Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

[Athena]

North American release date May 1, 2015. No spoiler tags once this thread unlocks.

 

To discuss the Marvel universe and the interconnectedness of these movies, check out the Marvel Cinematic Universe thread.

[InsertWordHere]

I really liked it. I thought they were telegraphing Hawkeye's death the whole time, so I was surprised when he lived. I really enjoyed Spader's voicework. I also thought Elizabeth Olsen was a standout as Wanda.

 

Thor is my favorite Avenger and I loved him in this film. Since he helped give Vision "life," it was fitting that Vision copied Thor with his cape. The theater gasped in shock when they saw Vision holding Mjölnir. That moment was nicely done.

 

I know he probably landed in the ocean somewhere, but if it turns out Hulk flew that plane straight through the atmosphere and he's floating out in space and we get Planet Hulk, I would kind of love it. 

 

I was worried about the bloated cast, but I thought the film did a good job of focusing mostly on the Avengers. Other than War Machine, most of the other "sidekicks" were limited to basic cameos at the party or in the visions. It was very nice to see Peggy again. 

[MarquisDeCarabas]

 

The theater gasped in shock when they saw Vision holding Mjölnir. That moment was nicely done.

Same in my theatre.  That was a really nice pay-off to what was presumed to be a throwaway gag.

 

I will grant you there are certain aspects that just scream we are setting up Infinity War/Civil War/Ragnarok  (I have a feeling Agent's of Shield is doing that too for Civil War at least)

 

I'm not really sure what to make of Hulk's exit has he just gone off to somewhere deserted?  I can't imagine that he killed himself though.

 

I imagine it's even better when you add in the extra time that will be on the blu-ray

[scarynikki12]

The theater gasped in shock when they saw Vision holding Mjölnir

 

That was so great!  Everyone, including me, thought that Cap would be the only other Avenger to hold Mjolnir, as per comics, but this really worked.  It was a great way of quickly showing the team that the Vision was a good guy and the resulting expressions were priceless.  This also made me more convinced that Cap will get his moment with Mjolnir in the next Avengers installment and I think it will be glorious.

 

 

I was worried about the bloated cast, but I thought the film did a good job of focusing mostly on the Avengers

 

Agreed and agreed.  I thought the way the various cameos and supporting characters were used was really clever.  I was worried that Hayley's cameo would somehow bring Peggy's death, so I was relieved and delighted to see her and Steve finally have their dance.

 

Elizabeth Olsen really was a great addition.  I've liked her in everything I've seen her in and I'm so happy she was able to shine in this monster of a movie.

 

I admit, I didn't see Natasha and Banner coming, but I thought it was well written and definitely well acted.  I don't know that I can truly support it since I believe she still fears the Hulk even if she values that contribution and such a relationship really can't be sustained.  Plus, Banner doesn't know how to control the Hulk enough to have a romantic relationship, as evidenced by the second Hulk movie when he tried to get busy with Betty and almost Hulked out.  All that said, I loved watching Natasha face her fear of the Hulk by being the one to bring back Banner with the lullaby. 

 

I loved Thanos' cameo. "I guess I'll have to do it myself" was a fantastic way to end this movie and drive us crazy with the knowledge that we won't see the next installment for years. 

 

I can't wait to see it again.

[lassiecat]

I have liked every marvel movie so far, but oh, that was terrible! And not just for a marvel movie but for any movie. The pacing was off, the writing was awful, both dialogue and the story itself. Characters would just flit off and then randomly return. I had no idea how much time had passed between scenes (like at the end when they had a shiny new facility but just found the missing jet). And overall the characters felt...off. Also, why is the guy with an infinity stone in his head 'training' to be an Avenger? He's running off of one of the most powerful things in the universe, I think he's got this.

It felt like Whedon didn't care, even the tag scene felt rushed, like Thanos was in the middle of a conversation we didn't see.

I just didnt like the direction this movie took things, and I worry it will carry over into the other films and mess up the storyline.

[dkb]

I thought it was good, but not GREAT, like I was expecting. Maybe I just hyped it up in my own mind because it just wasn't as good as the first Avengers, or Captain America: Winter Soldier.

 

I saw it with 6 other people, and they all felt a little underwhelmed, and liked the first one better.

 

I watched in IMAX and was having trouble hearing some of the dialogue in scenes especially Iron Man.

[lovemytvshows]

It was enjoyable, explosive fun but I wouldn't rank it very high up plot-wise. i didn't take Ultron very seriously as the villain and I felt his backstory (creation to eventual turn to the dark side) felt quite rushed. Actually I felt the whole movie was very rushed and I was strapped to my seat and hurled out at superspeed but it was a fun rollercoaster. Will have to rewatch at a later stage to be able to pause and rewind and listen a bit clearly at certain parts of dialogue I may have missed.

 

I also thought Elizabeth Olsen was a standout as Wanda.

