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rttp: Avengers Age of Ultron: A decent movie that tries to do too much
- Thread starter error4041
- Start date
It was a bit of a let down after the fantastic trailer that introduced Ultron with the 'no strings' line. I thought that creepiness would carry through the movie, but instead he's just a robot evil tony stark the whole time, which didn't work nearly as well. Plus I tend to roll my eyes at the CG-fests that cap off way too many super hero movies these days. I liked Civil War a lot more for that reason - the Airport battle was the big scene of excess, but it felt more interesting than the Ultron battle and was followed by a lower key ending.
Glass Rebel
Member
It's not that bad. Not necessarily worse than the first one tbh, which is completely average on rewatch.
The biggest mistake was making Ultron this basic annoying prick obsessed with making witty remarks and forced one-liners. His reveal is awesome but he soon turns into another pushover villain and the initial no-fucks-given threatening appareance is rapidly forgotten in favor or that thing Marvel/Disney consider humor.
Oh and no-stakes of course.
Ultron shoots the scientist girl point blank? Nah shrug it off ur fine. Truly a force to be reckoned with.
But it's the MCU, what was I expecting.
That and the pile of garbage that is Hawkeye's secret life. Like who the hell cares?
Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were awful. From the CGI on the witch to the garbage Disney Channel redemption "arc" of both.
Certainly better than whatever the fuck BvS theatrical release was.
The biggest mistake was making Ultron this basic annoying prick obsessed with making witty remarks and forced one-liners. His reveal is awesome but he soon turns into another pushover villain and the initial no-fucks-given threatening appareance is rapidly forgotten in favor or that thing Marvel/Disney consider humor.
Oh and no-stakes of course.
Ultron shoots the scientist girl point blank? Nah shrug it off ur fine. Truly a force to be reckoned with.
But it's the MCU, what was I expecting.
That and the pile of garbage that is Hawkeye's secret life. Like who the hell cares?
Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were awful. From the CGI on the witch to the garbage Disney Channel redemption "arc" of both.
Certainly better than whatever the fuck BvS theatrical release was.
Agreed - this is why he fell flat. Spader did an excellent job but the material he was given was really mixed. Should have been cold and calculated the whole way through.
CadetMahoney
Member
The CGI is kinda off too. I swear Avengers 1 looks better.
They probably forgot Ultron exists whilst BvS is notorious because everyone talks(ed) about it more.
They probably forgot Ultron exists whilst BvS is notorious because everyone talks(ed) about it more.
BoogieWoogie
Banned
I'll at least give it credit for that final Vision/Ultron scene, still one of the best things the MCU has produced.
The rest is mediocre at best. Turning Ultron into Tony Stark-lite was such a mistake. When the "no strings" trailer dropped, I remember being pumped, thinking they were going to go much darker with this one. Not to say that making it darker would have made it better, but I think its certainly something that was needed.
Luckily, Infinity War looks like it's going to own bones (Please don't let me be wrong).
The rest is mediocre at best. Turning Ultron into Tony Stark-lite was such a mistake. When the "no strings" trailer dropped, I remember being pumped, thinking they were going to go much darker with this one. Not to say that making it darker would have made it better, but I think its certainly something that was needed.
Luckily, Infinity War looks like it's going to own bones (Please don't let me be wrong).
I actually really like Age of Ultron. But I honestly agree that it's hard to watch. It's one of those rare movies that's significantly less than the sum of it's parts.
Like, all of the pieces are there. They all work (well, they mostly work, that Thor subplot was dumb and don't get me started on the Widow/Banner romance). But put together... eh.
A lot of MCU movies I'll get in the mood to watch or just put on in the background. But I never get that feeling with AoU. I'll watch individual SCENES, for sure. Like the Hulkbuster fight or the final Vision/Ultron showdown or the big fight on the flying city. But I don't really ever want to watch the movie itself.
I think the BvS comparisons are apt. Try to do a million things and fail to deliver a coherent product with them. I think the difference is that the pieces work for Ultron and don't for BvS.
Like, all of the pieces are there. They all work (well, they mostly work, that Thor subplot was dumb and don't get me started on the Widow/Banner romance). But put together... eh.
A lot of MCU movies I'll get in the mood to watch or just put on in the background. But I never get that feeling with AoU. I'll watch individual SCENES, for sure. Like the Hulkbuster fight or the final Vision/Ultron showdown or the big fight on the flying city. But I don't really ever want to watch the movie itself.
