MARVEL continues to bring its universe to the big screen with the second instalment of The Avengers.
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As well as being a sequel to The Avengers, The Avengers: Age of Ultron follows on from Iron Man 3 and Captain America; The Winter Soldier.
With so many stories, plots and characters intertwining, Marvel have almost stepped from being movie franchise to a movie serial.
The characters all have cameos in each other’s films to the point that when the Avengers do assemble there is such a large ensemble that there is not enough screen time to effectively let the plot develop.
When we first see the Avengers in Age of Ultron, Iron Ma, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye are on an entertaining jaunts as the determinedly take apart a Hydra base in Sokovia.
It’s all fun and friendly banter until they encounter little known sibling superheroes Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. After the battle, Tony Stark works on producing artificial intelligence named Ultron.
It goes wrong when Ultron comes to life and instead of acting as a safeguard, attacks the team and flees the city.
The plot is so reliant on audiences being either familiar with the Marvel universe or up to date with the rest of the franchise’s films that newcomers to The Avengers may be left woefully behind.
Ultron is wonderfully played by James Spader whose menacing but calm voice can make anyone pay attention to him.
Also new to the franchise is Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen as the Sokovian siblings who give the Avengers so much trouble.
The rest of the cast has returned from the previous Avengers and a long list of cameos from other films in the franchise make Age of Ultron seem a bit like a red carpet.
Interesting plot lines are left behind in favour of fun banter.
Stories revolving around the morals artificial intelligence and the Scarlet Witch’s mind manipulations that give fans a great look into the minds of the more secretive heroes were somewhat glossed over.
Parts of the script try to show off The Avengers as more of a buddy team with one liners and comedy injected throughout the film.
But the cleverness leaves the more intriguing parts of the plot in the shadows.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron is fun and highly entertaining but falls short of the hype that fans followed loyally for so many months.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (M) is now showing at Bendigo Cinemas. See page 3 for session times.
Follow film reviewer Chris Pedler on Twitter @FilmNerdChris
