Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Another Avengers-adventure? Why yes. And try saying the first line of this review ten rimes in a row. 

Right off the bat: this is the least of the 'Avengers'-films. Not that it's bad, but it is lacking in several departments, but we'll get to that in a minute. 

This film starts off with a big forest battle where the Avengers are on the hunt for Loki's sceptre (again), that seems to be in the hands of Baron Strucker, an important man in Hydra-ranks. Don't get too attached to this character, he is gone from the film before you can say: "Who?" It is also here we meet the Maximoff twins (aka Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch). They both have a beef with Tony Stark apparently, which is why they fight the Avengers. 

A while later, after a successful mission, Tony and Bruce Banner are ready to start a computer program designed to keep the world safe from extraterrestrial threats called the Ultron-program. This becomes sentient and destroys Jarvis (Stark's previous computer intelligence) and also fashions himself a body from parts of Tony's automatons. 

See, Ultron wants to bring peace to the world, but the best way to do so according to him, is to eradicate all humans. His point makes sense, in a bizarre way. The Avengers meanwhile are splintered thanks to the visions that Scarlet Witch has given them. Ultron then wants to create the ultimate body for himself, but because Jarvis isn't completely gone, he takes over and voila: the android Vision is born, the purest of them all, which is proven when he wields Thor's hammer without any problem whatsoever. (and remember: only those that are worthy may wield the might of Mjölnir). 

It all comes to a climactic battle in Sokovia, where the stakes are pretty darn high yet again. 

If the above feels like it is a lot and rather erratic, that is exactly how this film plays out as well. You see, it's nice to have your beloved characters all together again, but they throw so much at you in this story that is becomes a little disjointed and fragmentary. It doesn't help that the editing is a little too frenetic at times as well. This story could have done with some trimming down. As it stands now, it feels too much like a continuation of the TV-series 'Agents of SHIELD' (which it unabashedly is in the beginning) and the lead-up to the following film (which it also is). 

See the problem there? 

It also introduces way too many new characters in a very short timespan, which doesn't help keeping it all together. You get the Maximoff Twins, Ulysses Klaue, dr Cho, Vision... Sure, they are fairly well known for the comic aficionados, but for casual viewers, it becomes too much too fast. 

But that doesn't mean this is a bad film. It's messy for sure, but it's still enjoyable. And besides our main characters, there are two that stick out, because they're so damn good. In a minor role, this is Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, who is captivating. He would expand on this role in 'Black Panther', but Mr Serkis is great as always. The other one is James Spader as Ultron. His voice and demeanor work so well for the character, who is essentially like a petulant child: inquisitive and soft spoken one second, prone to temper tantrums the next. But as with some other characters throughout film history, the voice makes the character and that is very clearly the case here. 

Also: it's fun to finally see Paul Bettany get a face instead of just being a disembodied voice. And he is charmingly funny.

Take this one for what it is: a loud and entertaining blockbuster. It isn't the best of the Avengers' films, it isn't the best of the entire Marvel expanded universe. But it is fun if you want something loud and flashy.