Avengers: Age of Ultron |OT| If you open this thread, you're an Avenger

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Can't say I'm surprised with the not quite as good reviews for this one. The trailers really left me feeling cold.
 
It appears that this doesn't go the "the same but bigger" sequel route, instead going more the Star Wars > Empire Strikes Back route.
I don't mean that in terms of quality, as I haven't seen AoU. I more mean in tone, structure, scale.

ESB compared to SW is still recognizably Star Wars, but it's much darker, stranger, puts its characters through a ringer, and has a completely different structure than the first film, including ending on a downer cliffhanger.
On a superficial level (comparing with TA > A:AOU), it also covers far more locations, has more characters, and a greater emphasis on the villain, like AoU does.

But the core is that ESB in the Star Wars trilogy is the darker, weirder middle film. It appears AoU is the same for the Avengers films.
Now those elements combined in ESB to make the best film of that series, which remains to be seen for AoU, since I have not seen it yet, but I appreciate it went in a different direction, at least.

I doubt Age of Ultron's ending is like Empire Strikes Back's based on the following:

Make no mistake: It’s not that Joss Whedon doesn’t like The Empire Strikes Back. When recently asked a question about doing a sequel to one of his own works, he cited the fan-favorite entry in the Star Wars saga along with The Godfather Part II as sequels that got it right. But The Avengers writer-director does have an issue with Empire’s ending – or its lack of one, to be exact.

“Empire committed the cardinal sin of not actually ending,” Whedon noted during his 10-page deep-dive interview with Entertainment Weekly in this week’s issue. “Which at the time I was appalled by and I still think it was a terrible idea.”

To which your EW interviewer blurted: “You think Empire had a bad ending?”

“Well, it’s not an ending,” Whedon explained about the 1980 film, which had a cliffhanger leading into the next entry of the series, Return of the Jedi. “It’s a Come Back Next Week, or in three years. And that upsets me. I go to movies expecting to have a whole experience. If I want a movie that doesn’t end I’ll go to a French movie. That’s a betrayal of trust to me. A movie has to be complete within itself, it can’t just build off the first one or play variations.”


Source
 
Maybe after the first film, the novelty of seeing all these heroes on screen together has disappeared and the movie itself is being judged.
 
I doubt Age of Ultron's ending is like Empire Strikes Back's based on the following:

Make no mistake: It’s not that Joss Whedon doesn’t like The Empire Strikes Back. When recently asked a question about doing a sequel to one of his own works, he cited the fan-favorite entry in the Star Wars saga along with The Godfather Part II as sequels that got it right. But The Avengers writer-director does have an issue with Empire’s ending – or its lack of one, to be exact.

“Empire committed the cardinal sin of not actually ending,” Whedon noted during his 10-page deep-dive interview with Entertainment Weekly in this week’s issue. “Which at the time I was appalled by and I still think it was a terrible idea.”

To which your EW interviewer blurted: “You think Empire had a bad ending?”

“Well, it’s not an ending,” Whedon explained about the 1980 film, which had a cliffhanger leading into the next entry of the series, Return of the Jedi. “It’s a Come Back Next Week, or in three years. And that upsets me. I go to movies expecting to have a whole experience. If I want a movie that doesn’t end I’ll go to a French movie. That’s a betrayal of trust to me. A movie has to be complete within itself, it can’t just build off the first one or play variations.”


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That's an amusing quote considering the epic amount of dick teasing the original Avengers did with Thanos.
 
I doubt Age of Ultron's ending is like Empire Strikes Back's.

Make no mistake: It’s not that Joss Whedon doesn’t like The Empire Strikes Back. When recently asked a question about doing a sequel to one of his own works, he cited the fan-favorite entry in the Star Wars saga along with The Godfather Part II as sequels that got it right. But The Avengers writer-director does have an issue with Empire’s ending – or its lack of one, to be exact.

“Empire committed the cardinal sin of not actually ending,” Whedon noted during his 10-page deep-dive interview with Entertainment Weekly in this week’s issue. “Which at the time I was appalled by and I still think it was a terrible idea.”

To which your EW interviewer blurted: “You think Empire had a bad ending?”

“Well, it’s not an ending,” Whedon explained about the 1980 film, which had a cliffhanger leading into the next entry of the series, Return of the Jedi. “It’s a Come Back Next Week, or in three years. And that upsets me. I go to movies expecting to have a whole experience. If I want a movie that doesn’t end I’ll go to a French movie. That’s a betrayal of trust to me. A movie has to be complete within itself, it can’t just build off the first one or play variations.”