 

I agree. She was a good surprise for me. I enjoyed her character's journey more than I did with Banner/Natasha (I know they're the ones most of the reviews have been raving about but to me it felt forced and boring). Was sad to see Quicksilver go (typical Whedon) but the last scene with Scarlet Witch and the rest of Cap's new team Avengers have got me very very excited for Civil War. Some reviewers have complained that her dancing hand motions looked weird but I thought it was a very good way to convey her powers as it gave it some much needed elegance. 

 

The Vision is amazing and it's about time they gave Paul Bettany more than just a voice-actor role!

[InsertWordHere]

The Vision is amazing and it's about time they gave Paul Bettany more than just a voice-actor role!

I was kind of sad he didn't get to also continue to be Jarvis after Vision was created. I know Friday exists in the comics, but I would have preferred they just kept Jarvis. I wonder if they thought the audience would be confused if Bettany played both roles simultaneously.

[KatWay]

It was entertaining, but also kind of not great I thought. The tens of dozens of location changes were a bit annoying (now we're in Africa! Back in the South of the US! Tony's in Norway! Thor's in the UK! Seoul!) and the characters had very little development individually.

Natasha and Tony continue to be the most interesting characters among the Avengers, because they're among the only ones with actual personal demons and moral dilemmas. Bruce is interesting too (demons and all) but I wasn't a huge fan of where they took the character in this movie. You really want to leave right before the big battle? You could have just said to Black Widow, one more time until the world is saved and then we retire.

 

Speaking of retirement, it really felt like they were setting up Hawkeye for that. I guess he'll make room for Vision (who I predict dies in Infinity War 1 or 2, to get the stone out) and Falcon/War Machoine/Scarlett Witch.

 

 

This also made me more convinced that Cap will get his moment with Mjolnir in the next Avengers installment and I think it will be glorious.

 

I thought they made a point that he could move it a little bit but not actually lift it. And I hope they keep it that way because the Vision moment was awesome and funny (in my theatre people laughed) and the debate running gag was really fun (I could listen to Tony and Steve bantering all day), but if they keep having people lift it, it's not really all that special anymore. Besides, what purpose would that have? We know Cap is good and pure hearted and so does every single character. The Vision moment served a specific purpose, namely why they would trust him so close to the battle and without discussion. They don't need to ride this into the ground.

[Boundary]

The Winter Soldier set very high standards and so this one was always going to suffer in comparison because of the bloated cast. The word that keeps cropping up is "rushed" and that's due to Joss Whedon trying to do too much. He should've allowed the other movies to do the heavy lifting. For instance, the Natasha/Bruce thing came out of nowhere, whereas there was too little payoff to the Natasha/Cap friendship seen in the Winter Soldier. The Iron Man and Thor movies don't seem to have fed anything into this movie either, except for Pepper and Jane name checking. So Whedon is left to develop Ultron, introduce Wakanda, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, as well as try to re-establish the Avengers as a new SHIELD; not to mention the obvious Civil War and Ragnarok set ups. I applaud the ambition but that was too much to chew.

 

I loved the Hawkeye, mainly because he's been ignored by the previous films, staying with his pov throughout the movie would have been a smart way to streamline the whole thing. I also liked a peak into Black Widow's past but then again it didn't lead anywhere (not really, excluding a half hearted attempt at retirement). Having said all that, I don't really think anyone else could have done a better job of balancing the screen-time for all those characters. The party scene, for example, was expertly done. A glimpse into what a pay-off for all this MCU stuff would look like. And there was no childish bickering like the last movie. All in all, it was a satisfactory entry but not the MCU high watermark it was supposed to be. That I'm certain is going to be Civil War.

[VCRTracking]

Just saw it and I enjoyed it a whole lot. The scenes where the team interacts were my favorite in the last movie and I liked them even more here. There were moments that were just  I loved the new characters Pietro, Wanda and especially the Vision.

 

I thought the character development had carried over well from the other films. Steve and Natasha are now each other's matchmakers and Clint and Natasha, while not lovers still have the best friendship.

 

I liked most of Captain America: Winter Soldier but I think it could have been perfect if it had stayed a "conspiracy thriller" all the way through instead of the having the gigantic destruction porn third act. It just didn't fit what had been a very great "Jason Bourne" type action movie.This one.though is a full unapologetic comic book all the way through so I enjoyed the last act more. I especially liked that it seemed an answer to the Man of Steel for not saving civilians.

[Sharpie66]

Just got back from seeing this. Another vote for "okay, but not fantastic" review. I did like the Bruce stuff (but I always love Mentally Anguished Bruce mode), and the relationship with Natasha is intruiging me. Steve Evans was great as Cap as always, and I looooved all the extra time given to Barton and his backstory.

Ultron's CGI was damn well perfect--the emotion they gave his face was really impressive. And I ended up liking Scarlet Witch and what Moss was able to do with her.

The rest of it was just ok, especially all of the action sequences. I saw it in IMAX 3D, but maybe the action would look less, well, comic book in 2D.