I think the BvS comparisons are apt. Try to do a million things and fail to deliver a coherent product with them. I think the difference is that the pieces work for Ultron and don't for BvS.
It's flawed but overall a very solid film that I enjoy a lot.
It also does wonders to introduce 2 tremendous characters:
critic reviews, audience reactions & cinemascore all highlight why this is objectively wrong
It also does wonders to introduce 2 tremendous characters:
critic reviews, audience reactions & cinemascore all highlight why this is objectively wrong
It shouldn't be that hard to understand: the majority of people disagree with the bolded.
Ultron is perfectly "watchable." It's entertaining, it has better cinematography than the original, it has some really fantastic moments (Vision, the party near the beginning, Hulkbuster fight, Ultron's final death) but it also has some bad moments (Widow being kidnapped, Thor's trip to the day spa, overall too much going on at once).
There is nearly nothing redeeming about BvS. It is a terrible movie, one of the worst in the genre, while Ultron was disappointing and had a lot of problems but was still watchable.
You're free to disagree with that but most people just don't share your opinion.
In fact, I would easily argue that the MCU hasn't had a "true" stinker yet. And when I say that, I think of BvS, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Catwoman, the Fantastic Four reboot. Even the worst movies in the MCU (The Dark World, Iron Man 2, Hulk) aren't unwatchable like those.
There is a middle ground. Not everything is either Winter Soldier or Elektra.
Out of everything for me, that was the biggest mistake. With that trailer, it made it look like Ultron was not the one to fuck with and I thought the Avengers were going to be beaten down hard. I was ready for a darker, more ominous tone for an Avengers movie and it looked like this was going to finally deliver a great Marvel villain. Alas, as great as Spader is as Ultron, he's just another wise-cracking doofus who poses no serious challenge to the Avengers. Very disappointing.
Skellig Gra
Member
I heard they deleted scenes from Thors bath sequence. If only we had more of that.
Ultron is a better looking movie with respect to framing, lighting, depth, colors, but the quality of the visual effects took a hit in some places, presumably because they doubled it.
Avengers only had three major action scenes: Loki destroying the SHIELD compound, the hellicarrier siege, and the invasion.
Ultron had: the HYDRA raid in Sokovia, the party fight, the Ultron+twins/Hulkbuster fight in Africa, the Korea chase, the Sokovia end battle. That's a lot of action.
Spader was fantastic as Ultron and I understand what Whedon was going for in terms of him being built from Tony's personality. But I did wish for a movie comic-accurate personality. I would have been more okay with Whedon's take if we got a little more meat to it, however. Perhaps dumping Thor's day spa trip and replacing it with some more scenes of Ultron and the twins.
I'd like to see him show up again eventually, maybe if we ever got a Annihilation: Conquest movie.
I'd like to see him show up again eventually, maybe if we ever got a Annihilation: Conquest movie.
Beren the Empty-Handed
Member
I'd still like to see an alternative universe version of this film where the Iron Man/Hulk fight was shorter and the fight between Ultron and the Avengers in the shipyard was longer (and Ultron did more physical damage). It wouldn't solve all of the problems, but I think it could have made the film feel more focused, in a sense. It would also allow Ultron to keep his personality but allow him to be scarier at the same time.
What I'm not sure how to fix is Thor. I think Whedon just didn't know what to do with him at all, and really struggled to make him fit. There's a moment in the final battle where Ultron grabs Thor and just carries him away from the fight and says that Thor annoys him, and I can't help but see that as a self-insert of Whedon, basically admitting he needs Thor out of the way because he can't think of a good way to use him.
Also, Odin help me, the twins needed more time. It's already a long movie, but I feel like I got more from Vision than them. If not added time, then re-purposed time. I didn't feel like I got a great handle on them, especially Quicksilver.
What I'm not sure how to fix is Thor. I think Whedon just didn't know what to do with him at all, and really struggled to make him fit. There's a moment in the final battle where Ultron grabs Thor and just carries him away from the fight and says that Thor annoys him, and I can't help but see that as a self-insert of Whedon, basically admitting he needs Thor out of the way because he can't think of a good way to use him.
Also, Odin help me, the twins needed more time. It's already a long movie, but I feel like I got more from Vision than them. If not added time, then re-purposed time. I didn't feel like I got a great handle on them, especially Quicksilver.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Yeah, that movie is a fucking mess. I liked the first one surprisingly much (I'm not a huge MCU guy in general), so the second one was a big disappointment. Just a mess.
Ultron was better shot and had more and better action as well.
