Saw it yesterday, and I found it to be excellently made and far more enjoyable than most most non-Marvel Studios blockbusters...
...and yet I felt it was frustratingly conservative, and - as it could not escape comparison with the first Avengers film - simply more of the same, ultimately. I'm sure I'll enjoy it more second time around, but it's not even close to being my 'best of MCU', so that's a little disappointing in itself. As a huge Whedon fan, I also get the feeling that he was just buckling under the weight of all that the MCU now demands this time - servicing what's there, as opposed to really expressing himself as a writer. The Avengers felt more like a quintessential Whedon product (although, obviously, even that was heavily watered down from, say, Buffy or Dollhouse).
Ultron being written by Whedon and voiced by Spader seemed an utterly perfect combination. But, really, he felt drastically depowered compared to the page, and I found his final form design to be rather dull - especially when considering some of the superb designs they could've picked from.
As for the conservative angle; it didn't feel like it took any risks at all, and that's something which has arguably distinguished Phase 2, with IM3 (I really liked and admired it), Winter Soldier, and Guardians (although I even thought that was too vanilla). Age Of Ultron was just another 'here's a team vs a villain'.
...it feels odd criticising it, or calling it a bit of a disappointment, when every component part was done so damn well. But The Avengers and, in particular, The Winter Soldier set the bar very high in terms of spectacle and quality, and Age Of Ultron just didn't raise that at all. I don't believe it even matched it.
One thing I was unquestionably disappointed by was just how little it does to the MCU continuity overall. The team gets a shake up, sure, but beyond that? I'd have loved---
Oh yeah, re the mid-credit scene:
To end on good points: the Vision's not a character I've read much at all, and I think he's one of the most interesting and exciting additions to the MCU for a long while. And, as someone else alluded to, I think his actor's now one of the heaviest hitters in the MCU. Great character, played by a great actor. Marvel Studios really do have an incredible knack for casting.
Wanda, too, is something very different whose like hasn't been seen before in the MCU, and whilst she also felt rather depowered from the page, I can't wait to see how she develops. Never seen Elizabeth Olsen in anything else before, but - accent, perhaps, aside... - I thought she was superb. Surprisingly compelling/charismatic, given how little screentime she probably actually had.
...and yet I felt it was frustratingly conservative, and - as it could not escape comparison with the first Avengers film - simply more of the same, ultimately. I'm sure I'll enjoy it more second time around, but it's not even close to being my 'best of MCU', so that's a little disappointing in itself. As a huge Whedon fan, I also get the feeling that he was just buckling under the weight of all that the MCU now demands this time - servicing what's there, as opposed to really expressing himself as a writer. The Avengers felt more like a quintessential Whedon product (although, obviously, even that was heavily watered down from, say, Buffy or Dollhouse).
Ultron being written by Whedon and voiced by Spader seemed an utterly perfect combination. But, really, he felt drastically depowered compared to the page, and I found his final form design to be rather dull - especially when considering some of the superb designs they could've picked from.
As for the conservative angle; it didn't feel like it took any risks at all, and that's something which has arguably distinguished Phase 2, with IM3 (I really liked and admired it), Winter Soldier, and Guardians (although I even thought that was too vanilla). Age Of Ultron was just another 'here's a team vs a villain'.
...it feels odd criticising it, or calling it a bit of a disappointment, when every component part was done so damn well. But The Avengers and, in particular, The Winter Soldier set the bar very high in terms of spectacle and quality, and Age Of Ultron just didn't raise that at all. I don't believe it even matched it.
One thing I was unquestionably disappointed by was just how little it does to the MCU continuity overall. The team gets a shake up, sure, but beyond that? I'd have loved---
a Black Panther cameo (or even just a prolonged glimpse at Wakanda), or some proper groundwork set for Civil War, or anything from the other new properties. But nope, nothing.
Thanos finally getting the Infinity Gauntlet is nice, and all, but again - it's not a major reveal for the MCU. It didn't feel like a surprise, it felt like routine.
Wanda, too, is something very different whose like hasn't been seen before in the MCU, and whilst she also felt rather depowered from the page, I can't wait to see how she develops. Never seen Elizabeth Olsen in anything else before, but - accent, perhaps, aside... - I thought she was superb. Surprisingly compelling/charismatic, given how little screentime she probably actually had.