[manbearpig]

Would have preferred to see more Black Widow but that is basically always my reaction. It was fun seeing Julie Deply, very briefly, in a comic book movie, and in my dream world Natasha gets her solo pic with Delpy's mysterious instructor as the villain.

 

I loved Thor's reaction to Scarlet Witch's hex because I immediately flashed back to all those times Buffy said magic didn't affect her because she was the slayer. Heh!

 

Definitely need to see it again before I can form some coherent thoughts about the movie as a whole. Not as good as the first one, but still a fun time at the cinema. Excited to see Whedon move away from Marvel though.

[VCRTracking]

 

Ultron's CGI was damn well perfect--the emotion they gave his face was really impressive. And I ended up liking Scarlet Witch and what Moss was able to do with her.

 

Ha!  Elizabeth Olsen. Not Peggy Olsen(Elizabeth Moss).

[Sharpie66]

Oops! Got my Elizabeths crossed.

Having just rewatched Winter Soldier before heading to the theater, I was happy to see the same tech who refused to launch the three helicarriers even though Brock Rumlow had a gun to his head show up on Fury's mothballed helicarrier trying to explain that the shuttles were filling up with people. If I am wrong about it being the same actor, someone correct me!

Oh, and Andy Serkis!! As soon as he appeared, I was grinning like a fool. I always love seeing him without the CGI.

[Jaded Sapphire]

Another vote for okay but great. The exact word I used in a text to a friend was "meh"

 

Now can someone who has seen all of the movies in MCU speak to this (I only watched Iron Man 1-3):

 

I couldn't help but feel as if there was a movie missing here. I figured I might be a little lost with some of the plot - Thor and the scepter returning to earth mainly - but my problem is the characters have clearly gone through changes that I kinda needed to see. A movie where Natasha goes from simply unafraid of Bruce to being in love with him (which when coupled with his attack and her cowering in fear in the last movie, made their romance in this one very unsettling) And a movie where Natasha, Bruce, Hawkeye, and Tony decide they want to leave. While Hawkeye and Tony both (technically) have backstory to explain it, an Avengers movie in the interim that hinted at it would've made it feel less disjointed for me. We literally went from the formation of the Avengers to nearly all of them ready to retire off-screen. 

[MichaelaRae]

Okay, I loved it, even more than the first Avengers movie, which is saying a lot because I will watch that repeatedly. The team interactions were fantastic - I immediately felt like, yeah, this team has been working together for a while and they get it and they really have clicked as "The Avengers" (so much so that, at the end, I found myself resenting the idea that these "new kids" are supposed to become The Avengers, though I'm sure they'll grow on me - keep in mind, I have no comic book universe to draw from). The quips, the shorthand between them, it all felt very organic and FUN to me (and fun is my #1 requirement for a Marvel movie). My theater was laughing and gasping and laughing some more, the entire time. (Plus, if you can see this in IMAX 3D do it - I was so impressed.)

 

Pardon my brief shipper moment - with the first A movie, I was all about Natasha and Hawkeye. Definitely saw sparks there. But Natasha and Bruce really worked for me. I found myself rooting for those two by the end and was really disappointed that The Hulk decided to disappear with the jet rather than return to her. I understood it, but was disappointed by it.

 

And yes, I was convinced that Hawkeye was TOAST with all the happy family life he was getting. Thanks, Joss, for flipping the trope.

[stealinghome]

I just got back and am still digesting, but I think I found AoU to be less fun than the first Avengers but probably a better movie, if that makes sense. It has more depth and heart to it, the stakes seem more real, and the cast chemistry was even better than the first time around. I agree that they nailed the "this team has been working together for a while and is a total TEAM" vibe. I also agree that AoU had pacing problems, but frankly, so did the first Avengers movie, so I was kind of expecting that. On the whole, I thought the movie did the best possible job it could have of living up to some sky-high expectations.
 

So Whedon is left to develop Ultron, introduce Wakanda, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, as well as try to re-establish the Avengers as a new SHIELD; not to mention the obvious Civil War and Ragnarok set ups. I applaud the ambition but that was too much to chew.

Funny--with the exception of Wakanda, I actually thought Whedon did a really good job of balancing all those various threads. In particular, the Steve/Tony conflict seemed really organic--though this movie also brought out all the things I absolutely cannot stand about Tony, so I'm already Team Steve all the way. I also agree with the sentiment that Whedon did a great job of making this a true ensemble film, even better than the first, in fact. Each of the regulars got their moment to shine and got some development. And I always appreciate that Whedon makes a distinct effort to give the characters that don't have their own movies more airtime to compensate. (I do also agree, though, that it was really wise to limit the cameos--Peggy, Heimdall, Selvig, War Machine, Falcon, etc--really to cameos.)
 
