Avengers: Age of Ultron Review

Avengers: Age of Ultron continues the epic movie series of Avengers with the stellar cast returning for another major film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that is sure to fill theatres this weekend for another box office success.

As expected, this is a much darker and more violent portrayal of the Avengers and the movie does not have a soft introduction with a directly in your face battle within the first minute sure to get your heart pumping and ready for the adventure.

Although many were expecting Thanos, this movie certainly brings a new villain with the birth of Ultron. He is bigger and even more fierce than we ever expected commanding an army of thousands. Even though Ultron is a villain, he is pretty awesome to see and the special effects were outstanding.

Since S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer exists and the Avengers have no home, they must go someplace. This is where we learn even more about Hawkeye than ever before, much to the delight of Hawykeye fans everywhere. Additional information about Black Widow is learned about her time before becoming an Avenger.

The introduction of The Twins is no surprise to Marvel comic book fans but for those who are not familiar with their story they are a welcomed and integral part of the entire story. Pietro is known as Quicksilver, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and his twin sister is Wanda known as Scarlet, played by Elizabeth Olsen. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch add a new dynamic to the film with their new powers of speed and telekinesis that challenge the Avengers in ways never encountered before. Scarlet Witch gets inside their head and releases doubts and fears which end up revealing even more about the famous superheroes than we have ever known before.

Stan Lee’s cameo is always one we look forward to watching. This one is one of his best and is even better than Guardians of the Galaxy.

The familiar sound of Jarvis’ voice comes full circle when the voice actor, Paul Bettany, finally appears on screen for the very first time as Vision. We look forward to more of him in future films.

Parental Advisory: SPOILER ALERT

Although not mentioned in the rating, there is language said by the superheroes that may be objectionable to parents. As stated above, this is a darker and more violent Avengers movie than ever seen before so bringing young children would not be advised. Very unexpectedly, one of the main characters dies a violent death in his effort to save the life of another Avenger and a child. One back story that is revealed discusses the topic of sterilization and scenes that may be frightening to a child.

There are scenes eerily reminiscent of the attacks of 911 with a tall skyscraper building coming down in mere seconds. Although the building is under construction and no one is hurt during the destruction the aftermath of people running covered in ash brings back memories of the coverage on September 11th.

The ending is phenomenal but as much as this movie was exciting and different, it is still hard to top the thrill of seeing Avengers for the first time. As any true Marvel fan knows, stay through the credits. There is only one bonus scene instead of the two we have become accustomed to watching.

Avengers Age of Ultron is shown in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D. For our media screening we viewed the movie in IMAX 3D and the cinematography felt like we were in the same room as the action scenes because the camera bounced with the action. This provides a thrilling look but for those sensitive to movement or get dizzy easily, watching in 2D would be advised.

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[quote]Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.[/quote]

Avengers: Age of Ultron is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of Sci-Fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments .

• Release Date: May 1, 2015
• Running Time: 141 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård with James Spader and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
• Director: Joss Whedon
• Producer: Kevin Feige, p.g.a.
• Executive Producers: Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Patricia Whitcher, Stan Lee, Jon Favreau

Images courtesy Walt Disney Studios. Used with permission.