Source

I didn't mean literally beat for beat like ESB. I meant ESB was wildly different in structure and tone to SW, particularly the climax and ending.
Likewise AoU appears to have a different structure to TA, not necessarily in the same way as ESB did. I never for a moment thought AoU would have a cliffhanger. But it probably will have a less upbeat ending than the first.

I more meant they seem similar in the "darker, weirder middle film" sense. ESB, from what I understand, was also highly polarizing on release. Obviously it's now considered the best of the lot, which remains to be seen for AoU (both on release and in retrospect in many years' time).
 
It seems crazy to me too.

But it is what I predicted with this film. Huge opening, much shorter legs because the novelty of the film has worn off. Obviously could still be wrong, though. We'll see!

Thats why James Cameron is taking his time with Avatar sequels. He knows bringing spectacular visuals isn't enough. Gotta give them something they haven't seen. With hopefully a better overall story this time.
 
Yep. I really think that he first one reviewed so well because of it being the first "team-up" movie. I liked the Avengers 1 quite a bit, but I believe it was so well received because of this. I am positive that if the second is of the same quality of the first, that it would still drop at least 5-10% on RT. There will be a lot of "this has been done before" kinda reviews. I am already seeing a few.
 
Eh, considering how much I liked the first one, I'll take a solid sequel. I think the novelty of seeing that many superheroes on screen without it being a total clusterfuck was part of the appeal and well, now we've already seen that. It would have obviously preferred a bigger and better second movie but I'm not too disappointed. And who knows, maybe I'll end up liking it more. Going to judge that for myself on Thursday.
 
I honestly think the good crowd is what made the first Avengers. When you have that much positive energy feeding off each other, subconsciously, you rate the film a bit higher than you would initially.
 
I honestly think the good crowd is what made the first Avengers. When you have that much positive energy feeding off each other, subconsciously, you rate the film a bit higher than you would initially.

Agreed. The first Avengers movie was hands down the best cinema experience I've ever had.
 
It seems crazy to me too.

But it is what I predicted with this film. Huge opening, much shorter legs because the novelty of the film has worn off. Obviously could still be wrong, though. We'll see!

I still love Eberts review because he gave it three stars and said this:

By bringing the Avengers together, he of course reopens ancient rivalries (i.e, my hammer can beat your shield), until they learn the benefits of Teamwork, which is discussed in speeches of noble banality. So you see this is sort of an educational film, teaching the Avengers to do what was so highly valued on my first-grade report card: the concept of Working Well With Others.

"Comic-Con nerds will have multiple orgasms," predicts critic David Edelstein in New York magazine, confirming something I had vaguely suspected about them. If he is correct, it's time for desperately needed movies to re-educate nerds in the joys of sex. "The Avengers" is done well by Joss Whedon, with style and energy. It provides its fans with exactly what they desire. Whether it is exactly what they deserve is arguable.

I laugh every time I read it.
 
Hmm, not sure what to think. Action was amazing, but overall it feit very uneven at times. Will do a bigger write up when I get home.
 
just came back from it.

3d is...inexistant....shame.

The movie itself is very meh. I watched avengers 1 three times in theather , and as many at home, im not hurry at all seeing this one again.

I wont spoil, but the biggest issue is the antagonist...just...not good.
no big impressive fight either beside the one....
funny isnt funny;
oh and these new guy just feel like xmen wanabee. i dont like

6/10
 
just came back from it.

3d is...inexistant....shame.

The movie itself is very meh. I watched avengers 1 three times in theather , and as many at home, im not hurry at all seeing this one again.

I wont spoil, but the biggest issue is the antagonist...just...not good.
no big impressive fight either beside the one....
funny isnt funny;
oh and these new guy just feel like xmen wanabee. i dont like

6/10

Considering Loki itself was a poor villain this is disappointing. What is it with Marvel and bad villains.
 
just came back from it.

3d is...inexistant....shame.

The movie itself is very meh. I watched avengers 1 three times in theather , and as many at home, im not hurry at all seeing this one again.

I wont spoil, but the biggest issue is the antagonist...just...not good.
no big impressive fight either beside the one....
funny isnt funny;
oh and these new guy just feel like xmen wanabee. i dont like

6/10

Don't do this to meeeeeeeeeeeeee
 
just came back from it.

3d is...inexistant....shame.

The movie itself is very meh. I watched avengers 1 three times in theather , and as many at home, im not hurry at all seeing this one again.

I wont spoil, but the biggest issue is the antagonist...just...not good.
no big impressive fight either beside the one....
funny isnt funny;
oh and these new guy just feel like xmen wanabee. i dont like

6/10

Not exactly Ebert level reviewing.
 