I was worried about them, but the Maximoff twins were great, and didn't feel like they were taking time away from any of the regulars. Elizabeth Olsen was really a standout, and if they ever decide to make Scarlet Witch evil, I would TOTALLY buy it, because there were times she was far scarier than any of the other Avengers. There's a core of darkness there that no one else has. But I also enjoyed Aaron Taylor-Johnson immensely and thought he was much better than DoFP's Quicksilver. So I'm surprised and bummed that they killed him off--can we kill off Coulson again and get Quicksilver back? That's totally how it works, right? OTOH, Vision was a big blah for me. I didn't hate him, but I wouldn't care if he floated off to space or wherever and was never seen again. Just not particularly interesting.

 

Maria Hill and Nick Fury make everything better.
 
Steve is really becoming the glue that holds the team together. His friendships with Natasha and Thor are a highlight of these films, and his dispensing advice to Bruce was solid. The movies have done a nice job of establishing him as the center, in several ways, of this universe--like I loved his moment of idealism when the helicarrier showed up ("this is what SHIELD should be"). Such a little character beat, but so on-point. Speaking of shields, I loved Natasha using the shield for a few seconds and the tease about Cap and the hammer--he HAS to pick it up in the next Avengers movie. And holy crap, Evans looked RIPPED in the party scene. That shirt was doing alllllll the right things for him. Also definitely appreciated shirtless Hemsworth during his cave vision.

 

I didn't mind Bruce/Natasha through about the first half of the movie, but they took it too OTT in the farm scenes. It was much better when it was just simmering beneath the surface, like in the party scene. And the romance didn't really have a ton of payoff--the movie seemed to make it so explicit just to give Nat a broken heart at the end, which just seems really unnecessary.

[lovemytvshows]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/iramadison/ranking-the-avengers-age-of-ultron-characters-by-likability#.kfyqeO6qNw

 

I'm glad Buzzfeed agrees with me, especially for their no. 1 pick. Age of Ultron has made me excited for Captain America: Civil War, if only to see more of Scarlet Witch and The Vision. 

[ChelseaNH]

The first movie was well-crafted entertainment, but this one had more substance to it.  Yes, there was a lot of ground to cover, but I didn't feel lost as the plot moved around.  (FWIW, I don't read comics, but I do read about the MCU, so I know about Wakanda.)

 

However, I was not thrilled with the choppy action sequences.  In the party fight, it was hard to keep track of who was getting thrown around.

 

I don't particularly mind Natasha getting a romantic subplot, as it was more flavoring and not the substance of her role.  I can see Natasha being interested in a guy with brains; brawn is probably old hat to her.  Not entirely thrilled to see Hawkeye married off, though; that didn't feel organic to the character.  But it was nice to see Linda Cardellini.

[VCRTracking]

Here's an interesting article from BADASS DIGEST about a particular moment that was in the script and that would have been a great Hulk moment at the end battle but Joss cut it out because They don't say what it is because it's too cool a moment to spoil and it might be used in a future movie.I'm DYING to know what it is though:

In my review of Avengers: Age of Ultron, I mentioned that the film didn’t have many of the fist-pumping moments that made The Avengers special. But it wasn’t always that way - the original script had a Hulk moment that was so good it would have been THE fist-pumping moment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It wasn’t in the final movie, and I didn’t know why. So I asked Whedon when I interviewed him a few weeks ago. But first, a note from Joss that explains why I won’t tell you what this cool thing was:  

  I don’t talk about it specifically because I said to Marvel, ‘You can use this in another movie! Hold on to that!’ So with the knowledge that this cool bit could still pop up in a Marvel movie, and that it would suck to spoil it, here’s Whedon giving the hard-edged explanation for why it’s not in Age of Ultron:

    Sometimes what seems like a moment turns out to be a move. That turned out to be a move.

    It’s a great gag, but I couldn’t justify it. We were building a lot of the final battle around it, and it was killing us. Even when we were shooting. We had to stutter-step everything else, and eventually in post I convinced them we need to jettison this concept. I knew I could write a conclusion for Bruce and Natasha that I thought would be much better storytelling, and would be a real moment.

This made me respect Whedon even more. The scene he cut was amazing on the page, and he had to know that - whether it read as a move or a moment - it would be huge with the audience. But he opted instead for the integrity of his storytelling, of making sure the whole worked instead of letting the whole suffer for the sake of one great scene. Kill your darlings, they say, and he did.

 

 

 

http://badassdigest.com/2015/05/01/why-joss-whedon-cut-the-hulks-best-scene-from-age-of-ultron/

[MadyGirl1987]

The Iron Man and Thor movies don't seem to have fed anything into this movie either, except for Pepper and Jane name checking.

I disagree. In Iron Man 3, we see Tony developing the Iron Legion, playing into the global defense robots and AI Ultron comes from. As for Thor's vision, could it mean trouble in Asgard from Loki ruling as Odin? Thor's was the hardest vision to understand for me, but I took it as trouble and doom for Asgard, which could have come from Thor staying on earth at the end of Dark World. Also; the aether is in play in Dark World and they connect the dots with the infinity stones here.

 

That said, I really enjoyed the film. I thought Ultron was a much better villain then Loki, definitely more threatening. I think the biggest surprise was Quicksilver's death. I think that, Vision holding Mjolnir and Thanos got the biggest reactions from the audience.

