So looking at my published post counts, this is my 100th post on TemplarKnightsLongDamnReviews.com! Though when I finish transfering all my reviews from Facebook over to here, this will not be the 100th post from start to finish, but hey, it’s the 100th post I have placed on the site. Go me!
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
This movie holds a special place in my heart. It was the first movie that my fiancé and I watched together on our first date.
The first time I watched it, I was at a Marathon seeing it with over 100 other fans who have been in that theater for over 31 hours seeing EVERY MCU movie up until that point. That was such an awesome experience that I made it a point to do the same thing when Infinity War came out. Sadly due to finances and work schedules, I won’t be able to do the same thing this time. That’s why I’m playing the home game and posting reviews. And I gave myself less than a week to do it all in.
The struggle makes me feel ALIVE! Oh, I also received a bad ass medal. Check it out:
So the first couple minutes actually made me very worried. We just get dumped straight into the action. We even get a cheesy 2 page spread of the Avengers attacking as one. Honestly the whole thing feels like stumbling over the starting line.
But my god does it recover quick and surge all the way to the end.
It’s been a while since I sat down and watched it, and between the spectacle of Infinity War and the nostalgic awesomeness of Avengers, I mentally logged Age of Ultron as lesser film. Only now as I’m watching it again do I remember that it is great.
Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were great introductions. Shame Quicksilver couldn’t stick around. Scarlet Witch has one of my favorite scenes in the movie. After Hawkeye gives his, “You are an Avenger,” speech, she walks out and kicks ALL THE ASS!
Speaking of Hawkeye, this is the movie that totally makes up for his lack of personality in Avengers. He becomes a compelling and interesting character outside of “The Bow guy.” Hawkeye has a family, a background, and a personality even! And even when Joss Whedon’s homicidal impulses seemed to line up directly for Hawkeye, Quicksilver jumped in to take that bullet. Literally.
Thanos: Hawkeye, that’s quite a nice family you got there, would be a shame if someone. . .(Snap)
Paul Bettany as The Vision in this movie is just awesome. Generally Paul Bettany is just awesome in everything. And the moment where everyone lost their collective shit in the movie was when Vision picked up the hammer and handed it to Thor.
This is where I really enjoyed being in the Marathon. Everyone flipped out when that scene happened. However, in subsequent viewings, the people who reacted to that scene substantially dropped off. It is so subtly done, that it forgets that audiences are stupid. Unless you beat them over the head with something, they miss the nuance.
Another thing I love about this movie and Marvel movies in general, is that they realize that there are civilians. When Hulk and Iron Man are battling it out in the middle of. . .some city, Iron Man spends a LOT of the fight trying to save civilians, and even tries to pull the fight out of the city. He even checks and makes sure a building is empty before dropping the Hulk into it. In the final climactic fight, the avengers spend a great deal of time trying to empty the city and rescue people before getting to the actual fight.
Take. F**king. Notes. DC.
One complaint people had about The Avengers was the Keystone Army at the end. The fight is over when they blow up one thing. Apparently Joss Whedon heard the cries of the people and decided to make the final fight require killing EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM! I have no complaints in either direction, but just thought it was noteworthy.
Oh and Ultron was phenomenal. I am not really familiar with James Spader outside of this movie, but his humor and personality is great. I think he also makes a spectacular villain. People like to complain about Marvel having weak villains, but I do not count Ultron as one of them.
All in all, this movie is just great. It might not have the inspiringly victorious ending of The Avengers, but it is still worthy.
By the way, we have been getting teased with Avengers Assemble for YEARS now. If we don’t get Avengers Assemble in Endgame, I am going to hurt some people!
Also, No after credits scene? What the hell, Joss?!?
So one small detail to get to before we leave phase 2.
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