villain who wants to destroy the world for no real reason whatsoever? If you guessed "Avengers: Age of Ultron," 10 brownie points to you.
The first "Avengers" film from 2012 was a huge event, and the box office receipts are proof. Some of the biggest Marvel superheroes together in one film - who couldn't be excited about that? I know I was. While it was not a great film by any means, it was fun to watch and had some great action sequences. My only big complaint was the lame villain (this seems to be an ongoing trend with these films, but I will get to that). With its huge success and high-interest levels, a sequel was inevitable.
Three years later, we get the mess that is "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Based on what I witnessed at the movie theater this weekend, I imagine that this is what went through writer/director Joss Whedon's mind while he was going through the process of making this film: "Alright, sequel time! This means more characters, more effects, and more going on in the plot. The moviegoing public doesn't care if it makes sense or not. We just need more, more, more! Money, money, money!" This is the only logical explanation for this disastrous finished product.
So let's get to the plot. Or should I say, what I think is the plot. To be honest, I couldn't follow much of it because it did not make any sense, and I don't care enough to look up the official plot. Here's what I got: After a cheap-looking action scene in some foreign place whose name I forget where the two new characters (Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch) are introduced and they get Loki's weapon-thingy or whatever back, the Avengers go back to headquarters and Iron Man decides to move forward with Ultron, his version of artificial intelligence.
Well, wouldn't you know it, Ultron decides to go rogue and for some unbeknownst reason seeks out global destruction. At first, the two new characters are with him because of some vengeance, but then they're like, "Wait, you want to destroy the world? No, thanks. We are going to join the Avengers." From there on, the film drags for what seems like forever (I haven't checked the time so many times in a movie ever) until we get a big 30-minute action sequence, and while parts of it are not too bad, I was just too checked out to care. I just wanted it to be done. Oh, and Hawk-eye has a wife and kids. Oh, and all of the sudden, Tony Stark has his Iron Man suit back. Wasn't it destroyed in the last "Iron Man" film? Maybe I am wrong or missed something. Frankly, I don't care.
I always loved the Iron Man character, but I feel like he has just gotten stale. Every other line is a cheap joke, and to me, it's just not funny anymore. How about Thor with that hammer? Oy vey, give me a break. Those two, along with Hulk, cannot be defeated, so where's the challenge? It's ridiculous. Then there's poor Scarlett Johansson, completely wasted with the part of Black Widow. She's extremely talented, yet she plays the one character who does not have a special power. She just piggybacks off of everyone else, which is pathetic. Every time the Hulk roars, I bust out laughing.
Let's get to Ultron: Here we have a villain with the potential to be a real bad-ass, way better than Loki in the original film, yet all he does is continuously make jokes and try to be funny. It just doesn't work. You want to see some truly awesome artificial intelligence? Go see "Ex Machina."
Last summer, Marvel gave us the excellent "Guardians of the Galaxy." That movie was truly one of the best movies about superheroes. "Avengers" needs to take a lesson from that film. In fact, it looks like all upcoming superhero movies need to do the same. I saw the trailers for "Ant-Man" and "Batman Vs. Superman" before the film, and boy, do those look awful. How about taking a lesson from Christopher Nolan's "Batman" movies? Maybe a little darkness is the way to go. The cheesy humor is just not working for these movies. I know there are at least two more "Avengers" films coming. I want to boycott them. Who's with me?
What do you get when you combine a plethora of cheap-looking special effects, a plot that makes no sense, multiple characters that pop in and out without any real development, horrible writing with cringe-worthy "jokes," and a villain who wants to destroy the world for no real reason whatsoever? If you guessed "Avengers: Age of Ultron," 10 brownie points to you.
The first "Avengers" film from 2012 was a huge event, and the box office receipts are proof. Some of the biggest Marvel superheroes together in one film - who couldn't be excited about that? I know I was. While it was not a great film by any means, it was fun to watch and had some great action sequences. My only big complaint was the lame villain (this seems to be an ongoing trend with these films, but I will get to that). With its huge success and high-interest levels, a sequel was inevitable.
Three years later, we get the mess that is "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Based on what I witnessed at the movie theater this weekend, I imagine that this is what went through writer/director Joss Whedon's mind while he was going through the process of making this film: "Alright, sequel time! This means more characters, more effects, and more going on in the plot. The moviegoing public doesn't care if it makes sense or not. We just need more, more, more! Money, money, money!" This is the only logical explanation for this disastrous finished product.
So let's get to the plot. Or should I say, what I think is the plot. To be honest, I couldn't follow much of it because it did not make any sense, and I don't care enough to look up the official plot. Here's what I got: After a cheap-looking action scene in some foreign place whose name I forget where the two new characters (Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch) are introduced and they get Loki's weapon-thingy or whatever back, the Avengers go back to headquarters and Iron Man decides to move forward with Ultron, his version of artificial intelligence.
Well, wouldn't you know it, Ultron decides to go rogue and for some unbeknownst reason seeks out global destruction. At first, the two new characters are with him because of some vengeance, but then they're like, "Wait, you want to destroy the world? No, thanks. We are going to join the Avengers." From there on, the film drags for what seems like forever (I haven't checked the time so many times in a movie ever) until we get a big 30-minute action sequence, and while parts of it are not too bad, I was just too checked out to care. I just wanted it to be done. Oh, and Hawk-eye has a wife and kids. Oh, and all of the sudden, Tony Stark has his Iron Man suit back. Wasn't it destroyed in the last "Iron Man" film? Maybe I am wrong or missed something. Frankly, I don't care.
I always loved the Iron Man character, but I feel like he has just gotten stale. Every other line is a cheap joke, and to me, it's just not funny anymore. How about Thor with that hammer? Oy vey, give me a break. Those two, along with Hulk, cannot be defeated, so where's the challenge? It's ridiculous. Then there's poor Scarlett Johansson, completely wasted with the part of Black Widow. She's extremely talented, yet she plays the one character who does not have a special power. She just piggybacks off of everyone else, which is pathetic. Every time the Hulk roars, I bust out laughing.
Let's get to Ultron: Here we have a villain with the potential to be a real bad-ass, way better than Loki in the original film, yet all he does is continuously make jokes and try to be funny. It just doesn't work. You want to see some truly awesome artificial intelligence? Go see "Ex Machina."
Last summer, Marvel gave us the excellent "Guardians of the Galaxy." That movie was truly one of the best movies about superheroes. "Avengers" needs to take a lesson from that film. In fact, it looks like all upcoming superhero movies need to do the same. I saw the trailers for "Ant-Man" and "Batman Vs. Superman" before the film, and boy, do those look awful. How about taking a lesson from Christopher Nolan's "Batman" movies? Maybe a little darkness is the way to go. The cheesy humor is just not working for these movies. I know there are at least two more "Avengers" films coming. I want to boycott them. Who's with me?
Greg's Grade: D-
Greg's Overall Grading: 25 graded movies
| A | 36.0% | |
| B | 36.0% | |
| C | 20.0% | |
| D | 8.0% | |
| F | 0.0% |