 

Also "Language!" lol Captain America can sure be adorkable.

 

Lastly; loved the end credits of close-ups of a statue with the whole thing shown at the end.s

Edited May 2, 2015 by Bazinga1987

[Racj82]

That was so great! Everyone, including me, thought that Cap would be the only other Avenger to hold Mjolnir, as per comics, but this really worked. It was a great way of quickly showing the team that the Vision was a good guy and the resulting expressions were priceless. This also made me more convinced that Cap will get his moment with Mjolnir in the next Avengers installment and I think it will be glorious.

Agreed and agreed. I thought the way the various cameos and supporting characters were used was really clever. I was worried that Hayley's cameo would somehow bring Peggy's death, so I was relieved and delighted to see her and Steve finally have their dance.

Elizabeth Olsen really was a great addition. I've liked her in everything I've seen her in and I'm so happy she was able to shine in this monster of a movie.

I admit, I didn't see Natasha and Banner coming, but I thought it was well written and definitely well acted. I don't know that I can truly support it since I believe she still fears the Hulk even if she values that contribution and such a relationship really can't be sustained. Plus, Banner doesn't know how to control the Hulk enough to have a romantic relationship, as evidenced by the second Hulk movie when he tried to get busy with Betty and almost Hulked out. All that said, I loved watching Natasha face her fear of the Hulk by being the one to bring back Banner with the lullaby.

I loved Thanos' cameo. "I guess I'll have to do it myself" was a fantastic way to end this movie and drive us crazy with the knowledge that we won't see the next installment for years.

I can't wait to see it again.

I'll say I don't agree with part about banner not being able to control himself in romantic situations. He has learned to control himself much better since then. By the end of that movie they showed he could bring on the hulk while being totally calm. He's still afraid of what he could do in general though.

[Racj82]

The first movie was well-crafted entertainment, but this one had more substance to it. Yes, there was a lot of ground to cover, but I didn't feel lost as the plot moved around. (FWIW, I don't read comics, but I do read about the MCU, so I know about Wakanda.)

However, I was not thrilled with the choppy action sequences. In the party fight, it was hard to keep track of who was getting thrown around.

I don't particularly mind Natasha getting a romantic subplot, as it was more flavoring and not the substance of her role. I can see Natasha being interested in a guy with brains; brawn is probably old hat to her. Not entirely thrilled to see Hawkeye married off, though; that didn't feel organic to the character. But it was nice to see Linda Cardellini.

what do we even know about Hawkeye in these movies the assume anything about him?

[Raja]

I'll say I don't agree with part about banner not being able to control himself in romantic situations. He has learned to control himself much better since then. By the end of that movie they showed he could bring on the hulk while being totally calm. He's still afraid of what he could do in general though.

Still it is like Bixby's TV Hulk after what he did in Africa he can not take the chance, especially with someone he loves being the first potential victim, he is afraid so he walks off to the next town. or in this case fly's a cloaked quinjet to somewhere remote since the other guy won't let him die.

[Raja]

Would have preferred to see more Black Widow but that is basically always my reaction. It was fun seeing Julie Deply, very briefly, in a comic book movie, and in my dream world Natasha gets her solo pic with Delpy's mysterious instructor as the villain.

 

 

 

Definitely need to see it again before I can form some coherent thoughts about the movie as a whole. Not as good as the first one, but still a fun time at the cinema. Excited to see Whedon move away from Marvel though.

I think this is where the shared universe came in with its pleasure multiplying effect stuff like The Red Room didn't feel rushed because we got in from Dottie's story on Agent Carter.

 

I am also working on the high of just seeing the movie. But I left just as I left The Winter Soldier already planning on buying the disc as soon as it is avalable

[Spartan Girl]

I liked it. Sure the first one was easier to follow, but what can you do?

The party scene was the best part of the movie...and the Hulkbuster fight scene. Also loved everyone ribbing Cap for being a wet blanket over potty language. But who do we have to pay at Marvel to get him shirtless again? Seriously I feel like almost all the male Avengers got a shirtless except Captain America! It's a conspiracy!

Regarding Black Widow and Hulk....I didn't hate it, but what made Nat so awesome was that she didn't need a man. And we all know Hulk can never be happy, so what was the point?

Glad Hawkeye lived --- the gang's reactions to his family was priceless --- but it's a pity Quicksilver got killed off so soon.

James Spader was a good creepy snarky evil robot. And I loved that he got his own Puny God treatment via Hulk not once but twice! "Oh for God's sake!" LMAO!

[benteen]

I really enjoyed it.  I thought the first Avengers was a better movie but I think this film was exciting with some excellent character work.

 

Pietro and Wanda were good (although X-Men Pietro has him beat) but Vision and Ultron were the new scene-stealers.  Ultron was very funny and one of the better villains in these Marvel films.  Also really liked his initial introduction inside the computer and interacting with Jarvis.  Vision came to life and did not disappoint.  Definitely looking forward to seeing more of him and I wonder if they'll set something up with him and Wanda.