So just my quick black bar free thoughts.

It nails a lot of things. But therein also lies the problem there are just too many things going on in the film and apart from one sequence there is not a whole lot of breathing room. Like I said earlier the action was amazing, wasn't let down one bit in that department. But currently it felt like a better Spider-Man 3 (and I do mean a lot better).
 
It's good to have a meh review. It'll make me lower my expectation.

But yeah...MCU has the curse of 2. Now I'm worried about GOTG2.
 
just came back from it.

3d is...inexistant....shame.

The movie itself is very meh. I watched avengers 1 three times in theather , and as many at home, im not hurry at all seeing this one again.

I wont spoil, but the biggest issue is the antagonist...just...not good.
no big impressive fight either beside the one....
funny isnt funny;
oh and these new guy just feel like xmen wanabee. i dont like

6/10

But they are Xmen........
 
So just my quick black bar free thoughts.

It nails a lot of things. But therein also lies the problem there are just too many things going on in the film and apart from one sequence there is not a whole lot of breathing room. Like I said earlier the action was amazing, wasn't let down one bit in that department. But currently it felt like a better Spider-Man 3 (and I do mean a lot better).

bundys_popcorn.gif
 
Considering Loki itself was a poor villain this is disappointing. What is it with Marvel and bad villains.
Yeah but behind him was someone we wanna see. Which should have been the antagonist Here.

I don't know I just don't feel any guts here. Avengers 1 had many wow moment with funny scenes and amazing speech as simple as they were.

I can barely remember any of this one. Beside the obvious striiiiiiing on me.

Really disappointed. But maybe I was expecting too much. Just felt like a devil may cry 2. First one was so over the top that second one maybe not bad was just lagging behind
 
But they are Xmen........
Oh. Sorry I'm not reading any comic books. So I just don't like it. Too many super meta human these past times with TV shows and movies. I was expecting x men and other marvel movies to not mix. Mutant // heroes. But it's my bad then
 
Yeah but behind him was someone we wanna see. Which should have been the antagonist Here.

I don't know I just don't feel any guts here. Avengers 1 had many wow moment with funny scenes and amazing speech as simple as they were.

I can barely remember any of this one. Beside the obvious striiiiiiing on me.

Really disappointed. But maybe I was expecting too much. Just felt like a devil may cry 2. First one was so over the top that second one maybe not bad was just lagging behind


So you are saying the best dialogue in the movie is specifically the monologue that the villain recites in the trailer?
 
Considering Loki itself was a poor villain this is disappointing. What is it with Marvel and bad villains.

This one sounded promising in the teaser, but then that clip they showed a week ago revealed ultron to be another jokester Whedon character :(

at least they have kingpin now tho
 
Wonder how bad Marvel will ruin Spider-Man's villains (he easily has the best rogue gallery out the current Avengers). Can't imagine it'll be worse than what TASM did, but if these guys can't even nail it using Spader then they need better writers.

Now that I think about it, Cap 2 is probably their effort when it comes to the opposing force. That also happens to be their best film. If Ultron is crap, then I can only assume Thanos will be more of the same.
 
So you are saying the best dialogue in the movie is specifically the monologue that the villain recites in the trailer?

I don't fully agree with the other poster, though he does have a point, Ultron does have some great lines and is menacing at times. The problem is you just lose track of him during the film due to all the other stuff that is going on.
 
Wonder how bad Marvel will ruin Spider-Man's villains (he easily has the best rogue gallery out the current Avengers). Can't imagine it'll be worse than what TASM did, but if these guys can't even nail it using Spader then they need better writers.

Now that I think about it, Cap 2 is probably their effort when it comes to the opposing force. That also happens to be their best film. If Ultron is crap, then I can only assume Thanos will be more of the same.

Jared Leto will save us from bad comic book movie villains. Unfortunately I cant think of any other movie in the horizon that is starring a potentially decent villain. I also have little faith in Lex. Also Thanos looks hilariously bad. Marvels villains suck big time. Seriously DC should just loan some Batman villains for them.

This one sounded promising in the teaser, but then that clip they showed a week ago revealed ultron to be another jokester Whedon character :(

at least they have kingpin now tho

Yeah Kingpin is their best villain so far. Cant wait for Season 2.
 
I don't fully agree with the other poster, though he does have a point, Ultron does have some great lines and is menacing at times. The problem is you just lose track of him during the film due to all the other stuff that is going on.

Where does he rank among the MCU villains, and how was Spader's performance? If you don't mind answering.
 
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