Review: AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON  (ACTION-ADVENTURE/FANTASY) 
3.5 out of 4 stars 
Directed by Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, James Spader, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie, Thomas Kretschmann
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some suggestive comments.
141 minutes
Verdict: Occasionally distracted but bombastic superhero fun with richly developed characters, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON isn't as smooth sailing as the original, but it has considerable charms and knows how to use them.
YOU MAY ENJOY AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON IF YOU LIKED:
MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS  (2012)
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER  (2014)
IRON MAN 3  (2013)
THOR: THE DARK WORLD  (2013)
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER

Three years ago now, MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS shattered box office records and was easily the best movie of that summer, not to mention one of the best movies of 2012 altogether.  It was an unparalleled triumph of big, brash, Hollywood corporate filmmaking.  It wasn't much of a gamble.  Uniting superheroes from four previously established big budget franchises into one mega event was always going to payoff, but the film far exceeded expectations to become the third highest-grossing film of all time because it was a great film.  Defying the trend of gritty "realism", the old-fashioned fun and rah-rah heroics were a breath of fresh air, while audiences were treated to the novelty of a multi-franchise universe realized with colorful and varied glee.  It was something we'd seen before, but done in a new way.  Following a hiatus filled in by IRON MAN 3, THOR: THE DARK WORLD, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, the Avengers now return in AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, a film that is forced to reckon with the reputation of its predecessor and setting up further installments in the vaster Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is ultimately a well-executed progression of the Marvel franchise rather than an evolution.

AGE OF ULTRON reunites the Avengers, "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), as they take down the forces of H.Y.D.R.A., a sinister organization revealed to have infiltrated the now-destroyed world security agency S.H.I.E.L.D.  Once the task at hand is completed, Stark, still dealing with anxiety issues following the Battle of New York, creates an artificial intelligence program called Ultron (voiced and performance capture by James Spader), designed to protect the world against global threats, but which quickly turns on its creator.  Building himself a synthetic body, Ultron teams up with Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), known in Marvel Comics as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, respectively, twins experimented on by H.Y.D.R.A. resulting in Pietro's superhuman speed and Wanda's ability to manipulate minds and matter, as they begin preparing Ultron's plan for world peace that comes with catastrophic implications.
Returning writer/director Joss Whedon approaches the characters this time around with increased personal stakes and complexity, resulting in a darker and more personal film, while also juggling into the mix new characters and plot points to set up the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which overcrowds the narrative.  It's a little distracted at times, but never crippled by the immense task at hand, emerging as a full and fun piece of big and bombastic summer blockbuster entertainment, with a great deal of emotional involvement and humor as well.  The well-cast team is game as always, but the new arrivals hold their own as well, with the exception of Taylor-Johnson's Quicksilver, who may as well be set dressing.  The most interesting is Scarlet Witch, played sexy and strange by Olsen, world-weary but naive, and a potentially overpowered upgrade for Marvel Studios' onscreen stable of characters, and as Ultron, Spader is a complicated adversary for the Avengers, dark and brooding, but counterbalanced by a snarky sense of humor and charm.
The obvious comparison point for this kind of sequel is THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, which the folks at Marvel have knowingly (but vaguely) referenced in their "Phase Two" films, with each one featuring a character losing a hand.  Although popular opinion now holds EMPIRE in the pantheon of all-time greatest film sequels, the dark and complex follow-up to STAR WARS was initially met with lukewarm reception upon release in 1980.  AGE OF ULTRON is thematically darker than the first film, but it's not as a dark as what is typically referred to as a "dark sequel" (i.e. THE DARK KNIGHT, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM), but I suspect that, like EMPIRE, it will age well.  It's not the same simple, joyous thrill ride that was MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS, but it has a lot to offer, including plenty of joy and thrills.  Spectacular action, humor and character highlights abound in this crowded sequel, and even though it isn't as spot-on or elegant as its predecessor, it's fun and only improves on a second viewing (yes, I've seen it twice so far).