 

As I said, the character work was excellent.  The party scene was a lot of fun that built off the relationships with the existing characters.  I also really liked when Natasha, Cap, and Thor went through their respective hallucinations. 

 

I totally bought the Natasha and Banner relationship.  I thought they had a real spark in their interactions in the first movie and they built on that here.

 

Didn't expect the reveal with Hawkeye but I've been a fan of Linda Cardellini since Freaks and Geeks so it was very cool to see her.

 

Great opening scene with the team in action.  Very, very funny movie too.

 

Loved the ending with the Avengers Academy.  I really wonder what the team will look like by Infinity War.

 

Like I said, the movie wasn't perfect.  I think the first film was better and there are certainly off moments here.  At times, it felt like there was three to four different movies going on here.

 

I really have to knock Joss Whedon though on his bizarre decision to shoot like 85% of this film in darkness.  Seriously, what was with so many scenes taking place in shadows?  At times it felt like I could barely see the picture.  Just an odd and foolish directing choice on his part.

 

Shield's return was cool.  I understand why they're back but I call total bullshit on them being allowed to use the name Shield in the MCU.  After Winter Soldier, the name Shield likely would be too strongly linked to Hydra.  Something would have risen from the ashes but Shield couldn't return and be business as usual again.  Just not going to happen after what they allowed Hydra to do to it.

 

They definitely set things up nicely for Civil War, which I can't wait to see.

Edited May 2, 2015 by benteen

[Raja]

Glad Hawkeye lived --- the gang's reactions to his family was priceless --- but it's a pity Quicksilver got killed off so soon.

!

After X-MEN Future his was the expendable character for Marvel

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just got back from seeing and I really enjoyed it. But not as much as the first one.  There were some really great moments in this film...I pretty much remained mostly spoiler free, but had caught the whole Natasha/Bruce, and Clint having a family thing.

 

Steve was awesome as always. Tony made me want to cold cock him, though I did laugh, as did the audience when he used his hand as a jackhammer on Hulk, while begging him to "gotosleepgotosleepgotosleep."  But nothing beats Hulk's "puny God" after thrashing Loki.

 

I know I screamed NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! when I saw that they killed Pietro. Inside my head.  I mean, he's Quicksilver! Shouldn't he have been able to save Hawkeye and the kid, without getting hurt himself? And then that bit of him panting, tired? I was all like, huh? I didn't like it. I fully expected Helen to bring him back to life* or something. I really did.

 

And dipping into the shallow pool, I nearly swooned at the shirtless scene of Thor in the water. Wanted it to last longer.

 

And I really, really like the look of Vision. Didn't he and Wanda have a thing in the 80s Avengers cartoon? Or am I just making that up?

 

I don't know if I'll see it again, knowing what happens to Pietro, because I really love the character. Oh, who am I kidding. I'm sure I'll see it again.

 

*If they can bring Coulson back to life, they can do the same for Pietro. I stopped watching Agents of Shield after the second episode, because it didn't hold my interest so I don't know if that really is Coulson or not. But my point still stands.

[stealinghome]

After X-MEN Future his was the expendable character for Marvel

Not gonna lie, after all the stuff about "shared custody" of the twins, I half-wonder if Marvel and Fox didn't come to some quiet gentleman's agreement whereby Marvel doesn't use Pietro if Fox doesn't use Wanda.

[benteen]

Not gonna lie, after all the stuff about "shared custody" of the twins, I half-wonder if Marvel and Fox didn't come to some quiet gentleman's agreement whereby Marvel doesn't use Pietro if Fox doesn't use Wanda.

 

That's an interesting theory.  But I think there's too much bad blood right now between Fox and Marvel for this kind of agreement.  But I think it works out all right.

[Raja]

And I really, really like the look of Vision. Didn't he and Wanda have a thing in the 80s Avengers cartoon? Or am I just making that up?

*If they can bring Coulson back to life, they can do the same for Pietro. I stopped watching Agents of Shield after the second episode, because it didn't hold my interest so I don't know if that really is Coulson or not. But my point still stands.

Over on Agents they figuratively blew up 616, or the main comics fictional universe where Vision and the Scarlett Witch were married.

I did notice the body wasn't covered on the evacuation shuttle as our culture would do for a fallen comrade.

[Bruinsfan]

The thing I'm most upset about is that Tony wasn't more upset over Jarvis having to "die" in order to create the Vision. Dammit, in creating a functional, moral AI he basically did most of the work of a parent, and seeing what's effectively his child sacrifice itself and be reborn as this strange new creature with a very different personality should have had a more visible emotional impact on him.

[missbonnie]

Sooooo, that happened. That's the second time this summer that I left a movie liking it but preferring a few movies before it, (Fast and Furious 7, good but 5&6 were better) the first Avengers movie, Guardians of the Galaxy and The Winter Soldier. There was just waaaaaay too much stuff going on I thought. I read that Wheldon cut out an hour of footage from the movie. I'm thinking that he should have left it in there. Vision was cool, Spader was great as always. Everyone was, but it was just too much. I kinda have sensory overload going on. I did love the scene where Vision picked up Thor's hammer and the team's reaction to it as well as the running gag about Cap and cursing.

