My brain is full to overflowing with opinions on Marvel's newest offering. However, I don't like to rip, puff up, or spoil a movie for people who haven't seen it. So, allow me to give you a few spoiler-free thoughts on The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
If you follow us on Twitter, you may have seen my initial reaction after catching the film on Thursday night. The most concise and useful bit of information I can give you is that I'm looking forward to seeing it again and soon. That means I fully endorse the film for your watching pleasure. Your hard-earned entertainment dollar will absolutely be well spent. The film isn't perfect but it is definitely fun. So, let's talk about what you'll like...
The Humor
It's "on point" as the kids would have said 5-10 years ago. Age of Ultron is loaded with jokes and nearly every one of them hits its mark with a handful that absolutely crush. And the jokes come from every direction, not just Iron Man. Thor, Hawkeye, and even Ultron are in on the act. It's nice to see them take full advantage of the material Thor provides as the oddest-man-out in the room, rather than ignoring that he is a Norse demigod from an other-dimensional planetoid.
Nerrrds
The nerds are going to love it because this thing is DENSE with plot seeds for the future and tons of Marvel easter eggs. But, at no point did it all feel distracting. The movie is definitely packed to the gills but I can't recall thinking they tried to do too much. Lots of supporting characters from the various franchises make small appearances, but they never feel like cheap cameos. It makes sense for them to be there. They actually serve the story and blend right in. The film takes for granted that we already know these people and moves on. There is no re-introduction which is actually kind of cool, keeps things moving, and adds to the mystique of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that they've built.
It Works
Well enough, anyway. At no point during the film did I question the logic of what was going on and, looking back at it, that is almost unfathomable. There are so many moving pieces in Age of Ultron, for it all to fit together and make sense is a huge credit to Joss and any other writers who worked on it. You want a storyline to seem natural and inevitable by the time you reach the end and that's what we get here. Plus, as always with Marvel, things are wrapped up nicely. The ending feels like an ending. Despite the fact that we know everything that's yet to come (and the movie doesn't hide from that) we still close another chapter and feel completely satisfied.
So what doesn't work? Well I'm not going to tell you. Go see the movie. Enjoy; without the burden of my opinions or anyone else's. Then we can all sit around and talk about it and analyze it a little too much. Like I said, it does have problems. I would even call one of them inexcusable. But, there is zero doubt in my mind that you are going to have a really good time watching it.