With 2012's The Avengers, Marvel Studios pulled off the unprecedented feat of bringing characters together that had already been featured in their own successful films and bringing audiences one of the biggest blockbusters of all time. The formula to build a "cinematic universe" over the course of a few years paid off in spades as anticipation built for the big team-up.
"Phase 2" began in 2013 with Iron Man 3, followed by Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Avengers: Age of Ultron is actually the second to last entry in Phase 2, as Ant-Man will wrap things up in July, paving the way for Phase 3 starting with Captain America: Civil War in May of 2016. How long can the Marvel machine keep running? If Age of Ultron is any indication, for quite some time.
Tony Stark (Iron Man) has been busy developing an Artificial Intelligence program in order to create an armored robot weapon that would be a peacekeeping force worldwide. Code-named Ultron, the project takes on a life of its own when exposed to alien technology left behind from the first Avengers film. Ultron decides that the only way to truly have peace on earth is to remove mankind and start over. The Avengers are poised to stop him, running into some obstacles and also gaining new allies during their battle.
Age of Ultron starts off with a bang - an opening action sequence that gives fans more than enough of what they want until the next fight breaks out. Each action sequence easily provides fan-service as the characters play off each other and, as in the first film, each hero gets their own moment to shine. When the action is not happening, characterization remains strong, with both light and dramatic moments revealing more depth to both the heavy hitters and those who haven't had their own film. Hawkeye stands out mid-movie with some nice development and great lines. More is revealed about Black Widow' s past as well.
The best description for the film so far is that it's a five-part comic book story arc put on film, and that feels about right. Director Joss Whedon is obviously confident that the story can be faithful to the comics and still translate to film perfectly. New characters are introduced (Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Vision) without the need for too much exposition or scientific explanation. Anyone desiring more of that needs to remember they are watching a comic book movie. Ultron is a great villain, one of the best so far for Marvel films, and James Spacer does a great job giving the character an unexpected wit along with his sadistic side.
When all is said and done, The Avengers will always be remembered for being the first super hero movie to bring such popular characters together for a blockbuster like no other. Age of Ultron is a strong sequel, perhaps more enjoyable than the first now that the team has been together for a while and has a better repoor. The plot doesn't stray too far from the original film, but the action, character moments, and new heroes make it an excellent entry into the Marvel canon, and one that will be talked about and dissected by fans for years to come.
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