Edited May 2, 2015 by missbonnie

[JayKay]

There were some very cool, funny and exciting moments that had me grinning, but that ending. Stole the wind from my sails. The movie's fine, but I think I finally hit that unthinkable point with the MCU where I'm ready for a breather, and don't have much desire to return soon.

I didn't track Natasha from the end of The Winter Soldier to this movie. Was it the same character? Did Joss watch that movie? I just... running from her problems seemed like an out of nowhere coping mechanism for Natasha. I was really confused about why her story was playing out the way it did.

Scarlet Witch is one of my favorite comic characters and she was great. I actually laughed when she waved a hand and cleared away the mind control power over the doctor from Loki's staff. The first movie would have been a lot shorter if she were around. I've been apathetic about Vision before, but like Hulk in The Avengers, I loved him here. And Pietro. Ugh. I'm so bummed. I was looking forward to future films that built on what got started here.

First Marvel movie that left me depressed after it ended. Maybe if I watch it again knowing the hit is coming, it won't color my reaction and I'll enjoy it more.

[InsertWordHere]

Steve is really becoming the glue that holds the team together. His friendships with Natasha and Thor are a highlight of these films, and his dispensing advice to Bruce was solid.

Cap and Thor fighting together in harmony has almost become my favorite thing about Avengers. I was fangirling hard both times they used a shield and hammer combo to defeat their foes, and we also got the scene of Thor tossing the woman to Cap on the bridge and then Thor's landing with the wobbly car guys. "What, were you napping?"

 

As for Thor's vision, could it mean trouble in Asgard from Loki ruling as Odin? 

In Thor's first vision, there was a quick shot of a cloaked figure. I think it was Loki under that cloak. (Cloki?) Also, if Thanos is in Asgard in the credits scene, then Loki might have let him in.

 

The thing I'm most upset about is that Tony wasn't more upset over Jarvis having to "die" in order to create the Vision. Dammit, in creating a functional, moral AI he basically did most of the work of a parent, and seeing what's effectively his child sacrifice itself and be reborn as this strange new creature with a very different personality should have had a more visible emotional impact on him.

Me too. Jarvis has been with us for five movies now, more than almost anyone in the MCU, in addition to our glimpses of his namesake in Agent Carter, and I wish he had gotten more of a sendoff. I do get a kick enVisioning the fanfic potential featuring Vision as the "child" (he was born yesterday) of Thor, Tony, and Ultron. 

[vibeology]

I didn't mind the Bruce/Natasha pairing, but I agree that this Natasha didn't flow right from the one we saw in Winter Soldier. I lived for that Natasha but this one so willing to run away from a big fight didn't feel right.

 

Also, I hated that the team picked Natasha to be the only Hulk whisperer. That makes no sense! Of the five people on the team who aren't the Hulk, Natasha is one of two who doesn't have powers or an Iron Suit. It would be very easy for her to be hurt on a mission and then who would calm Hulk down? Every single one of them should have been able to lullaby Bruce. They still could have had the Hulk Buster stuff- Wanda's mind powers could have been stronger than the lullaby stuff. It would have shown that the team was very smart and planned ahead and then also shown just how powerful Wanda was.

 

But those two issues aside, I really enjoyed this. I liked the first one more, Cap 2 more, but this was a wonderful film with a good balance of the team. The jokes were spot on, the way they handled the large universe with the small cameos was pitch perfect and the new characters like Wanda and Vision feel like whole people to me and not just a cool set of powers. 

[The Kings Foot]

I liked the movie  but I think they didnt need to shoe horn in so many elements. 

 

One thing I though was that if Black Panther wasnt appearing in this movie then there was no need for the whole Wakanda tattoo bit.  That scene could have been simplified to  Ultron raiding a Hydra base in Africa.

 

Also  what exactly was Ultron's plan ? Seeing his references to evolution, Noah and Peter, I'm guessing he intended to wipe out 99.99% of humanity and then set himself up as the Messiah of the survivors ?

 

Also Im not quite clear on WHY Banner left.  I know he was moody throughout, but what made him decide too give up and leave ?

 

and finally I thought when Quicksilver died Scarlet Witch would go apeshit and crash the rock into the Earth leading to millions dead and the super heroes being seen has threats themselves leading to Civil War.

Edited May 2, 2015 by The Kings Foot

[Raja]

Not gonna lie, after all the stuff about "shared custody" of the twins, I half-wonder if Marvel and Fox didn't come to some quiet gentleman's agreement whereby Marvel doesn't use Pietro if Fox doesn't use Wanda.

I was thinking it was more like who played the Doc Holiday character in Wyatt Earp after Val Kilmer's role in Tombstone . If a character was going away for dramatic purposes it was going to be Quicksilver no matter how much Hawkeye buying the paid off farm he teased.