But the original is vastly superior and still one of the best comic movies ever. That entire final battle was amazing to watch as a comic fan as it was, in my opinion, the first time I ever felt that a comic fight was ripped directly from the pages and put into a live action movie.
I think Whedon understood that too. He wanted to make a comic movie.
On top of that, seeing the group come together was one of those really special moments in the genre that will likely never be repeated. My only real negative point on The Avengers was Hawkeye's roll in it but I also understand he was a victim of where the story needed to go and Whedon more than made up for it in Ultron.
moondoggerr
Banned
I acknowledge its not a great film, but I like it and find myself rewatching it on the regular.
It doesn't hang together as a whole but there are a lot of fantastic bits in it. Most everything with the Vision, the final showdown, Hulk vs Iron Man, the revels.
The fact that Ultron is not terrifying is a problem. He needs to be terrifying, not conversational.
It doesn't hang together as a whole but there are a lot of fantastic bits in it. Most everything with the Vision, the final showdown, Hulk vs Iron Man, the revels.
The fact that Ultron is not terrifying is a problem. He needs to be terrifying, not conversational.
Yeah, and that's definitely why I really like this movie, despite all its issues. It's trying to be so many things for what's expected to be a blockbuster to a sequel to a mega hit. I still remember this was supposed to be a smaller and more personal sequel and I think we all knew that just wasn't going to happen.
Still, I like it a lot, probably more than most, and a lot more than most of the MCU. It's one of those "interesting mess" movies for sure.
I remember coming out of the theater feeling so bummed out at how they portrayed Ultron. The next thought was "please, please don't fuck up Thanos and make him a vehicle for quips."
I want this:
Not this:
demosthenes
Member
Really don't think GotG2 is considered low tier by any majority of any people.
IM2 and Thor 2 are bad movies. Avengers 2 I don't think is bad, it's just not very good.
Guardians 2 is better than Guardians 1 though.
Master Yoshi
Member
Should have went further with out of control Banner, instead of the knock out punch. Would have been awesome to have Ultron get ripped to shreds by Banner mid movie and then have him just unstoppable until the end, after causing devastation to everyone. That would have made Banner's exile better.
BlazinSkatinAxel
Member
i mustve missed the jar of piss equivalent scene in Ultron
Volta Mars
Banned
It's one of three marvel films I have not watched a second time. And don't plan it.
I keep saying this, but nobody listens to me.
Unknown Soldier
Member
This just in: Neogaffer jon bones has determined that opinions can be 'objectively wrong'
If I were to say "2 + 2 = 5" that would be considered 'objectively wrong'
When I say 'this movie is bad' I cannot be 'objectively wrong' no matter what movie it is
thanks ill be here all week
but i was teasing, what i meant was that most people don't feel that 'Both movies are made with the same mindset and are equally unwatchable.' and the receipts are what i posted
why you can't understand why people feel differently is weird
but i was teasing, what i meant was that most people don't feel that 'Both movies are made with the same mindset and are equally unwatchable.' and the receipts are what i posted
why you can't understand why people feel differently is weird
TheSkullPrince
Member
I mean, I didn't hate it but, eh, it was aiight.
Not even fucking close
Markitron
Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
I'd place it in the mid-tier of MCU movies. It had lots of individually cool parts but felt a bit bloated. It would have been better if it was 20 mins shorter and cut the Korea sequence, or 20 mins longer and expanded on a few things.
You said you don't understand how people can trash bvs but give ultron a pass. Those would be peoples opinions of those films.
also opinions can be objectively wrong if the information that the opinion is based on is also wrong.
It pretty much killed any personal interest left in the MCU movie series for me. Haven't seen one since.
If Episode 8 of SW is a letdown, that will prob be it for SW for me as well.
Edit. Confused this with Civil War. Age of Ultron knocked my interest quite a bit and Civil War was the killing blow.
If Episode 8 of SW is a letdown, that will prob be it for SW for me as well.
Edit. Confused this with Civil War. Age of Ultron knocked my interest quite a bit and Civil War was the killing blow.
I enjoyed it, but its definitly one of the weaker MCU movies. I'm glad Joss Whedon's not back for Infinity War - the Russo's do a far better job at balancing comedy and drama appropriatly, I mean did we seriously need Hawkeye saying "its been a long day" over Quicksilvers dead body ?
yeah i am super grateful Whedon has moved over to DC and the Russos are handling the end of the MCU arc
they even managed to retroactively make AoU better via CW