Back in 2012 when Avengers had come out، I had been introduced to the concept of a lot of movies involving various Marvel characters forming a story arc that will eventually form one entire perpetual story involving all the characters in one single movie، in 2008 with that one mid-credits scene I was lucky enough to see in Incredible Hulk.
I dig a bit deep into seeing a cameo of Robert Downey Jr in an Edward Norton starrer movie، and at first it didn’t seem usual، rather it was quite out of place for me. Before that I had watched Downey’s Iron Man. So، I was a tad bit surprised to see him speaking to that annoying general at a pub.
Then، I really knew what was happening. Marvel had planned it all. They were bringing out these superheroes one after the other in standalone movies to present these characters in one-big-movie، and then Avengers happened in 2012.
Clearly، I had not expected a movie with Iron Man، Captain America، Thor and Hulk along with two super spies and a one-eyed S.H.I.E.L.D director would work so well، but miraculously، or with the talent of every single one involved in the movie both acting and production wise، it had been a feast for the eyes.
This year we saw the second installment of the Avengers movie، Avengers: Age of Ultron. From the moment I received news of James Spader getting cast as Ultron، and Aaron Taylor Johnson as Quicksilver I was psyched، and had waited with bated breaths to watch the movie.
As I sat down to watch my favourite superhero (Captain America! Go Steve Rogers!) along with his buddies kick some bad-guys where it hurts، I had re-watched the first movie a day ago، so the expectation level from the second movie was peaking.
This time around، the star cast had gotten larger، and I had known Vision comes up somewhere during the movie run-time.
While Tony Stark has been primarily responsible for the whole mess، to begin with. I mean، he was the one to actually create Ultron program، after all. We see our beloved heroes facing not just one threat، but a lot all at once. The problem with problems this time is، that the attacks are not external (Yeah Loki، you’re an adopted Asgardian).
The whole root cause for the dramatic battle sequences and the entire cesspool of havoc comes from the hands، or the mind of one man، and we have Tony Stark to thank for it (more on it later on!).
Now the real winner of the Avengers: Age of Ultron is how true the story has stayed with its already formed story-arc. The characters have progressed to this point، and the bonds and relationships with one another has deepened compared to its initial outing.
One of the most notable for me is the relationship between Stark and Rogers، while during the first movie، it was a no-brainer that the two did not get along well as a team، and Stark had not been much of a team player (remember the face-off between Stark-Thor-Rogers while Loki watches from a distant?)، but it has changed، as it is shown that not only does Stark and his alter-ego Iron Man plays well as a team member، but also acknowledges that Steve Rogers (Cap’n America) as the leader of Avengers.
Another interesting bit I had loved to watch was the Maximoffs beating the living day-lights out of Avengers while they themselves gets a piece of the torment they are inflicting. While Wanda is the real threat here، Pietro does what he does best. Urmm… that is running at great speed and hitting the protagonists، I had specifically loved the tad bit of clumsiness inserted into the character، while Aaron’s taken on Quicksilver is a darker and more mature in tone compared to his counter-part in DOFP (X-Men: Days Of Future Past).
The real winner of this entire movie، in my honest opinion is Paul Bettany’s Vision. The character comes into existence almost out of pure abruptness when J.A.R.V.I.S is “transferred” into the motionless body، (which explains why Vision is Bettany، after all J.A.R.V.I.S is voiced by himself). The presence of a character who is as formidable and packs as strong a punch as Thor is unquestionably one of the best things of the movie، not to mention the effortless way he hands the Mjolnir to his Asgardian owner، in a friendly manner but not as an insult was one of the loudest moments of the movie.
Thor was in a way the comic relief of the movie as his facial expression when Rogers budged the Mjolnir served as a comical moment، while Vision handing the Mjolnir to him had packed a laugh riot for audiences present in theaters as well. Apart from the bit of comical relief، Thor jabs here and there، it is also clear that he has a connection with Asgard that he must maintain، but feels pieces a missing here and there.
Ultron who had been portrayed as the main bad-guy was not the biggest threat in a way. He is just a disillusioned robot who thinks he must eradicate the human populace to save Earth (hmm… so he was a good guy، because he loved mother nature?). His thinking pattern، as indicated by Rogers and Banner during the movie is similar to that of his original creator، Tony Stark. So in reality، the blame falls on Iron Man (he is not the bad guy، but that billionaire playboy philanthropist has sure been naughty!).
All in all، Avengers: Age Of Ultron is a smart sequel to a powerful initial، as it had stayed true to its original cause، and followed through a well-balanced and laid out sequence، while showing a lot of character moments and developments in each and every character (well، a bit was unfair for the Maximoffs twins، but they will have moments to shine. Later. I hope so).
Joss Whedon has once again created a cinematic marvel that is true to story-arc and followed through character story-lines without deviating from the foundation. The people were not scattered with regards to the part they have to play، while the story did justice in fashioning a developed and progressive plot. Viewers will not leave the cinema without a smile. Maybe for the director’s cleverness in keeping the story real and close to the heart’s of fans or for the well-executed masterpiece as a whole.
I would most certainly rate the movie a 4.5/5، and I have deliberately left out the gory details of Hulk v Hulkbuster since it was the loudest and most action packed moment in the entire movie، which must be savored by the viewers without any spoilers along the way.