[wlk68]

 

Also, I hated that the team picked Natasha to be the only Hulk whisperer. That makes no sense! Of the five people on the team who aren't the Hulk, Natasha is one of two who doesn't have powers or an Iron Suit. It would be very easy for her to be hurt on a mission and then who would calm Hulk down? Every single one of them should have been able to lullaby Bruce. They still could have had the Hulk Buster stuff- Wanda's mind powers could have been stronger than the lullaby stuff. It would have shown that the team was very smart and planned ahead and then also shown just how powerful Wanda was.

 

 

In theory, Clint is just as vulnerable as Natasha if not more so. They don't really come out and say it in the movie but in the comics she also has a modified healing ability somewhat like Steve's. Something else that was done to her by the Red Room. She also doesn't age as quickly. At least, that is my recollection. 

 

Plus, having it be her who does the lullaby plays into the budding romance between her and Banner. Bruce likes her and so does the Hulk so it's easier for her to 'put him down for a nap'.

 

Just my two cents.

[Jaded Sapphire]

So is the consensus here that Winter Soldier is required reading for this movie?

[Raja]

So is the consensus here that Winter Soldier is required reading for this movie?

No its a stand alone movie. And there has to be drift from the comic book source as characters are drifting from dates and motivations in their MCU guise.Just knowledge that the Avengers have existed and are known to the world is necessary here I think. When I rewatch I have to see how much Hydra was emphasized on the first attack but that became more of an Agent of SHIELD'S tie in then the general Winter Soldier one. In any case Ultron almost finished the work Coulson has been doing on TV in the first acts

 

Captain America seems to be working relatively well with everyone, even Tony Stark as Captain of the Avengers ans such he had a friendship with Widow, even with the tease that the two had shared things other than what she shared with Hawkeye and his family. but Winter Soldier wouldn't lead in anymore than what you get from watching the entire MCU and not just the movies or just this particular movie in my opinion.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Raja

[missbonnie]

So is the consensus here that Winter Soldier is required reading for this movie?

Nope, but it's definitely one of Marvel's best films.

[stealinghome]

Bruce likes her and so does the Hulk so it's easier for her to 'put him down for a nap'.

Yeah, I'm not sure that the team chose Natasha for the role as much as Banner's own feelings chose her. It may well be that Nat is the only Avenger who can get that close to the Hulk without precipitating another fight. It's hard to know.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Clearly I was too tired last night, that I forgot to mention that I really didn't care for James Spader as Ultron.  There's just this overlaying of smarm whenever I hear his voice, a carry over, I guess from his days on Boston Legal. Though I admit, I did chuckle when he chopped off that guy's arm, and he was all like "I'm sorry" that was an accident.

 

And I won't lie--I was clapping and cheering when Thor showed up again, did that thing with Mjolnir...aimed at the sky right before Vision was "born."  And I loooved Vision's line to Ultron about his naivete--"Well, I was born yesterday." Just the way he said it had the whole audience laughing.

 

And like I've said before, I wasn't a comic reader, just watched a lot of 'toons, and then some graphic novels, so isn't Quicksilver an Avenger--and should belong to Marvel, since I don't ever recall him being an X-Man?

[Raja]

 

 

And like I've said before, I wasn't a comic reader, just watched a lot of 'toons, and then some graphic novels, so isn't Quicksilver an Avenger--and should belong to Marvel, since I don't ever recall him being an X-Man?

It wasn't that he was an X-Man but originally it was thought his father was Magneto before different Marvel writers took a different direction. Thus related to X-Men and into their ownership like a gallery of villains being assigned to Spiderman or the Fantastic Four that can't be used in the MCU

[Raja]

So is the consensus here that Winter Soldier is required reading for this movie?

Even as a stand alone movie that SHIELD bombed us so we, the twins volunteered like Steve Rogers did in The First Avenger is enough. It is little extras like The reference about this is what SHIELD really is can be seen by The Winter Soldier audiences as it was similar  to Nazi Hydra's taking over SHIELD and doing the same thing on a smaller level that Ultron was going to attempt. It also introduces who this Black guy at the party who shows up as a new Avenger in the epilogue is. Ironman II gives us The War Machine.

[Spartan Girl]

Did anyone else swoon over Cap breaking lumber with his bare hands? And that shirt he was wearing was so tight it was almost see through!

I loved Thor's shirtless scene too, but Cap had better have his shirt off in the next movie...

[Jediknight]

Having just rewatched Winter Soldier before heading to the theater, I was happy to see the same tech who refused to launch the three helicarriers even though Brock Rumlow had a gun to his head show up on Fury's mothballed helicarrier trying to explain that the shuttles were filling up with people. If I am wrong about it being the same actor, someone correct me!

It sure looked like him.  I'd like to think Sharon (who Fury let know he was still alive), told Fury about the tech guy and that he was exactly what SHIELD is supposed to be.

 

I thought the movie was goshdarn fun and awesome.