(Small plot spoilers in here though I try to stay away from any of the big spoilers.)
This movie felt long. Not in one of those this movie is long ways (though it is) but actually my body is starting to hurt from sitting here is this going to end any time soon kind of ways. It was entertaining don’t get me wrong. It was just overstuffed and had some issues. While the witty banter was on-point and everyone was as good as they always are it also felt a little… old? Stale? Like they were just checking things off a list.
Expectations game:
I was a little worried about Quicksilver and Aaron Taylor- Johnson so he surprised me. He and Elizabeth Olsen were both bright spots in the film even though they didn’t have that much to do. I thought it actually made Ultron less frightening when they switched sides. Also it was nice to see Paul Bettany have a bodily role as Vision.
I thought there would be more set-up for Civil War but it didn’t really come into play here.
Okay! Problems first…
The romance. I liked the idea of the Widow and the Hulk and these are two incredibly charismatic people of course. I also like the idea of building their characters but it just felt so forced. At times it felt like Banner and Natasha were also acting a little out of character.
Where the hell did Hawkeye’s family come from? And why we’re they so utterly perfect that I spent all the time with them (too much in all honesty) thinking it had to be a set-up or a ploy or something?
Thor in the God Pool or whatever that segment was supposed to be. My friend said that one will probably pay off in the next Thor movie but it felt like a waste of time here.
The ending with the city was a little too over the top for me and I say that as someone who had no problem with the aliens coming through a portal in the first movie. I also didn’t understand what Vision did to Ultron. He seemed to be cutting him off from the net but he could still jump bodies. A lot of the end was unclear to me.
Things that I enjoyed:
Like I said the addition of the twins who were called “enhanced” in this movie was a good one. I’m a particular fan of mind control so the Scarlet Witch could be a long-term favorite if Olsen continues to play her.
Captain America and Agent Carter kind of sort of had their dance! I mean he swung her into his arms. It was also an illusion but I’ll take what I can get.
James Spader made a wonderful and fun Ultron. A true quip-filled child of both Bruce and Tony. I enjoyed also their discussion about science and what would be appropriate means to protecting the world. I wish there would have been more of that kind of thing in the movie. That and a bit more stress on all the issues with Tony and Steve which seemed a little too resolved at the end considering what’s coming.
Loved the little bit at the party with Thor’s hammer and the look on Chris Hemsworth’s face when it moves just a little bit for Steve. Also Pepper and Jane were about the only people who didn’t appear in the movie but at least they gave them good reasons for not being there.
Recommend: Yes, despite everything. It’s the Avengers and if you’re in it this far you’re probably in it, for better or worse, until the bitter end. I just wish they had spiked a couple of things from this movie so that it could breathe better. I like Whedon but I’m happy new blood is coming in.
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